My first picture of Dancer on a too infrequent walk using the iPhone in weeks. Is is a rejuvenation on the birthday of my former mother-in-law, a woman who I love and consider my second mother and who is loved by my mother and who we called on her birth day this day and she answered and returned a phone call as promised? A person with integral and unchallenged integrity and fortitude. I don't believe so because change comes dripping slow and I ache or at least pretend to as I waste each day, one after another.
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Saturday, August 16, 2014
15 August 2014: Friday ... Mom's birthday ... a rejuvenation ... a walk nearing sunset
My first picture of Dancer on a too infrequent walk using the iPhone in weeks. Is is a rejuvenation on the birthday of my former mother-in-law, a woman who I love and consider my second mother and who is loved by my mother and who we called on her birth day this day and she answered and returned a phone call as promised? A person with integral and unchallenged integrity and fortitude. I don't believe so because change comes dripping slow and I ache or at least pretend to as I waste each day, one after another.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
29 July 2014: Tuesday ... Mom's 83rd birthday ... Christine's lesson of patience in yoga ... Nick's call ... NV's call ... Uncle Nick's call ... flowers from Acme ... a herd of deer by JDHS
The array of flowers and cards for Mom's birthday.
Mom poses behind orchids sent by Doug.
It is so easy to break out of a routine and settle back into lethargy and renew that sense of incompetence. Yet, to learn patience -- represented so aptly by breathing in yoga and the focus of Christine's class this morning -- is to be able to take the time, each day, to do a little of a variety of activities that activate the mind and spirit, much like this writing, just a few minutes, after a much needed walk around JDHS and a circle of the quarter mile on the track with Dancer outside of the fence and not inside the track and the football field, where we marched over 40 years ago and sat in the stands playing our fight songs for the team.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
4 June 2014: Wednesday ... 25th anniversary Tiananmen Square ... met Dragana during Body Pump ... flag twirlers Jennifer & Christine, Newark HS Band '80-82? ... Barb Wise's birthday ... Dale McLaughlin, too (lives in Hawaii) ...
Nice picture of Barb Wise on her birthday. I commented on it just minutes after she'd posted it on her FB page and Butch Giusto had made a comment about all the lovely water flowers.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
17 March 2014: St. Patrick's Day ... Curt Oglesby's 58th birthday ... snowing, AGAIN! (about 3 inches) ... Jihed Khiary in Tunisia (new FB friend thanks to love of Mozart and Rubinstein on YouTube)
Jihed Khiary is on the left (she reminds me of Tina Fey) with two of her friends.
Such wonderful young people, perhaps all from Tunisia.
Jihed Khiary shared a link.
Jihed Khiary is on the left (she reminds me of Tina Fey) with two of her friends.
Such wonderful young people, perhaps all from Tunisia.
Such wonderful young people, perhaps all from Tunisia.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
13 March 2014: Thursday ... Aunt Carol's birthday (she would have been 84 today ... "What is it?") ...
Just remembered and shared with mom the iconic phrase that was Aunt Carol's, whose birthday is today (she'd have been 84 today), and it is: WHAT IS IT? ... I can hear her voice now, that incredible sense of humor she possessed and shared with so many, it is a legacy that is profound and meaningful to the memory and being of those who loved her.
Called Liz and as I was talking to her the doorbell rang and Julie, the PRN nurse from Hospice, who has seen my parents a handful of times and always is attentive and helpful and thorough and totally professional, was there and we began to immediately talk about the patient, my mom and I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT LIZ WAS ON THE PHONE. Later, when she was talking to mom, I apologized effusively and she understood as she heard me talking to Julie over the phone and knew that I was involved and just hung up.
Called Liz and as I was talking to her the doorbell rang and Julie, the PRN nurse from Hospice, who has seen my parents a handful of times and always is attentive and helpful and thorough and totally professional, was there and we began to immediately talk about the patient, my mom and I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT LIZ WAS ON THE PHONE. Later, when she was talking to mom, I apologized effusively and she understood as she heard me talking to Julie over the phone and knew that I was involved and just hung up.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
1 March 2014: Norma (Virginia) Nyhoff's 24th birthday (also the bday of Frederic Chopin) ... mom getting hair done by Stacy at this typing (9:39 am) ...
I called this morning at 8 a.m. and got "Norma Nyhoff's" voicemail and then got mom to sing, rather off key but with passion, Happy Birthday to her granddaughter and wish her a happy birthday. I joined in and tried to harmonize with little success.
Norma is 24 today.....surrounded by family...... — with Britt, Jergen, Norma Nyhoff and Seyla.
Another masterpiece from our multi-talented neighbor.
Norma is 24 today.....surrounded by family...... — with Britt, Jergen, Norma Nyhoff and Seyla.
Another masterpiece from our multi-talented neighbor.
I'm happy as FedEx and the extraordinary service of Delaware Hospice continues with the delivery of meds to renew or supply. We have the necessary pain pills and also the heart medication, which I just called in yesterday, so the pill dispenser is filled for the next week. A good feeling.
French WOTD and sentence (retirer ~ to withdraw):
Je suis passé à la banque pour retirer de l'argent.
I went to the bank to withdraw some money.
Dutch WOTD and sentence (belachelijk ~ ridiculous)Wat heb jij nu voor een belachelijke hoed op?Oh my, what a ridiculous hat you are wearing!
Dutch WOTD and sentence (belachelijk ~ ridiculous)Wat heb jij nu voor een belachelijke hoed op?Oh my, what a ridiculous hat you are wearing!
Italian WOTD and sentence (economico ~ cheap)Faccio sempre la spesa in questo negozio, è tutto molto economico.I always shop in this store; everything is very cheap.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
27 February 2014: Thursday ... brilliant day but chill ... crescent moon and brilliant planet (?) this am in the eastern sky ... bday of Marion Anderson (1897) ... busy day with 800 calls but A LOT done ...
Today is the birthday of the famed contralto Marion Anderson, a fact elucidated by the keen intellect and FB aficionado, Loyd Dillon 
(he texted me this evening after attending a tribute concert to Pete Seeger and spoke of the "religious experience" of listening to great artists, "Especially if we go back to the original meaning of the word "religion" -- a "binding together"). We exchanged some pleasantries as I mentioned her connection to dad's musical god Arturo Toscanini and how the maestro thought her voice "once in a century" quality. I even found a quotes page on the web site to the contralto with that particular quote listed.
Two, for a second time, group exercises today. Both were new to me. BodyVive in the morning with a new instructor for me, Pamela, where we worked out with stretch bands (I took one to taught and paid a price, they were difficult to stretch during the strength portion of the workout) and BodyAttack with the incomparable Renee who really gets you moving with a splendid exercise that she totally invests herself into and I felt, on my first go-round with the moves, totally out of synch with the music and my lack of timing. But I did sweat and feel total exhaustion. Afterward, had a great conversation with a splendid person and trainer, Carla, who I've taken BodyPump with on several occasions. She took the class with Renee and she is a former special ed teacher and is an RN, who worked in med/surg at Christiana for about 7 years before she had three kids -- two boys (one in college, the other HS) and a girl (13 years old). She is so dynamic and funny and just full of energy and warmth. She'd just gotten over a bout of illness and had missed teaching on Monday. I will have to get back to her class and develop this friendship. Out of a sense of comfort, I told her about meeting Katia and my date with her on Sunday. She is just someone you feel you can confide.
A few important and overdue 800 calls made today were rewarding. To summarize, quickly: called Bank of America credit card and cancelled dad's and got mom to call and request a detailed transaction list for 2013 and the taxes (in particular, what dad spent on prescriptions since he used his credit card at Pathmark and Walmart for his expensive insulin and other drugs for mom ... it could be quite significant ... it will cost a little less than $10 for the report, mom said put it on her credit card, which is still good through August of this year); called Delaware Health and Social Service and now have Delaware Physicians, Inc. as my selected provider and I was able to choose Dr. David Maged as my preferred physician (he is on that service) ... it will start in early April and in the meantime, if I need medical treatment, I can use Medicaid (if I can find a physician, according to my doctor brother -- no sub-specialties in the Atlanta area accept Medicaid but it might be different for primary care); and called AAA and when I renew, I can change my club status from the Carolinas to the Delaware Chapter of the automobile association. It was a welcome and needed set of calls and it all worked out, thankfully.
(he texted me this evening after attending a tribute concert to Pete Seeger and spoke of the "religious experience" of listening to great artists, "Especially if we go back to the original meaning of the word "religion" -- a "binding together"). We exchanged some pleasantries as I mentioned her connection to dad's musical god Arturo Toscanini and how the maestro thought her voice "once in a century" quality. I even found a quotes page on the web site to the contralto with that particular quote listed. Two, for a second time, group exercises today. Both were new to me. BodyVive in the morning with a new instructor for me, Pamela, where we worked out with stretch bands (I took one to taught and paid a price, they were difficult to stretch during the strength portion of the workout) and BodyAttack with the incomparable Renee who really gets you moving with a splendid exercise that she totally invests herself into and I felt, on my first go-round with the moves, totally out of synch with the music and my lack of timing. But I did sweat and feel total exhaustion. Afterward, had a great conversation with a splendid person and trainer, Carla, who I've taken BodyPump with on several occasions. She took the class with Renee and she is a former special ed teacher and is an RN, who worked in med/surg at Christiana for about 7 years before she had three kids -- two boys (one in college, the other HS) and a girl (13 years old). She is so dynamic and funny and just full of energy and warmth. She'd just gotten over a bout of illness and had missed teaching on Monday. I will have to get back to her class and develop this friendship. Out of a sense of comfort, I told her about meeting Katia and my date with her on Sunday. She is just someone you feel you can confide.
A few important and overdue 800 calls made today were rewarding. To summarize, quickly: called Bank of America credit card and cancelled dad's and got mom to call and request a detailed transaction list for 2013 and the taxes (in particular, what dad spent on prescriptions since he used his credit card at Pathmark and Walmart for his expensive insulin and other drugs for mom ... it could be quite significant ... it will cost a little less than $10 for the report, mom said put it on her credit card, which is still good through August of this year); called Delaware Health and Social Service and now have Delaware Physicians, Inc. as my selected provider and I was able to choose Dr. David Maged as my preferred physician (he is on that service) ... it will start in early April and in the meantime, if I need medical treatment, I can use Medicaid (if I can find a physician, according to my doctor brother -- no sub-specialties in the Atlanta area accept Medicaid but it might be different for primary care); and called AAA and when I renew, I can change my club status from the Carolinas to the Delaware Chapter of the automobile association. It was a welcome and needed set of calls and it all worked out, thankfully.
Monday, February 17, 2014
16 February 2014: Sunday ... Weekend Word Puzzle w/mom ... shaver on her chin ...
Jane Frelick's ***BIRTHDAY*** today!! ... she is 94 years young (b. 16 February 1920).
She asked that I do it but I told her she could handle it, and she did, fine.
Got out the mirror so she could see her handiwork, which pleased her.
We listened to the Word Puzzle on Weekend Sunday Morning Edition with Will Shortz, for the first time with mom (will make it a regular weekly event), and I, of course, thought of Arthur Hugh Shealy, Esq., and phoned him. He did not listen to it because he's in his 4th day of no power running his bed and getting heat with a generator. The clues were so clever, in the Shortz tradition: two clues for words with the second word have the first three letters of the first reversed to answer it (e.g., something that goes wild on the Internet -- viral; and someone who challenges you -- a rival ... the 9-letter examples were rowdiness and wordiness ... so ingenious this enigmatologist from Indiana University-?).
Another first today: Not the call to Shellhorn & Hill because our heater has stopped (think we are out of fuel again (and we were, the service technician put 10 gallons of the reddish colored oil into the tank out back, 1/30th of the way full) ... they will service us in the afternoon when I'm back from church, but the need to shave and have hot water necessitated the daily ritual of my father, for years, of transporting the steaming tea kettle upstairs with the exact amount of hot water for the metal bowl by the medicine chest to be poured, steaming, into its confines and used, quite wonderfully, for his daily shave. I did it today and the result was successful. Thanks dad!
Dancer is recumbent on her side and snoring, again, on the floor in the TV room. She loves to sleep and can do it on a dime ... such snorting and whimpering like sounds come from her.
Great service at Church this morning. My first exposure to a tuba (Thom Remington) and harp (Margaret Love) duo. Margaret is director of the Associates, a small group of UU singers. She is an accomplished musician who directed the choir at First Unitarian of Wilmington for years in the 70s and 80s and plays a number of instruments. Her harp playing was superb but she is suppose to be a better organist. We meet tomorrow evening with Margaret leading us and Thom singing bass in the home of Joanne on Mercury Drive in the North Star neighborhood area.
For a number of weeks now, Charla Larrimore, a '75 grade of DHS (who I do not remember) and a graduate of Stanford University, who lives in Hawaii, has been carrying on this dialogue with me via FB messaging that concerns "fortunetelling" through words ending in "mancy". She is brilliant and funny and her last one, sent late this evening as I walked Dancer behind Mealey Funeral Home, is "pedomancy" or fortunetelling by the soles of one's feet. My response, which is a given, followed.
Margaret Love was superb on the harp, such artistry.
For a number of weeks now, Charla Larrimore, a '75 grade of DHS (who I do not remember) and a graduate of Stanford University, who lives in Hawaii, has been carrying on this dialogue with me via FB messaging that concerns "fortunetelling" through words ending in "mancy". She is brilliant and funny and her last one, sent late this evening as I walked Dancer behind Mealey Funeral Home, is "pedomancy" or fortunetelling by the soles of one's feet. My response, which is a given, followed.
Met and got to have a nice conversation with one of the "Y" trainers, Mary, this evening during an extended workout. She located my water bottle and said it was about to go in the trash. Later, I misplaced my workout sheet and clipboard, a common occurrence that I shared with her (years ago a photog had sketched a figure with my ID on it and the words, "looking for equipment (or something to that effect)". It hasn't diminished, e.g., my iPhone mania at least once a day and having to have mom's cell call me to find it in the house (go figure). Well, I digress, Mary is from Long Island, so I pulled up a Google map and got a taste of all the towns and parks and waterways (rivers and ponds) on the island and recalled the home of Nancy Johnson (Garden City). It is quite a spit of land with the upscale Hamptons along the coast, which were described by her. She has a daughter going to college in the city of New York, where she is perfectly at home. Nice person. Nice conversation.
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