As I edit this post on Saturday morning, the Woman's Final of the French Open tennis tournament, which has a rare Italian finalist, Francesca Schiavone, is going on as she plays an Australian, Samantha Stosur. The Italian has won the first set and Rome, where Susan and Lindsay are now together, must be going crazy. When I began this post last night, Susan was in the air on U.S. Airways flight #720 from Charlotte to Rome (about a 9-hour flight ... it left on 6:15 p.m . EST and landed in Rome - 6 hours ahead of us -- at 9:30 a.m.).

letter to Doug about Dad and our dinner at Valentina's ... love of baseball, the swing of Yogi Berra, going to a NY Yankees game, no idea how he got there but came to this country and saw the game on TV and had to have the interns explain the game ... 2nd phase of the mom's endoscopy and the wandering stint ... Dr. Corso did not find it in the pancreatic duct and an x-ray, viewed by Dr. Sanford Diznoff, a colleague of dad's, in the darkened, computer-monitor filled radiology area where he brought up the digital films of mom to locate the stint in her lower intestines on the way to expulsion ... so many contacts for dad, mostly through the employee clinic, so many earned memories from employees who have a real like for him ... I hear it in their talk with him. They loved him and what he did in the employee clinic. I have to get this on paper and send it to Doug to explain this day and yes, we watched the Flyers tie the Stanley Cup Series with the Chicago Blackhawks with a nailbiter -- 5-3 win after the Hawks came back from 4-1 to got to 4-3. Jeff Carter scored an open-net goal to seal the victory. The Phils also won 3-2 with Brad Lidge getting his 2nd save, an impressive one, and Roy Halladay, after pitching a perfect game 5 days ago, giving up 10 hits for his 8th win of the year.

5/18/2010: New chapter, aquatic therapy, storm doors, Science Times ... hospital change

Dad's physical therapy work-up on the 4th floor of the Wilmington Hospital's Joint Replacement and therapist Christy, who was thorough and went through a series of questions and then talked about exercises, which dad paid passing attention to. He was honest. Haven't done the exercises since leaving Manor Care a couple of months ago, but he did well according to her guidelines, but he was a little downtrodden to learn that bilateral arthroplasty is rare and recovery, complete that is, takes from 6 mos. to a year before your back to your old self, whatever that was.

Cromwell's Tavern in Greenville, a few minutes after 11 a.m. (appt. @ Wilmington Hospital was at 10 a.m. - we made good time)... Mairzi (she recognized and warmly welcomed dad), who use to work at the Kennett Square Inn ... and then moved onto Cromwell's and was asked to join their serving force without even applying. She was engaging and didn't charge dad for his vodka martini. We enjoyed, together for the first real time, a fantastic dessert ... a huge strawberry shortcake ("traditional pound cake soaked in simple syrup, layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream $5.50") that was absolutely delicious.

Dinners from Bachetti's (Teriyaki London Broil and meatloaf, brought out as I made a choice from limited selections -- i.e., only the London Broil -- "do you want a meatloaf," the woman asked, which needed to be wrapped in plastic) and then a stop at the place where dad will hope to do his aquatic therapy, Dynamic, just down from the the food store and meals' provider.

Got a stunning letter, forwarded from North Augusta, from Rev. Margaret Beard

who announced her resignation from the pulpit after less than 2 years as our spiritual head. "My last day of work will be Augusta 9, 2010," she wrote. I felt there were issues but as usual, did not get involved in the politics. She made changes and there were upset people, but I've been away for so long. I did feel as though she made little effort to connect with me during my absence. She sent one e-mail regarding the start-up of a caring group for aging parents.

5/17/2010 - Life's ebbs, flows, and riptides

Lana and Bob Senge are declaring bankruptcy, giving up their house and moving to Ocala, Florida, to the home of their recently passed mother. She's heartbroken but she is dealing with the move - the furniture, the kitchen ware, the cats and the bird. Staci finished mom's hair, delicately and finely in the basement of her home as Jericho, their Basenji-like dog, full of vigor danced and played with me. Ron called and we touched base after months. He and Kathy are preparing a June 5th graduation party for their daughter, Becca, who they thought, at birth, a sufferer of PK syndrome, might never see this day. It will be a full day celebration beginning in the early afternoon at their home in Ridley Park, PA (330 W. Ridley Avenue). Gail Emerson called. Her mother died in mid-April and she's already been to her home and cleaned it out with the help of a group of friends. We will meet this Saturday at the Farmhouse Restaurant @ 6:30 p.m. and perhaps later move to her home and meet her new, "gorgeous cat", Rugby, a Bengali.

A troubling loss of Dancer's leash. Came home w/milk and chewies for her. Took one out of the plastic wrapping and must not have hooked her to the line outside. Later, took a phone call from mother/son on Kingsgate (the same, attractive middle-aged woman who found a cute dog on Sunday and was keeping it for its owner, who got the dog later in the day driving by) who had Dancer. The leash had been chewed off. Had to have been done by Dancer but I don't know how ... went to Pet Smart first and then to Walmart to pick up another one and another solid chew toy. Waste of time and money and most of all, a demonstration of diminishing cognitive attention to detail.

5/16/10: Hills & Valleys (Rev. Nancy Dean), Haydn's "Creation", Flyers' hockey

You have to go through valleys to reach the hills. The ministerial associate, a well-spoken man, had meaningful words about spirit and how it can be laid low only to resurrect with experience and move forward despite sorrow. A lovely singer in the choir, a dynamic person, shed tears about the weight loss in her mother, who she desperately wants to fly out to see but who also starts a new job at Goldey-Beacom, 10-2, counseling international students. this is true feeling and expression, something that I lack and possibly never had, never will ... those valleys for me are perpetual, seemingly, and I am lost and only seek to find an out, a way to lessen the press of universal responsibility, freedom to most, shackles for me, for some unknown reason that persists, moment to moment, ceaselessly. When will it change? When will I be free? Not without effort, not without pain and that is so difficult.

My second session in the choir of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Mill Creek (UUSMC)and its director, Kristen Tosh-Morelli (wearing an unfortunate black eye caused by an errant trumpet -- she is a professional instrumentalist as well as elementary music teacher -- strap that whipped into her face the day before), who has a wonderfully evocative and communicative conducting style with her hands that relates music, often not rehearsed, into perfect harmony. I am one of duo section, the tenors, myself and Brian, who is a youthful (both in spirit and age) retiree who enjoys biking with his wife, at least once cross country, and who is a hugging and inspiring member, who knows everyone, particularly Larry Stomberg, cellist in the Serafin Quartet and also a member of UUSMC. Well, it's remarkable how much music is in the program at this congregation and they do it well. They also sing Spirit of Life during the service, right after the candles of Joys & Concerns, which Jane Frelick shared today. Her daughter, Alcy, 62 years of age, has accepted a tough job in Baghdad for a year starting next week. She has the rank of essentially a general in the State Department and is head of a biometrics group. She will be in charge, the 90-year-old, 43X platelet donor, Jane, mother of six and nurse, says of a group of about 800 people and she worries that an upcoming dinner in the next day of so might be her "Last Supper" (the congregation moaned and voiced their disbelief in this possibility). Regardless, as a mother she is worried and hopes the year goes quickly and she will be home and that much closer to retirement.

The day was gorgeous and UUSMC, located of Polly Drummond Road, which is off Paper Mill Road, is located in a park facility and rolling hills and a walking trail are visible out its wide windows in the sanctuary, which is un-air-conditioned. They were having their annual meeting today and I left not long after the service to give Dancer a quick walk in Bark Park at Carousel Park and make some long overdue cell phone calls, which remained unanswered and required leaving messages to Gail Emerson, Kathy & Ron Okarski, and Joyce Vertucci-Russ. I did get through to Uncle Ray who told me that having both knees done at the same time was rough. It landed him in the ICU with blood clots which required Coumadin treatment for a considerable length of time. He also had them done about 4 years ago, in his early 70s (born 1933, he'll be 77 in October this year), according to Joyce, who returned my phone call as I drove to a choral concert of Haydn's Creation by the Delaware Valley Chorale with orchestra & guest soloists on Sunday, May 16, 2010, 3:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 900 Washington St., Wilmington, DE 19801.So good to talk to Joyce who always has sounded "with-it" to me, yet, I know, she has gone through rough times in treatment and now making regular AA meetings. But she knew that she had to leave the job that paid well and where they loved her and she had done so well. She had to move on. Too many ghosts. People knew too much and she was ready to pursue new avenues, in this case, courses in phlebotomy and license practical nursing, which she is loving and doing well in. She has a lot of medical background coming from a law practice that focused on malpractice. Amazingly, she commented on dad's endoscopy treatment for removal of cancerous lesion as working toward "clear margins", medical terminology I've heard used by the doctors treating dad's Barrett's esophagus. She is an amazingly brilliant person and will do well in whatever field she decides to pursue, as long as she keeps off the booze. Most important of all, she offered her services to come down and care for her Auntie and Uncle in the coming weeks, after the birth of her second grandchild in Cincinnati in July (I think) -- have to send Adam a FB post/query.

We leave the choral concert, a longtime since the Brahms' Requiem concert in Augusta at Sacred Heart Cultural Center all those years ago, and we go to Mrs. Robino's Family Style Italian Restaurant for dinner, served by Tommy, an excellent waiter who was attentive and remembers everything that we want and have ordered (she even brings an extra spoon for Mom to enjoy by Oreo cake and dad's Tiramisu , an Italian specialty dessert. Dad starts off with fire roasted peppers marinated with fresh garlic and olive oil and he request the anchovies (where mom eats one herself) and mom orders a cup of Pastina, chicken broth brimming with pasta pearls,
Marinated with fresh garlic and olive oil. She orders the large thick pasta shelled cheese ravioli, which Tommy remembered (she couldn't tell me whether they were meat or cheese), dad orders the spizzato (a veal dish) with spaghetti, and I got spaghetti with mushrooms (added mom's meatball to mine). The Italian bread was wonderful -- Dad took one piece and claiming it was his Dutch heritage, placed three cubes of butter on one piece and later, promptly laid his jacket sleeve into his spaghetti sauce which he dabbed with ice water then his vodka martini (mom washed it with dish soap in the kitchen sink when we got home, I soaked it in water to lessen the soap content and she worried about whether it would dry.)

Dad freed from "prison"; Mom cooks dinner w/Dutch oven

Today, Tuesday, 9 February 2010, dad came home from his "prison", Manor Care Nursing Home on Limestone Road, a trip he came to know well going there to see mom and then as a resident, on a day that a second huge snowstorm within a week was heading into the mid-Atlantic area. Later, I took him for a blood test at the Medical Arts Pavilion #1, parking a good distance in the packed parking lot (he tested well and came up with a 11.9 hemoglobin versus his 10 and a little more in the previous three tests through Quest at Manor Care). Afterward, I took mom for her Coumadin check (2.7 in a therapeutic range) and she suggested getting a roast, carrots, gravy and making dinner this evening (turned out to be the afternoon as she went straight to preparation when we got home) ... I went to Pearl Vision to get my lens placed in my bent frames (bill came with the right lens ... $168.50) ... no snow shovels at Home Depot ... and when I got home, the meal was ready and mom has not lost her touch of meal preparation. We ate, hurriedly and singly, and I did the dishes starting around 4:15 p.m. and finishing before 5:00 p.m.