A Belated Happy Thanksgiving!

All photos in photo album in right column.

One holiday down, one to go!  New Years hasn't counted in years, so now the focus is on getting through Christmas!  Actually, Thanksgiving was well celebrated and enjoyed.  Belfair Gardens had a luncheon on Tuesday, which was very nice. The tables were festively decorated.  There was a great guitarist, whose music was perfect for the occasion.  All of the residents were in good humor and it was good to see them with family members.  I have met so many nice people there and it does feel like family.  I went over early and did Mama's hair and helped her dress for the occasion.  She looked good and got lots of compliments, which she really savored......who wouldn't!  There are two other vegetarians there and one lady provided the kitchen with a Tofurky roast and invited me to share it with them, which was very nice.  I took photos of most of those attending, husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, etc.  As soon as they are downloaded, I'm going to send them to each person.  It was a good day and everyone was so thankful to celebrate it in a positive way with their loved one.

On Thanksgiving Day, I went over and again had lunch with Mama, who by that time didn't remember the luncheon on Tuesday.  There are the usual family members who visit daily and, again, it was a warm, familial feeling.  Later that evening, I attended a Thanksgivukkah celebration with friends from my synagogue days.  It was special in several ways, the first being that Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will not coincide again for 77,000 years!!  I don't think I'll be around for that!  Secondly, it was a welcoming, jovial evening.  Everyone fit around an expended table and the conversation flowed easily.  It was totally enjoyable and ended Thanksgiving in a very positive way.

As I drove on-island to Thanksgiving dinner, there was very little traffic; but as I drove home, the highway and mall parking lots were full!  It made me very happy to be going straight home, avoiding all of the hubbub.  I've never really been tempted my anything about "Black Friday."  I can't think of anything I would want that would make me go through all of that.....and I really wish they wouldn't show all of the pushing, shoving and fighting on TV.  That seems to encourage some.  Anyway, I was happy to pass it all by and head home to my kitties, who seemed to miss me.  By the time I went to bed, all four were there with me!

To put up the Christmas tree or not, that is the question!!  I've always done it this weekend....the weekend after Thanksgiving.  The lights are such a hassle that I want to get them up early to be able to enjoy them for a long time (first week in January).  When Mama was here, it gave us something to do together....and something that usually turned out well.  The truth is that I hate doing the lights!!  So, I've decided to do them this year.  I am then going to get rid of the artificial tree that I've had for a long time and get an artificial tree with lights.  I love decorating with the ornaments, etc........but the lights are a pain.  This plan seems like a logical solution.  I'm even thinking of TWO trees since I have white ornaments that I've used only once.  So, we shall see how the after Christmas tree sales go!

I have to confess...this was my first idea!!

As you might guess, other things have been going on, too.  I've attended my Living Liberally group, as well as a Progressive luncheon on the island.  There are two progressive  ladies' groups but this one is hosted by two young women and I enjoy being with them and hearing their views.  The conversation is always good!

One of my mother's hearing aids broke....and, as luck would have it, the insurance didn't cover the piece that actually fits into the ear, which just sheered as though it had been cut with a knife!!  So, I took her to have another earpiece molded.  We hope to have that back by the end of next week.

AND, I'm here to testify to the power for drugs!  After only three days on my new blood pressure meds and an antidepressant, I began to feel better.  By a week later, I was calmer and more relaxed.  I'm sleeping better at night and feel more rested in the morning.  I really hate the thought of relying on them, but I do like being without the anxiety and stress.  I still hope to use them short term and eliminate them as things improve.

In other words, so far so good!  If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope it was a good day and that you were able to find lots for which to be thankful.  If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you still found something in the day, and each day, for which to be thankful.

Plot Twists!

I've been wanting and meaning to write for a while but couldn't figure out how to do so without sounding like a laundry list of disasters, crises, and plain, ol' bad luck!  That quandary still hasn't been resolved.....it is what it is, so here goes!

There were several weeks of calm and good weather.  Much of it was spent doing things around the house AND finally tackling the dreaded garage.

My garage, where things go to die!

After about three days, it was under control and there was such relief to finally have that done.  The hardest task is done and other areas will not be that demanding......and can be done in small doses.

I continued my walking (until about a week ago!) and, until very recently, the weather has been beautiful.  It really was a pleasure to be out.  Even now, it is cold]cool in the AM and PM, but midday is warm and sunny.  I also went out with friends and saw 12 Years a Slave, which was excellent.

Last weekend my cousin's wife wanted to stay over with 4 adult family members, which stretches my accommodations.  Even so, it worked out fine and it was nice to meet her parents.  That spurred the usual flurry of cleaning and cooking but at least I had a head start on the cleaning AND was given more advance notice than usual.

The next day, Monday the 11th, I went over the Belfair for a short visit with Mama so I could have a block of time to continue my house purge.  We were sitting in the lounge when she started having trouble breathing and a rapid heartbeat.  The nurse checked her vitals and recommend the ER, so 911 was called and away we go again.  This time she was there from 10AM until 3:30PM.  She came back, had a snack and seemed to settle well.  The next morning, I went over early and she was participating in an activity, but the minute I looked at her I could tell that her color wasn't good.  She said she didn't feel well and needed to lie down.  Her vitals were okay and I just sat with her, brought her lunch in and had lunch with her, and hung around until she fell asleep after lunch.  I went home briefly and made some cornmeal muffins to go with soup for dinner.  Later in the afternoon, I went over again and took her a warm muffin with a slice of cheese in it.  She had that with a glass of milk and seemed to feel considerably better after her nap.  It was nice enough that we sat outside for a few minutes.  She had a followup EKG on Thursday and the doctor hasn't called so I assume that it was fine and she continues to do well.

At Wendy"s after having her hair done

On the same day that she had her EKG in the afternoon. I had  my physical in the morning, having had the blood work done the previous week.  For some reason I was very anxious about the appointment, and as she started reporting the high BP, high triglycerides, tachycardia, etc. tears began to roll down my cheeks.  I suspected that something was wrong because I'd been having headaches (nothing severe, but headaches are unusual for me) and occasional shortness of breath.  With all of that AND my crying, which she diagnosed as "depressed", I was given more BP meds and an antidepressant.  I'm not real thrilled about the antidepressant, but I can see that the shortness of breath (and higher BP) is probably due to anxiety.  I definitely want to get things under control, but I don't want to be on them forever, which seems to be the trend here.  I remained emotional for the rest of the day.  The unsettling thing was that I didn't know why I was so weepy!  Usually there has been an identifiable reason to trigger the tears, but there was nothing concrete happening at the moment.  That does make me worry.  In any case, I felt fine yesterday and have a follow up in a month, at which time I hope to be less emotional.

One of the ladies in our Belfair Gardens group called (left a message) to check on my mother.  I emailed her back and told her I was the basket case at the moment!  She was very sweet and supportive, confirming that she, too, had days when she felt overwhelmed..  I also cancelled out on Living Liberally and a few people from that group called and emailed to check on me.......all of which was very sweet  and thoughtful.

The "fabulous" witch!

Totally unrelated to anything else, back in early October on the same day that my laptop died, I lost one of the diamonds in a band (wedding) that held four.  I vacuumed, dusted, shook and did everything else I could think of but never found it.  More recently, my Longine watch died.  I took it to the jeweler here but he was unable to repair it.....it will have to be sent to a repair center and possibly even Switzerland!!  Allan bought the ring in Hong Kong and the watch was a matching "his and hers" set.  He had trouble with his from the very beginning and mine never missed a beat.....right up until it just stopped. Nothing lasts forever, but I just wasn't ready to part with those things yet, to lose more......

Then, just to keep me on  my toes, on Friday I had planned to visit Mama mid-afternoon and to spend the morning doing laundry, etc.  As I was putting the first load in, I realized that was the end of the laundry detergent.  If I had to get out for that, I may as well stop in to see Mama and then come home for the rest of the day.  All week I had been meaning to stop by a shoe shop to see if they had a black pair like a beige pair I bought there.  While I was at Kroger I decided to run there before going to BG.  I was in and out of the shop in no time flat, got in the car and......my car wouldn't start!  With the few cold days we've had (and the short distances I drive), I figured it was the battery but, whatever the reason, I had to sit there for about 45 minutes for AAA to come......and I didn't bring my iPad for entertainment!  A very nice young man came to my rescue and it only took him a few minutes to get me going.  He wished me a better rest-of-the-day and I drove around a little to get a good charge going. I then stopped by BG as they were sitting down for lunch.  So, I had lunch with them and didn't get home until after 1PM.  THAT is a perfect example of how my days seem to go....very unpredictable!

I have plans to get together with two friends this coming week and would like to get my walking routine going again.  Mostly, I want to feel rested and calm, without feeling that I have a long list of things to do. Today I've turned off the news channels (very difficult for me to do!) and listened to a few podcasts and read one of the stack of magazines that await. There is a DVD for tomorrow....and more magazines. If things beyond my control can stay calm for a while, I think these positive changes will help. 

I hope things are calm and happy where you are....

Never a Dull Moment!

Within two hours of my last post (Sunday, October 13), I received a call from Belfair Gardens saying that my mother was not doing well......rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, etc.  They felt she needed to go to the ER, so I said go ahead and call 911 and I would get there ASAP.  I threw on some clothes and got there just as they were taking her down the hall on the way to the ambulance.  I spoke to her and am not even sure she knew it was me or even heard me (hearing aids were out).  so, I went to the ER and they did everything to quickly get things under control. They decided to keep her for the night.  However, as seems to always be the case, we didn't actually get a room and get settled for the night until 2AM.  Surviving the hospital is not for the weak!  My mother seemed to get a few hours sleep, but I got up at 6AM to come home briefly to feed the cats and give Gabby his insulin.  As soon as that was done, I went back....in less than two hours.  When I arrived, my mother had just finished breakfast and almost seemed like nothing had happened!  Even so, we were there until around 6PM.....the doctor wouldn't release her until blood work had been done again. So, we waited, waited, waited!!



The waiting was broken when Bev, a friend from synogague days, and her therapy dog, Alfee, stopped by for a visit.  He is beautiful and fluffy....difficult not to love.  He got lots of attention and we all loved it.  The hospital chaplain stopped in....and I knew him from synagogue days also, so we had a nice chat.  Finally, at the end of the day as we were about to be set free, Shelly from Belfair Gardens came by to check on "Mama Caboose", as she calls Mama for always bringing up the rear.  That was totally unexpected and so  thoughtful....she is a real gem, and you can tell that Mama likes her.  When I got Mama back at BG, they had held dinner for her and she was chowing down as I left.  I came home, took care of the cats and collapsed!  The last photo is of her enjoying the ice cream social the next day, almost as though nothing had happened.

The doctor scheduled an appointment for her to have a stress test on the following Thursday.  Anything like that is almost always a full-day event.  In this case, I went over and did her hair beforehand.  The test itself took several hours and we headed for food immediately thereafter.  It was another day of getting home just in time to take care of necessities before crashing.  Again, around 8:30 the phone rang.  It was the doctor saying they had found a major blockage and she needed a stent TOMORROW!  So, I called Belfair Gardens and alerted them, saying that I would pick her up around 7:45.....so, she didn't have time to fret over it (I did all that!).  We were there by 8:30 and the procedure went well, so well that she was released around 6:30 that evening.  I got her settled in BG, with assurances that they would check her often.  When I went by the next morning, she was up, dressed, having breakfast and demanding more coffee!!  I, on the other hand, was exhausted!!

 The next day (Saturday), I had planned to go to the Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival (Eileen, you will remember that!) with my friend Chris and her friend,  who was visiting from Minnesota.....but, I was so tired that I cancelled.  I had no energy left.  Later that week, I did join her and her friend for Thai food.  It was a nice evening and I was pleased to meet Sue....such a nice lady and the conversation was great.

I've also had lunch with one of my neighbors, whom I enjoyed getting to know....and I think we'll do it again.

As you can see from the photos, the government shutdown motivated the democrats to show up to Drinking Liberally.  This is awell over twice the size of our group of "regulars" and it was a good evening.  I hope we can maintain this momentum.  

You must know that with the government shutdown, I was on a tear!  I emailed Congressman Sanford EVERY day (except weekends and the day I actually stopped in his office in Beaufort!).  He voted against re-opening government, so I still owe him one last note....which I need to do soon, while my iron is still hot!

i also contacted our Lt. Governor, who is in charge of services for the elderly in South Carolina...pertaining my mother's situation.  My mother would qualify for Medicaid, but in SC that will only apply to skilled nursing care.  Since my mother sometimes seems to have more stamina than I, she doesn't need that yet.....which means I'm paying for most of it.....and seeing my future becoming more dismal by the minute.  I actually received a phone message and a letter from him. So, I also want to reply to him.....and question that when there are people like my mother, why have we refused the Medicaid expansion under Obamacare (free  money for states for three years, then only 90%).  This letter will require more finesse than the one to Sanford, where I will just level with him.....So, you can see that my "To Do" list is not short or easy.

In the meantime, my house was such a mess that I almost had to move out!  This past week, my plan has been to suspend my walks and to make very short visits to see my mother.  By the time I walk, shower, dress, visit my mother, have lunch....half of the day is gone.  I never seem to have a block of time to get anything done.  That plan worked for three days and I got a lot done. Thursday and Friday were totally disrupted, but at least the house is more liveable.  I've gone through and donated to the library lots of recipe books.  I've reorganize the two bedrooms to allow for guests and kitties.  I've reorganized the laundry room....slowly, but surely, I'm going through things and culling crap.  The garage awaits, and that will be the major project.  It's happening slowly but surely......and it feels good.

AND, if that isn't enough....I've become an organizer!!  All who know me know that I'm not even a "joiner", to say nothing of an "organizer".  I kind of follow the Groucho Marx (or WC Fields, or someone before my time ......thank God, there is someone before my time!!) theory that I would not like to join a group that would have me as a member!  But, it was my bright idea to put together a contact list of those families at Belfair Gardens who are there on a regular basis and might like to contact others.  As it turns out, that was a great idea and everyone loves it!!  We have 30+ people on our spreadsheet AND we have gotten together 3 times......and I have people calling me like I'm some kind of organizer!!  One positive is that it has made it easy for me (and others) to get to know one another, and I think those of us who are there on a regular basis feel that we can call upon each other if needed.  So, I have either done something very good.....or created a monster.  Time will tell.

If all of that sounds disjointed, unpredictable, and totally overwhelming.......then you have a full grasp of the situation!!  I just get up in the morning and put one foot in front of the other.  I am posting this, without review.  I will do that tomorrow (or even later!).... but know that I'm hanging in there, doing my best, and thinking of all those who care enough to follow this.  I LOVE YOU!  Thank you so much!

Up and Running Again

It seems like forever since I last posted and I feel very far behind, in the blog and almost everything else!  So, I'll do my best to catch you up as I have made an effort to stay busy....to the point now of feeling the need to stay home and get some things done.  I've done the usual things with friends and my Living Liberally group.  I also saw "The Butler", which I thought was very good as it brought back lots of historical events of my time.

On Labor Day weekend, we had a very nice surprise.  Jim, Anthony and Justin, whom I'd just visited in DC, sent a lovely bouquet of flowers.  When I saw the delivery person at the door, I was sure they had the wrong address!  The flowers were lovely and thoroughly enjoyed by me, the cats and my mother.  What a sweet thing for them to do for us!
 

The following week Bill and Betty came for the afternoon.  They make a special effort to come by on their way to visit their son in Florida.  It is out of their way and I do appreciate their making the effort.  Mama was feeling well and we all went out to lunch at Jim N Nick's.  It was lots of fun and we all enjoyed it.



A group of Tibetan Buddhist Monks were in Savannah and creating a sand mandala during that week.  I didn't know anything about it until a friend posted four photos on Facebook (which I've included here with one of mine).

I was definitely interested in seeing their work so I went down on Thursday afternoon.  The bottom right photo shows how far along they were at that time.  Then on Sunday, my friend Chris and I went to see the completed mandala and closing ceremony, which was great.  As we walked in, there was this very low hum.  It took us a minute to realize that the monks were chanting.  They completed the mandala around 4PM and there was about an hour before the closing ceremony began, during which they dismantle it, share some of the sand with those in attendance, and then take it to the river and disperse it around the world.  It was not a disappointment.  I'm posted my album (which you can see HERE) as well as this YouTube time-lapse film, which shows it being done, explains some of the symbolism and includes their chanting and the closing ceremony.  The mandala in the film is a wealth mandala while the one done here was a healing mandala.  After seeing that the film was taken in a cold climate, I can imagine that the monks probably enjoyed being here!


The weather was perfect and it was an enjoyable day.  After the closing ceremony, Chris and I went to a new vegetarian restaurant in Savannah.  The food was very good and I think we'll be back again, whenever in Savannah.  So, it was a perfect end to a perfect day.

Early in October my mother and I had a get-together with Alice, the lady who occasionally sat for Mama when she was with me.  I don't think Mama remembered her, but Alice is so sweet she enjoyed being with her even so.  We went to IHOP and everyone enjoyed a good breakfast.

With the government on shutdown I think Jim, being on furlough,  was in crisis; so, I got a call asking if they could come down for a few days since they were already in NC.  How could I say "no" when they had so graciously let me visit when I needed to get away.  I don't think anyone ever really minds, you just want everything to be as good as possible.  Well, I had three hours notice and did what I could in that time......freshened the bedclothes, tidied up as much as I could, ran to the grocery store, and had a pot of soup on when they arrived.  I didn't have time to fret over the visit and that was good.  They arrived late Monday afternoon and once they were settled, we went to visit Mama and then to Truffles for dinner.  The next day was cool and overcast, and I had a 2:30 meeting that I needed to make.  So we went to Palmetto Bluff for a look around.  Then we came back.....I went to my meeting and they did some shopping, looking around, etc.  Once again, we visited Mama, taking Deva, their little teacup Chihuahua. Mama immediately fell in love with her, as did everyone else there who saw her.  She went back for several visits and brought a smile to everyone she met.  On their third day, which was sunnier and warmer, we spent the day in Beaufort.  We did the carriage ride, which I always enjoy.  We then did lots of walking around town, ending up at the Chocolate Tree.  Need I say more!?!  It was good to see them and we couldn't have enjoyed it more if I'd had a week to prepare!
 
In the midst of all this, the government has closed and I've been calling, emailing and writing my representatives and the Speaker of the House.  I know they all love me!!  You will laugh at this...I emailed my esteemed Congressman, Mark Sanford (he of Appalachian Trail fame!).  The next day I called his office.  I told the staffer my name and location, and he said, "Oh, yes.  We received your email yesterday!"  I almost laughed out loud.....but it did tell me that they are paying attention to the feedback.  He was a nice young man and we had about a 15 minute conversation.  Then, when I asked what their healthcare plan was (since we know the ACA is as bad as it gets) he couldn't tell me what the GOP's plan was or what Sanford supported. That was not a surprise to me as they DO NOT want healthcare.  It was at that time that he said the phones were ringing, yada, yada.......and I told him that whenever the discussion (with Republicans) got down to facts and details, it was abruptly brought to an end.  Anyway, I've taken it as my civic duty to let them know my thoughts each day.  I do think they are dealing with a whole lot of "what goes around, comes around" kind of stuff, and it couldn't be happening to a more deserving group.

So, you can see that grass hasn't grown under my feet and, as I said earlier, I feel like I need some down time at home.  I'm trying to walk as often as possible.  Between that, showering and dressing before visiting my mother, a large chunk of the day is taken.  I've begun getting rid of things and trying to get the house more organized, but there is just so much to do.  I can only do it in small increments, but I guess that is better then not doing it at all.

I hope this finds you doing well.  Please drop me a note and let me know what you've been doing.

Technical Difficulties

Well, I've put off posting an entry, knowing that it would take a block of time to do it as I wanted.  Now, my laptop is dead!  I turned it on yesterday (9/30/13) and the monitor didn't come on.  After trying all suggestions on the Internet, I took it to the Geek Squad.  They thought it was the graphics chip that is welded to the motherboard, which means the motherboard would most likely need to be replaced.....to the tune of $300-$400.  I thought that would be the easy way out until I went back and checked on laptops.  It seems that the prices have really come down on them, which now means that it might actually be better to get a new one than to repair a 3+ year old.  So, I'm waiting to learn the actual cost of repairs before deciding.  In the meantime, working on my blog is one of those things more easily done on the laptop than iPad.......which you can see below.

There are things to report, but I will wait until I'm also able to post photos, which makes it more interesting to you and fun for me.  So, all is well!  I'll be in touch as soon as my computer problem is resolved........it may be a couple of weeks!!  In the meantime, let me know what you've been doing.

When All Else Fails.....Escape!

Well, I was in such a sad, lonely place that I had to escape.  I didn't know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go, I just needed to get away.  As I thought about it, I realized that the last really good time that made me feel alive and involved, and wore me to a frazzle, was when I visited Jim and Anthony in the DC area several years ago.  So, on the spur of the moment on a Sunday night, I emailed Jim and invited myself!!  They were very gracious and welcomed me with open arms.  As Jim said, "You're family....we'll put the small pot in the large pot and add water!"  I'd never heard that before and I loved it.  So, I set about making plans, not that anything would qualify as "a plan".  I did everything backwards; at times I felt like I hadn't done this (traveled) before, but it all worked out. So, on Thursday morning (7:30AM), i took Amtrak from Savannah to Union Station in DC. These are not European or Japanese trains....this was an 11 hour trip, but I was actually looking forward to sitting there, looking at the scenery and chilling.  The trip up was very pleasant, but the trip back, from 7:30PM to 6:45AM, was as one would expect.  Even so, I had pleasant and interesting seat mates, which made it all tolerable.

When I got off the train and walked from the platform to the escalator leading to Union Station, the first people I saw were Jim and Anthony.  We went straight to Uno"s for dinner and caught up as quickly as possible....non-stop gabbing!  It was great to see them again!  From there we went to their place and it wasn't a late night for me.

Jim had to work on Friday, which was a dark, drizzly day; so Anthony and I had a leisurely morning before heading to National Harbor. We browsed around there a bit before taking a boat to Alexandria, where we shopped a bit and had a Starbucks coffee.  We were on a little tram back to the boat when someone asked where we were from.  When I said HHI/Bluffton, half the tram spoke up.  One group vacations here regularly and another fairly stoned young man had dated the daughter on a major car dealer here.  It gave him such a good feeling that he came over and shared his headphones with me....Led Zeppelin!!  Once back at National Harbor, we had a nice lunch at the Gaylord before heading home.  

While we were out having a good time, Jim was busy making plans for the evening.  He got tickets to The Twins Jazz Club on U Street.  That seems to be an area that was down on it's heels for a while but is now being revitalized by the younger set.  We thought the club did Ethiopian food, but for some reason they had switched to Jamaican......but would be doing Ethiopian again in the near future!  In any case, they had a wonderful lentil soup, and wine....so everyone was happy.  The music was very good and the band welcoming.  It was a very good night.  U Street was calm and quiet when we went into the club but, by the time we left, it was hopping.  Oh, to be young again!!  Needless to say, when my head hit the pillow I was out like a light!

Saturday was my ulterior motive for being in DC.  It was the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's March on Washington.  I have to say that seeing that march on TV 50 years ago had a major impact on me.  It seemed to express what we should all strive for, to love one another without divisions of race, religion, gender, whatever.  Anyway, Jim and Anthony agreed to go with me and we were on the metro with lots of others.....it was wonderful, my kind of thing!  We ran into lots of people to talk to and discover...I loved it!  Unfortunately, the event didn't seem to be very well organized.  There was lots of information of which trains to take, where to get off, etc., but details of the program were sketchy and sometimes contradictory. Then, when we got there we could see where we wanted to be, but the crowd control procedures made it impossible to get there.  During the whole afternoon, we saw only two "park rangers" who were trying to provide information, but I think even they weren't sure of what was happening.  Anyway, those who have participated in this type of thing before (Cheryl!) know that it's just wonderful to be with that many people of similar thinking.....everyone is in a good mood, jovial, kind, funny, and so on......it's a wonderful atmosphere and I soaked it up.  I talked to a lady who graduated from the same university as I and I was interviewed by two delightful young ladies from Morgan State University who asked why I was there.....I figured she was motivated to ask that due to my age!!  Anyway, that is my kind of thing and I enjoyed it.  It was made complete when, on our way out, we happened upon an older man who had participated in the original march and was carrying his original sign.  THAT made my day!  His photo made the NY Times, but I got my own, and everyone (passers-by on the street) thanked him for being there then and being here now!

At this point, I have to interject a somber note......perspective!  That word was really made real when I realized that when Martin Luther King led that original march, he was 34 years old.  I was 16 at the time and he seemed like a middle-aged man to me. NOW that I am twice the age we was at the time, I realize the greatness and courage of a very young man.  I can see how much ahead of his time he was, the courage it took, and the sacrifices he and his family (unwittingly) made. I feel for his young children and wife who lived without him......and, as I've seen the speech again, there is a sadness to him.  Fifty years later, my admiration for him is greater and I hope we reach a point where his vision is made real.     

Anyway, after the march, we adjoined to the Meridian Oriental for "tea", which was a relaxing treat.  On our way to the metro (which I love!), we walked through the Smithsonian gardens...... lovely.

But, the day didn't end there!  We then went to a monthly dinner group that Jim and Anthony attend.  It was the birthday of one of the hosts, so the occasion was very festive. It was great to be with interesting and diverse people, though I spent most of my time talking to Jorge, who was running a B&B.  He was a trained chef, into composting, growing his own food, woodworking, and more......very interesting!  A good time was had by all and, again, I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

On Sunday we went to a Renaissance Fair.  I'd heard of them but never attended.  This was the first weekend of its opening and it will run through October. Jim and Anthony had their costumes, which were very good and people frequently asked for photos.  I was amazed at the number of people who came in costume and the quality of the workmanship.  The event was set in a lovely wooded area which lent itself to this type of thing.  It really was a nice way to spend the afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  There were lots of good musical groups performing throughout the afternoon.  Bagpipes seemed to be a favorite and, somehow, belly dancing worked its way into most musical performances.  It was a great people watching event and I would highly recommend it.  From there we went to Annapolis for a walk around town and dinner by the water.....very nice.



Jim had appointments on Monday morning, so I accompanied him as we were meeting his (and my deceased cousin, Cissy's) son Justin for lunch.  Though we didn't have as much time as I would have liked, it was great so see Justin and catch up a bit. He looked wonderful, having lost 40 pounds, and seemed to be working hard and doing well.  That was a high point....and I hope to see him again soon.


From there, Jim and I went to the National Gallery for the Mary Cassatt exhibit......just happening to pass the Democratic National Headquarters on the way!!  It was a quick visit to the gallery, but lovely and impressive.  There is just so much to do and see in DC.  I'm sure it has drawbacks, but it's hard to deny its appeal

We got back home just in time for me to throw things in a bag and be taken to Union Station....after a goodbye to Deva (left), Jim and Anthony.  I boarded the train at 7:30PM, arriving in Savannah at 6:40AM.  It was not a comfortable night, but the weekend was worth it.  I am so glad I did it as it broke the sadness I was in.  I stiil have moments of tearfulness, often at the least thing or most inopportune times; but, overall I do feel better.  I went through this tearfulness with my mother and was just over it not too long before Allan died.  That set it off again, but I know it will subside over time.

When I arrived home, I was greeted by a gang of turkeys, who strolled through my yard.  I took that as a "welcome home" and a good omen.

 I am happy to report that my mother did FINE while I was away.  She started giving me grief the day before I left, but I made a quick exit.  I checked on her via email and phone while I was away and all reports were good.  When I got back, she said she missed me and was happy to see me.  She has been getting up and dressed for breakfast, participating in activities and even getting to know other residents.  She seems much  most settled.  Today I took her out to get her hair cut and lunch at Wendy's.  We ran a few errands and she went back with no problem.  So, that may make it easier to do that type of thing again.

Unfortunately, my kitties didn't fare as well.  Actually, they were all okay, but the litter boxes were atrocious, Mama Mia's food dispenser was empty, the house alarm was not set, and....the straw that broke the camel's back.....when I turn the TV on, it was set to FOX news!!  The lady who cared for them works at the vets office and (supposedly) could give Gabby his injections every 12 hours, but I was not impressed with what I found.  While she was very nice and I would like for things to have worked out, I am going to have to find someone who can do it all.
 
Since being home, I've remained busy.....Living Liberally group, lunches with friends, Farmer's Market, my walking routine.....and to see "The Butler", which I thought was excellent.  I'm ready for some home time now, in hopes that it won't be as sad and unsettling as before I left.  I still expect Allan to call in the mornings......I know that none of us get out of this life alive, but it is so difficult to do without those we love. I'm thinking now of Dorothy Redpath, who just lost Bryan, her partner of a lifetime. I'm hoping she is okay and finding solace in memories of a good man and an interesting life.  We are too close at the moment to be able to put it in "perspective", but that will happen over time.