“Remoted” – Day 508 (Friday)

Last night will not be noted for quality sleep for several in the family. At my house, between the two dogs there were three trips outside to potty. The street was quiet and peaceful around 2:00, and 3:00, and 4:00. Between and around the outdoor jaunts, Moose twice tunneled under the bed, and once wedged himself between the wall and the dresser. I was mostly already awake for all these things. Sleep seemed to arrive in 15-minute increments when it came at all, except for the one uninterrupted stretch from 5:00 to 7:20. Over at the homes of my Mom and my sister, the unsettled sleep followed similar patterns. 

Three Musketeers, 2017.

Thank goodness for morning routines with no thinking required. Autopilot got me through feeding and medicating the dogs, taking a shower, making coffee, and dressing. Most of the day, I kept thinking it was Saturday.  My sister said the same thing.

We are all reeling from recent news that is brutal to bear, brutal to share, and will take more time to process before being able to talk about. The plain, painful, unvarnished truth is that my brother is no longer with us. May he rest in peace. We love you, man.

Yesterday was hard. Today was no easier.