Tuesday 7-14-2026

Tracy Chrest – @tracychrest989204 on Substack

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My latest painted sketches.

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We went to visit my husband this morning. He was largely unresponsive, which is becoming more and more the norm. He is gradually withdrawing into himself and his own little world. There are a few exceptions to that. He did reach out and take my hand today and just held it for much of time we were there. His usual response now is “no” when we ask him something, like a small child – a knee jerk reaction. So I just got my phone and started showing him things, even though he said he had no interest, and he did show some interest, though didn’t say anything. When we left, he again said, “Get me out of here.” But when we asked him if the people were treating him well, he nodded. When we asked him if he hurt, he shook his head, “no.” He couldn’t answer any of the questions about HOW we would go about getting him out of there or what we would do if we DID get him out of there, so it’s another knee jerk reaction. He wants to be with us, wants things back the way they used to be. So do we. So.do.we.

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Brian and I spent time at the cafe this afternoon and just came home. We had a good time – Brian working on his computer, me finishing some sketches and starting others, both of us having a nice drink.

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I thought it was going to rain on us, but it only sprinkled on the way home from the nursing home, and didn’t do anything at all while we were at the cafe.

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I learned another ‘perk’ of getting older – that of bruising more easily. ‘Something’ bit me around the time we were going to the cafe. It was itching, so I scratched it, more than once. I looked down at my arm later and saw a BRUISE where I had been scratching. That’s the first time that has happened. I’ll have to put “do not scratch hard” on my list now…

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Spotted Moon