Bill and Theresa Yarawski, now both 81, moved into the home behind me in 1961, and since 1998 have been THE best neighbors I've ever had. When I'd summer in Denver they watched the house, replaced light bulbs that burned out, reset lamp timers after a storm and just kept an eye on things. Ever since I moved in full time in November 2002, Theresa has been spoiling me with leftovers, and I've enjoyed giving them dumpster treasures and helping with their gardens. Sadly, Bill, who for years was the Catholic deacon for MacDill AFB, has suffered from accelerating vascular dementia, and for 5 years Theresa was exhausted by non-stop caregiving, and so recently she's had two episodes of congestive heart failure. Bill has been in a nursing care facility for a few months now. It has always been my pleasure to help when Theresa would call to ask for help due to Bill "acting out" as his dementia progressed, or to watch their home and dog Ginger (Sweety's best friend all these years and our yards share a back gate) when she'd be in the hospital since we share sets of house keys.
Recently, Mary Ann was down from Alabama to help her Mom again and one night called me, said to come over as her Mom had a question. So I walk in the back door as usual to find them both in the kitchen, grinning. There on the dining room table was a BIG gift wrapped box with a card taped to it....on the card it said "To John, From: The Universe". All the family members had signed the card and they thanked me for having helped over the years and I immediately got teary-eyed and choked up. Then they told me to open the box...inside was a gorgeous 24" LCD TV!
Recently, Mary Ann was down from Alabama to help her Mom again and one night called me, said to come over as her Mom had a question. So I walk in the back door as usual to find them both in the kitchen, grinning. There on the dining room table was a BIG gift wrapped box with a card taped to it....on the card it said "To John, From: The Universe". All the family members had signed the card and they thanked me for having helped over the years and I immediately got teary-eyed and choked up. Then they told me to open the box...inside was a gorgeous 24" LCD TV!
They've known of my "Universe Wish List" I've kept on my fridges for 20 years now, and in the past we'd talked about it being the same in spirit as their prayers as Catholics. They had recently tricked me into mentioning new additions to my list and got wind of the fact that my big TV had died and I was watching a little 13" portable I'd traded a rose for and so had put on my list a "big flat screen TV". So they bought me a gorgeous one!
Last night I got nicely "altered" and watched my 'Avatar' DVD that arrived yesterday, with my killer surround sound system cranked (I recently dumpster dived an even BETTER powered subwoofer than I had before, so it was almost like being in a theater!)
Thank You Yarawski Family for being great neighbors all these years, and for that loving generous gift and adding to the joy of my little homestead and "farm" in south Tampa! I have such an abundant life. Check out my wonderful new TV in my newly re-mirrored east side of my livingroom!
John
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