A Day to Play

We had worked hard for weeks, so on David’s day off we went to Dill Falls. It’s on the other side of the mountain from our favorite falls, and David’s car was high enough that it didn’t scrape on rocks on the gravel mountain road. I was happy we could drive near and needed to walk only a part of a mile. We accepted when a young couple offered to take our photograph.

I liked Lise’s selfie of us.

We are the ones who like lightning and thunder, so it was appropriate that there was thunder as we looked at the rushing water. A lovely roll happened as I took a video, but the camera could not capture the sound.

If the day had been hot, I would have loved to wade in the cold stream.

Without our knowing, Lise took a shot of David and me as we walked the trail back to the car. It’s not flattering, but it’s the way we navigate among roots and rocks. David is always very attentive, giving me a hand on rough patches. I don’t normally walk with a cane, but it did provide welcome support that day.

We went to one of our favorite restaurants – The Square Root in Brevard. While eating, David and I shared a Maclin Pat over something silly. I can’t think of a day that we didn’t laugh. Although I have been accused of stalking people with a camera, Lise took far more photos than I did. I will miss that.

Shells of boiled peanuts were left on my plate.

Major Cleanup is Over

Daughter Lise stayed with me for two months after John died. She worked from home starting at 5 in the morning (11 am in Denmark) and then spent hours every day organizing our junk. Neighbor Bob took a truckload of trash to the dump, and Sarah and Nathaniel posed with the almost finished garage days later.

As a reward, Lise, David, and I went out to eat several times.

Sarah and grandson Nathaniel came for several hours when in this area of the state. Nate went through things Lise had put aside for him to see.

We were happy he wanted a ship model that John had been given from one of the companies he worked for.

I’m blessed in having relatives who will pose willingly when we get together.

We record events of a visit, too. A headlight was out on Sarah’s car. When Lise pointed it out, they knew what tools to use and how to coax it to shine again. I liked the victory pose.

Of course, we all miss John and talked about him a lot. He would have joined in the laughter and teasing if he had been here.

Lise Put Me on the Bus!

Daughter Lise found Haywood Transit and signed me up. It is a service for seniors who need rides. We assumed it was for getting to and from doctor’s appointments, but the woman said, “You can go out to lunch if you want to! Meet a friend and go to the movies!”

A ride in Haywood County costs $3 one way. It’s $6 to Sylva or Asheville. I must call two days ahead for an in-county ride and three for a neighboring county. I had an appointment, made a year ago, with the oncologist in Asheville. David would need sleep after closing at work, and Lise would be packing to go back to Denmark. I booked the ride ahead of time and was ready at 9 am when the bus pulled into our driveway.

When the nurse escorted me to the examining room, I told her it was my first time to come by bus and that my daughter took a photo, just as I had always done for her on the first day of school. She told the PA, who also shared it with the doctor. I whipped out my phone and showed them. They laughed heartily and shared my amusement.

I walked outside, called the transit office, and was told the bus would be back for me in just a few minutes. The other woman who had ridden in with me wouldn’t be ready for another hour and a half, so the driver took me straight home and went back for her. This adventure was great fun. The bus seats were higher than a car, and the windows were huge. It was a good thing I was required to use a seat belt, because I might have slipped off the smooth seat when going around a curve.

If Only John Could See Me Now!

Daughter Lise has worked her way through most of the boxes that were tucked away in the house. Many were never opened from the last move eight years ago, and some were even older. Now John was not a pack rat, but he did have a historian’s mania for preserving things. Lise found a treasure trove of T-shirts from the train clubs he belonged to. Two from Long Island celebrated the 45^th and 50^th anniversaries of the club. They fit me, and I am wearing them proudly!!! Perhaps John was planning to wear one for the 60^th year celebration, but I suspect he had totally forgotten about them.

I have been keenly aware of our lifetime supply of hand soap refill jugs. Evidently a gallon lasted us a full year. We moved eight (8!!!) gallons down, and the last one is half empty. John and I laughed about it frequently. I presume he bought a jug every time it went on sale at Costco and tucked it away in a different place each time. Since I spoke of that, Lise assures me we have an overabundance of Scotch tape, small note pads given away by charities, and free ballpoint pens. Does anyone else have a lifetime supply of a product? I would appreciate some company here.

Removal and Restoration

Thanks to neighbors Jeff and his wife, we can see the garden and pasture again! Daughter Lise talked about bushes that had gotten out of hand, and they offered to remove them. Using a little tractor, belts, a chain saw and shovel, they laid the bushes to rest on the burn pile. What a team! Look at the before and after photos. I am very grateful, as you can imagine.

The dynamos also cut the useless climbing plant that had produced one bloom in eight years. They removed most of the living branches, and Lise picked out the skeleton. That wall must feel that it can breathe again. I smile at the emptiness.

Nieces Kathie and Julie, with Michael and dog Gumball, came from the east, providing lunch. They brought fantastic salads, bread, wraps, desserts, and drinks. What a spread! We restored our bodies with the food and our spirits with lively conversation. David paid special attention to Gumball.

We ladies went through family photos, letters, and clippings that Lise set aside for them. Most amusing were a couple of post cards that my brother and I wrote each other when we were children. I wonder if that was a voluntary activity. It amazes me that John had saved so much family history, and now it is going to the people who lived it. Marvelous!

This was the best photo of the day of Lise, Julie, and Kathie.

I enjoyed this special family time and appreciate all Kathie, Julie and Michael did to make it possible.

Testing the System

Daughter Lise has been sweeping through the house like a whirlwind, transforming little junk rooms into showcase closets. She is a force of nature that can’t be measured. A few days ago she converted my bedroom linen closet with neat stacks and bins with labels. It’s too bad I don’t have a “before” photo, but I am not into self-flagellation.

This morning I woke with a very itchy wrist. It was time to test the system. I figured a soothing lotion should be in that closet, and it was in the first bin I withdrew. Yes! Lise’s system worked perfectly for me! I shall lead the applause for my wonder-working daughter!

Travelers and Homebodies

Grandson David bought a steam engine that he and John were going to fetch from New Jersey. When John took a very different journey last month, Paul offered to drive up with David. Lise and I were delighted that he came here the night before, because it gave us a chance to get to know him. He is the kind of person who can talk to anyone about anything, all of it interesting.

The next morning they rented a van, posed for me, and set off. At the end of the day, they spent the night with Paul’s daughter in Pennsylvania.

David took a photo of his mother Kate and Paul after the engine was loaded in the van. I really appreciate this shot, because I asked David to take it, knowing they would be in a hurry to head home.

While David was gone, I trimmed the evergreens on one side of the garden steps before breakfast. I often say I can see what I’ve done, but no one else would notice. This is my record.

On the way inside, I paused to admire the crepe myrtle. It was showing off, because it should have been trimmed at least three times before getting to this stage. The loppers will be lopping this fall.

Clean-up and Play

Daughter Lise spent hours going through old boxes that were moved here eight years ago, unopened. John and I should have gone through them to enjoy old memories and give our children their keepsakes. She has piles of things to give to family members and a stack of letters for me to go through. I found a binder with notes written in my hand about the practice teaching I did when I was a senior in college. What an eye-opener! I remembered only one day of teaching, a day when the children were a bit unruly and I felt ineffective. Those pages showed me that I was organized, and the second-graders responded wonderfully to simple music theory and singing in two parts.

We took a welcome break when former neighbor Connie came for lunch while Albert was being groomed. David knelt on the floor to fit in the photo.

Luckily, there is no photo of my running. While walking in the morning, I asked Lise if she could still skip. She could. I’d tried it the day before when she thought I was skipping, but I didn’t get my feet off the road. Could she run if she wanted to? With no announcement, I took off running. I just HAD to try it!! On the third step, the right foot hit the sole of the left shoe, and I was falling. I had time to think what a fool I had been and wonder how badly I would be hurt when I hit the road. In an instant Lise had her hand on my arm, steadying me. She claims I caught myself. We looked at each other with wide eyes and then howled with laughter. Lise’s first thought was that her siblings would demand to know why she hadn’t protected me from myself while she was with me.

David untangled wires behind John’s computer desk. The desk had been moved quickly, and we wanted to replace a monitor with one Lise found in a closet.

Since I had paid the electric bills electronically, we thought it would be simple to change John’s name to mine. We had to go to the office, provide a death certificate, fill out numerous forms, and set up the payment again using the same bank account. The woman was very helpful, and as we got up, she offered me a rain gauge or a hat. I took the hat! I always wanted to own a baseball cap with no ties to a sport, and now I have one.

As we started up the steep hill this morning, we stopped to admire the mist and the mountains. Lise was sure the corn in the foreground grew overnight. There is always something to see that is different from the day before.

Memorial Service and Family Time

Reblog:

The trip from Massachusetts to North Carolina went amazingly well. Chris and I weren’t sure how it would go. We knew we wanted to avoid traffic so we decided to drive through the night. Uncle John had always said that was the best time to travel, too, so I felt that approval right from the get-go. Gotta tell you — the views were not bad. We were in the hills of PA when the sun dipped down for the night….

Full post – https://chrissie.blog/2022/07/21/memorial-service-and-family-time/

Race in the Supermarket

Daughter Lise and I bought doughnuts, then went in the supermarket to pick up a few items. Being aware of the hot sun beating down on the car, we hurried up and down the aisles to save the sweets. As we turned a corner, I realized I had the advantage and walked as fast as I could to get ahead of Lise. She commented on my speed and closed the distance. The race was on. She was handicapped by the small cart, so I tried not to dart around elderly people. The paper aisle was free, and we both went at top speed to pick up tissues. No one else was in the frozen food aisle. We looked like a couple of goons, going as fast as we could without trotting, giggling the whole time.

We were a bit more sedate when porch-sitting with neighbors, without lessening the fun. I forgot to take a photo when neighbor Joyce came to our back porch. I did get one at Holly’s house. Shawn is not elusive, but I failed to catch her.