A life well lived... a woman well loved

I attended the viewing yesterday evening of Cathy Bolton, a woman taken from her life much too soon by breast cancer. She was 47 years old and fought to live like the proverbial tiger... she wanted to be around long enough to see her grandchildren.

Cathy's love for her family, friends, patients and work associates was the guiding force of her life. They responded by being there for Cathy and her family, giving of their time with visits, food, whatever she needed that they could provide... their respect and love for her evident in their faithfulness to her throughout her illness.

At the viewing, I asked Cathy's mother how she was doing... she said her heart was broken, but she was okay. The line of people who came to show their respect and caring grew and grew and grew... to the point that additional rooms had to be opened to accommodate them. I suspect the visitation lasted well past the planned 9pm closing.

I met Cathy's mother several months ago and we discovered that my daughter and grandchildren knew Cathy and her husband from attending the same church, my grandchildren having attended the same school with her children. When I went for a treatment this morning, one of my nurses and I discovered that she and some of the other nurses there had known Cathy through work. They were devastated... another hint of the far-reaching effect and influence Cathy had during her life.

Cancer may have finally killed Cathy, but it didn't win.

Unofficially official

Today is the unofficial official first day of Fall in my world... the day after Labor Day and the first day of school for most of the schools in my area. It's always been that way for me. It even feels like Fall to me now. Summer has been HOT here but the nights have started to have a coolness that lets me know the season has changed. I'm breaking my own obedience to the rule "No white after Labor Day"... wearing white pants to go to Meals on Wheels. It feels jarring to me but I want to have a full load of whites to launder before putting them away for next year. The pants will come off and go into the wash basket as soon as I get back home... wearing them just doesn't feel right.

The heat and a dying a/c in my car have kept me inside a lot this Summer, but I'm looking forward to cooler weather, just-picked apples, the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg, and planning another end-of-the-year holiday get-together with my family.

Had wall-to-wall granddaughters this past Saturday night. What fun! And my claustrophobia didn't even kick in. Of course, I know that the draw of staying with me wasn't just my scintillating personality... my high-speed internet and Wi-Fi connections had a lot to do with it. Oh well, I'll take anything that lets me enjoy these girls' company. The great thing is that I know their brothers will stay with me too. For the same reason, of course.

Hmmmm?!

I hope the people who fussed about the cold weather this past winter are happy.

My daughter and her husband, who have been looking at rental property ads, found a listing for what sounded like the perfect place... plenty of room for their family and lifestyle. The landlord would not show them the property. He had no problem with the the fact that they have four large dogs... just couldn't handle the fact that they have four children.

My car's A/C has been cutting out on me again this summer... doesn't stop running... just stops blowing cold air. Took it in for service a couple of days ago. The mechanic "could not simulate the customer's concern." It ran perfectly... by the time he gave up, it was practically spitting out ice cubes. Of course, It has stopped working for me every day since. The mechanic told me to run it by the shop the next time it happened, no appointment needed. He understands... cars know when your are taking them in to be repaired.

Several times in the past few months, I've found half of a pistachio shell in the bottom of my purse... just the one. I haven't been eating shelled pistachios... have a hard time opening them due to the neuropathy in my fingers. But there they've been... just the one half shell. In the Ann Landers column, I've read of people finding a single penny soon after the death of a loved one; a sign, they believe, of love and concern from their dearly departed. They get pennies. I get pistachio shells. Who? Why?...

In the storm of things

Drove home from the country yesterday afternoon in the midst of a thunderstorm. It was marvelous!... for me... the TV news this morning is showing downed trees and fires from lightning strikes. It's been a long time since I've been able to drive in the rain... we haven't had any. At one point, the rain was so torrential I could hardly see to drive. I traveled Staples Mill Road in to Richmond City, apparently ahead of the lightning strike that caused the fire destroying the Dental Association building. There had been debris on the road from high wind... none that I was unable to pass over. The only time I completely 'lost video' was when I went through a large puddle and a huge plume of water arced over my windshield obscuring everything. It lasted only a few seconds... seemed like hours... long enough for a short prayer that I wouldn't hit, or be hit. by anything. I encountered a couple or three stoplights that weren't working... all busy intersections. The storm had moved ahead of me so the rain had decreased. Drivers were being cautious and courteous; one had a city police officer directing traffic. As I was motioned past her, I put my window down and said, "Thank you. Be safe." She looked at me and I hope she was able to hear enough of my words to know that they were not a curse. I arrived home safely and walked to my building sans umbrella, enjoying being pelted by raindrops.

I love being in a car during a storm. The only place I prefer during stormy weather is a porch, protected by the roof and surrounded by glass or screen... high and dry while Nature rages. Havens both for me... safe ones... so far.

Another year older....

Yesterday (June 29) was my 65th birthday. Attaining this age was not a sure thing, especially the past 3 years. (But then, none of us gets a guarantee.) The past year has been wonderful... new experiences, new friends, new abilities, old friends, family... full of serendipity and glee. I can't decide whether it was the last day of my old year or the first day of my new year (remember the foofaraw about the turn of the century?) but I am so looking forward to this new year. Great things (my year, my yardstick) are going to happen. I don't feel 65 years old... more like 40 or 45.

I've learned and experienced so many things during the past years... I've made a list... it doesn't include everything because I can't remember everything....

...I'm glad my children are raised and out on their own. Parenting has never been easy and seems to be getting harder every generation. My kids managed to overcome their genes and upbringing and turned into people of whom I am very proud to call mine.

... Children will tell it like they see it. It's important to realize that it is their perception, not necessarily the way it actually is. That's something we adults need to consider for ourselves... 'is it real or just our opinion?'

... Don't ya hate it when the i.d. photo on your renewed Driver's License makes you look like a hedgehog caught in the headlights... and everyone says what a good picture it is?

... Counting is very important when knitting. New obsessions can hit at any age and knitting has become mine. For a short time it even over-shadowed my reading obsession, but things have evened out... I'm knitting and reading now.

... Having a conversation with me has become more interactive. Between Chemo-brain and Senior Moments, I sometimes have a hard time getting out a complete sentence without hand gestures (Mime... encouraging others to supply the word I'm trying to say) and questions to identify the subject (who was the guy that... you know... the one who starred in that movie with the...). I was chatting with my daughter and her husband the other night when she quipped, "Hey! We're playing Charades!"

... My life is the best it's ever been. I'm learning to savor everything... not just what I'm doing but the atmosphere, colors, and surroundings, while I'm doing it. Chemicals have altered my taste buds but the flavor of food I eat seems richer (I catch myself 'yummming' a lot). I think I can feel the auras of my friends and, sometimes, those of people I meet during the day. Wow! Teach yourself to savor. It's wonderful.

... Just because you make a Strike your first time up doesn't mean you won't drop the ball on your foot the next time you get ready to roll. Just sayin'...

Wired.... uh, caffined?

As of 5am, I have officially been awake a full 24 hours. The night was lovely. I opened my windows as soon as I could to freshen the stale air in my apartment. Fortunately, it was a quite night... infrequent but quiet traffic, some train whistles, only one siren about 1:30am. It was the first time in over a year that I felt able to leave the windows open. Heavenly.

Yesterday was a busy day. I had to be at the Infusion Center at 8am for a treatment but left early as I had to get gas... I was running on fumes. My treatment was completed about 12:10pm but left a little later after I finished the lunch they provided (Thursdays are 'chicken' day but I've been assured it's the best meal on the menu). Stopped at the library to return audio CDs then headed home to rest, but stay awake, as I had plans for an adventure.

I had made arrangements with one of the founders of From the Heart to go out of town to a meeting of another group of FTH stitchers. On the way, we stopped by McDonald's for an iced coffee and a large mocha frappe (wonder if that had anything to do with being un-sleepy?). The meeting was held at the new library in Hopewell, VA. The library is beautiful and much larger than I had expected. The group brings food to the meetings so I had dinner there, too. The group is wonderful... lovely women using their knitting and crocheting talents to make items for those in need. The conversations ranged from help with patterns and stitches, family news, news about absent members, recipes, and other very important subjects. I will be going again as often as I can... it was a treat to be with them.

On the way to the meeting, I realized that I had forgotten to turn off the alarm on my clock... not a problem if it were a normal clock. Let me tell you about this clock. I had purchased it last year. It had large numerals so I could read the time without my glasses. The numbers were so bright that they cast shadows! I had set the alarm for yesterday morning so I wouldn't oversleep and be late for my infusion appointment. While I was home getting ready to leave for my meeting, I realized that the alarm had not gone off in the morning... I had accidentally set it for PM instead of AM. Two problems: 1) I have no short term memory left... if I don't do something at the moment I think of it, it doesn't get done, 2) the alarm on this clock is truly alarming!... so loud that the first time I had set it, it nearly gave me a heart attack! I did not get up at that moment and turn off the alarm. Traveling to the meeting it suddenly hits me that this monster alarm is going to go off while I'm away from my apartment. I at least had the presence of mind to call a fellow resident and warn her... I didn't want other residents thinking I was in the apartment too ill to move, or dead. No one could get into my apartment and I certainly didn't want emergency personnel called. When I arrived home yesterday evening, one of the other residents from my floor was sitting outside enjoying the delightful weather. She said she was glad she had been aware of my alarm(ing) situation because '... that alarm is certainly effective.' I told her I had decided that I didn't need to know the time during the night. She said she wanted to get one like it because sometimes she has trouble waking up to go to work. As soon as I got into my apartment, I unplugged that sucker, put it in a plastic bag and hung it on her door knob.

I think I know where the directions are for the clock. Wonder if I'll remember to look for them.

1000 down. More to follow.

I awoke at 1:35am this morning to wicked, wicked lightning outside my window. Safe in my apartment, I closed the blind in my bedroom as if plastic slats would protect me from a strike (perception may be all). Nature is expending a lot of energy; reminding us humans that we are not in charge.

I started this blog a year ago, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, 2009. We are still at war. The news says that we (the U.S.) have reached the 1000-death level in Afghanistan. The dying continues. Our soldiers are still in the midst of man-made lightning on foreign soil and aiding in the midst of disasters on the home-front.

I offer my humble gratitude for, and pride in, the past, present and future service of our armed forces and the families & friends who support them.

God bless the USA.