We are in the middle of experiencing the kind of winter rain that didn't really happen after we arrived here last January. This is day 3 of fairly consistent rain, sometimes with howling winds. Now we know what everyone was talking about! Still, the temps have been in the 60's and there are little patches of calm with some sun....not too bad for "winter."
Besides the relief of returning Obama to office, the elections in California secured both state houses for the Democratic party, and a tax proposition was passed to support education. Here's hoping those wins will come with wisdom, and that opportunities for good change will not be squandered by greediness.
I had 2 chances to travel to the LA area this past month. The first was a visit to my dear friend from residency days, Alicia. She and her husband Albey have a house in Sherman Oaks, near Albey's son's family. The house allows them to spend chunks of time with 2 incredible grandsons, who live very near by, while keeping their primary home in Moab. Alicia and I had fun "playing house," adding some things to their very nice space. And it was a wonderful chance for me to talk in depth about my "issues" with 2 people who have known me for decades. Just having time with them was very healing for me.
Trip #2 was over Thanksgiving, when Rich and I drove to visit his Uncle Rich and Aunt Jenny in Redlands. They are a delightful couple in their 80's, and since we have stayed with them several times before, the visit was quite relaxing for all of us. We enjoyed looking at old photos and hearing about Rich and Jenny's early days together in Kansas City. And we were very happy to be back home in Santa Cruz and away from the freeways of LA!
Yesterday brought a couple of new experiences, both good. There is a student group on the UCSC campus called CARE (don't know what the letters stand for...). Each quarter they have an event at one of the homeless shelters where they offer various services for the clients, like hygiene products, haircuts, foot washes, clothing, etc. Three of my colleagues from the Student Health Center and I went along to offer medical "consultations" to interested folks there. I am not sure we accomplished much besides helping people get referred to be seen at a real clinic, but it was so much fun for me to back with "my people." I made plans with the student organizers to become more involved in their future events. I am hoping this new link will give me a way to make use of my experience with this patient population, and maybe share some of what I have learned with some of the UCSC students. I feel happy about having this new opportunity to explore!
Then, last evening we attended my first "office party" in celebration of the upcoming holidays. It was fun to introduce Rich to the people he has been hearing about for the past 9 months! They really are a good group, and the event turned out to be quite nice. And Rich was a champ about it, although it was certainly not his cup of tea.
I am hoping to catch up on some home office and correspondence stuff this afternoon. And enjoy being warm and cozy at home with Rich and our cat "kids." I think we are going to see sun tomorrow!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
full moon #11
Tomorrow is the full moon. Wish it was not happening on the same day Hurricane Sandy is predicted to make landfall. Thinking of loved ones on the Right Coast and hoping they stay safe, warm and dry.
This month has been a little rocky emotionally for me. It was really hard to see Carrie go. And I think it was hard having her here as a "visitor." She experienced some trouble herself when she went back to Springfield this month but her "home" wasn't there. I can see we all still have some adjusting to do.
The loneliness for family is heightened by missing my old friends. Sure, I am making new friends, although it is admittedly slow. But intimacy doesn't happen overnight, and, for me, the need for it is present every day. My old teacher and dear friend Pat Owens passed this month. I am very sad not to be able to go to the celebration of her life next weekend.
My relationships at work are deepening bit by bit. I continue to miss the kind of work I was doing at The Kitchen Clinic, but getting involved in a couple of committees at work has helped me address my "need to do more." I tend to get a bit wistful when reading about health policy, and am hoping that someday I will find the intersection between reasonable lifestyle and meaningful work.
One of the good things about my new job is the wonderful health insurance we now have. Rich and I have both been busy catching up on all the preventive care we did not do when we had our high deductible insurance. I also had a bike wreck a couple of weeks back and have started having acupuncture for the first time to aid my recovery. I now have access to a whole spectrum of care I have never had before with my $20 copay!
Understanding first hand how losing the advances of Obamacare would affect real people has made watching the debates even more painful for me. Since California is considered a safely Democratic state, there is no advertising here related to the Presidential race. None. It is such a relief. I am having to do homework, though, on all the propositions on the upcoming ballot (which has already been mailed to my home) to understand what I am voting about. It really is a different world here politically.
The weather, the kittens, the incredible fall harvest of fresh produce all continue to be daily sources of joy for both Rich and me. Rich has been very persistent in finding his way in Northern California Golf Land, and it is starting to pay off in terms of building relationships and familiarity with local courses. His nature is just more patient than mine-just call him Mr. Delayed Gratification.
So this is how our family rolls. Me reaching, pushing. Rich steady, paced. The balance must be out there, somewhere...
This month has been a little rocky emotionally for me. It was really hard to see Carrie go. And I think it was hard having her here as a "visitor." She experienced some trouble herself when she went back to Springfield this month but her "home" wasn't there. I can see we all still have some adjusting to do.
The loneliness for family is heightened by missing my old friends. Sure, I am making new friends, although it is admittedly slow. But intimacy doesn't happen overnight, and, for me, the need for it is present every day. My old teacher and dear friend Pat Owens passed this month. I am very sad not to be able to go to the celebration of her life next weekend.
My relationships at work are deepening bit by bit. I continue to miss the kind of work I was doing at The Kitchen Clinic, but getting involved in a couple of committees at work has helped me address my "need to do more." I tend to get a bit wistful when reading about health policy, and am hoping that someday I will find the intersection between reasonable lifestyle and meaningful work.
One of the good things about my new job is the wonderful health insurance we now have. Rich and I have both been busy catching up on all the preventive care we did not do when we had our high deductible insurance. I also had a bike wreck a couple of weeks back and have started having acupuncture for the first time to aid my recovery. I now have access to a whole spectrum of care I have never had before with my $20 copay!
Understanding first hand how losing the advances of Obamacare would affect real people has made watching the debates even more painful for me. Since California is considered a safely Democratic state, there is no advertising here related to the Presidential race. None. It is such a relief. I am having to do homework, though, on all the propositions on the upcoming ballot (which has already been mailed to my home) to understand what I am voting about. It really is a different world here politically.
The weather, the kittens, the incredible fall harvest of fresh produce all continue to be daily sources of joy for both Rich and me. Rich has been very persistent in finding his way in Northern California Golf Land, and it is starting to pay off in terms of building relationships and familiarity with local courses. His nature is just more patient than mine-just call him Mr. Delayed Gratification.
So this is how our family rolls. Me reaching, pushing. Rich steady, paced. The balance must be out there, somewhere...
Saturday, September 29, 2012
full moon #10
We are having our Indian Summer in Santa Cruz. The next few days are forecast to be in the 80's and clear.
Yesterday, Travis and Carrie left for Illinois after a delightful 8 day visit. The weather was gorgeous when they arrived, but cooled off some, so they missed this warm front. Still, we had a wonderful time being together.
As it was their first visit to Santa Cruz, we did lots of local stuff, along with a weekend in San Francisco. We were especially lucky that Travis' sister, Whitney, who is in medical school in Portland, OR, was able to join us for 5 days of the visit. So, I had a week off with 4 of my favorite people and my 2 favorite kittens! Junebug and Bagheera loved all the attention they got from their new family members! Carrie was amazed that "even Travis" so enjoyed them! Poor Travis had not gotten a very friendly introduction to cats with our previous feline, Frances, who specialized in terrorizing unsuspecting visitors.
I would have to say that food played a central role in our time together. I consider Carrie a full blown "foodie," and she enjoyed seeing and eating all the beautiful local produce and fish. We had lots of fun comparing grocery stores and farmers markets and restaurants. After a long summer of feeding guests at the lodge, it was nice for her to enjoy good food prepared by others. Whitney made us some delicious "pancake sandwiches" one evening, and there were several ice cream samplings during the week. YUM! Yet, Rich and I are feeling good about paring down the frig contents this weekend...we can't keep up with those young 'uns for very long without paying significant consequences!
So, we visited several beach front parks, took the ferry to Sausalito with cousins Jill and Sarah, walked MILES in San Francisco, walked in the redwoods, UCSC, downtown, Seabright and Capitola. Carrie and Whitney had their first surfing lesson on a day which had the biggest waves in weeks...and I sent them all to see my new massage guru. I hated to see them go, but I needed some rest by the end of the week!
Even before their visit, I had more social events than usual in September. I had visitors from San Francisco on a couple of Saturdays this month, and had lunch with a dear old friend in Los Gatos. All of which reminded me how much I have designed this "new" life to be relaxing for me. Even having fun adds a level of stress!
So, I was happy to have a quiet Saturday today of errands, yoga class, and reading. And snuggling with Rich and these adorable kittens...
Yesterday, Travis and Carrie left for Illinois after a delightful 8 day visit. The weather was gorgeous when they arrived, but cooled off some, so they missed this warm front. Still, we had a wonderful time being together.
As it was their first visit to Santa Cruz, we did lots of local stuff, along with a weekend in San Francisco. We were especially lucky that Travis' sister, Whitney, who is in medical school in Portland, OR, was able to join us for 5 days of the visit. So, I had a week off with 4 of my favorite people and my 2 favorite kittens! Junebug and Bagheera loved all the attention they got from their new family members! Carrie was amazed that "even Travis" so enjoyed them! Poor Travis had not gotten a very friendly introduction to cats with our previous feline, Frances, who specialized in terrorizing unsuspecting visitors.
I would have to say that food played a central role in our time together. I consider Carrie a full blown "foodie," and she enjoyed seeing and eating all the beautiful local produce and fish. We had lots of fun comparing grocery stores and farmers markets and restaurants. After a long summer of feeding guests at the lodge, it was nice for her to enjoy good food prepared by others. Whitney made us some delicious "pancake sandwiches" one evening, and there were several ice cream samplings during the week. YUM! Yet, Rich and I are feeling good about paring down the frig contents this weekend...we can't keep up with those young 'uns for very long without paying significant consequences!
So, we visited several beach front parks, took the ferry to Sausalito with cousins Jill and Sarah, walked MILES in San Francisco, walked in the redwoods, UCSC, downtown, Seabright and Capitola. Carrie and Whitney had their first surfing lesson on a day which had the biggest waves in weeks...and I sent them all to see my new massage guru. I hated to see them go, but I needed some rest by the end of the week!
Even before their visit, I had more social events than usual in September. I had visitors from San Francisco on a couple of Saturdays this month, and had lunch with a dear old friend in Los Gatos. All of which reminded me how much I have designed this "new" life to be relaxing for me. Even having fun adds a level of stress!
So, I was happy to have a quiet Saturday today of errands, yoga class, and reading. And snuggling with Rich and these adorable kittens...
Thursday, August 30, 2012
full moon #9
Tomorrow is the full moon. I have loved watching the light through the skylights get brighter each night this week.
This is my second week back at work. The summer quarter students (a small group) are finishing up and the fall quarter students (our full load) are not back until later in September. So this is the part of the year the health center operates with a skeleton staff...hence our long summer breaks. Each clinician works 1 month and is off 2, and we rotate being here to keep the clinic open. It has been fun to work with a smaller group of the same co-workers each day...easier to get to know people better.
My new schedule of Wednesdays off seems good. I have been biking to work, then going to yoga classes on my days off. It seems like a good combination for me, along with plenty of walking in the neighborhood every day.
I have been reading some books by Julie Morgenstern, organizational guru, about getting your space and time and habits the way that best fits your current needs. I have found them really helpful as I continue to take stock of what I decide to include in my life here. It has taken restraint not to fill up all my spare time as soon as I have created it, but I am learning.
We are having a ball with our new kittens. Junebug is the first duck into every puddle, and she has no idea that she is significantly smaller than Bagherra. He is much more cautious, and likes to think things over before deciding what he wants to do. He stands in the door and looks outside for a while, as Junebug bounds off into the far corners of the yard. They are both excellent entertainment and good at snuggling.
The beautiful weather continues to astound us. They call September and October "The Locals' Summer," as the weather is warmer and clearer than the summer months when the tourists are around.
We are certainly looking forward to our first taste of fall on the Central Coast.
This is my second week back at work. The summer quarter students (a small group) are finishing up and the fall quarter students (our full load) are not back until later in September. So this is the part of the year the health center operates with a skeleton staff...hence our long summer breaks. Each clinician works 1 month and is off 2, and we rotate being here to keep the clinic open. It has been fun to work with a smaller group of the same co-workers each day...easier to get to know people better.
My new schedule of Wednesdays off seems good. I have been biking to work, then going to yoga classes on my days off. It seems like a good combination for me, along with plenty of walking in the neighborhood every day.
I have been reading some books by Julie Morgenstern, organizational guru, about getting your space and time and habits the way that best fits your current needs. I have found them really helpful as I continue to take stock of what I decide to include in my life here. It has taken restraint not to fill up all my spare time as soon as I have created it, but I am learning.
We are having a ball with our new kittens. Junebug is the first duck into every puddle, and she has no idea that she is significantly smaller than Bagherra. He is much more cautious, and likes to think things over before deciding what he wants to do. He stands in the door and looks outside for a while, as Junebug bounds off into the far corners of the yard. They are both excellent entertainment and good at snuggling.
The beautiful weather continues to astound us. They call September and October "The Locals' Summer," as the weather is warmer and clearer than the summer months when the tourists are around.
We are certainly looking forward to our first taste of fall on the Central Coast.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
presto: pesto
For me, pesto is the perfect expression of all that is good about summer. I love the stuff, especially when there are fresh tomatoes upon which it is slathered.
Today, I made pesto. It was a very lonely experience.
Last night, I stemmed the basil Rich grew for me. This morning, it was combined with bulk garlic, olive oil, parmesan, and pine nuts from my beloved local market using a hand held blender tool of some sort (after I discovered I had gotten rid of my food processor in the move). Tonight, it was simply scrumptious with roasted eggplant and red peppers. Rich became a little concerned about the noises of enjoyment I was making while consuming my dinner.
Making pesto is sort of a spiritual experience for me. My first memory of pesto production was in the Victorian house Gene and I shared with my dear friend Pat and her (then) partner, Mary. There were septs going down into the kitchen, upon which Pat and I sat all day one Saturday stemming an incredibly large harvest of basil. I do not know how many jars we filled that day, but I do remember that the quantities of pesto we ate we abnormally large.
I have since tried to recreate that experience in every place I have lived. Thee were wonderful "pesto parties" at my houses in Marshfield and in Springfield, made special by the friends and family who were there. Today, my orderly, quiet preparation paled in comparison.
One of my goals for this next year: to have a loud, bawdy group of women with whom to make pseto next year.
Today, I made pesto. It was a very lonely experience.
Last night, I stemmed the basil Rich grew for me. This morning, it was combined with bulk garlic, olive oil, parmesan, and pine nuts from my beloved local market using a hand held blender tool of some sort (after I discovered I had gotten rid of my food processor in the move). Tonight, it was simply scrumptious with roasted eggplant and red peppers. Rich became a little concerned about the noises of enjoyment I was making while consuming my dinner.
Making pesto is sort of a spiritual experience for me. My first memory of pesto production was in the Victorian house Gene and I shared with my dear friend Pat and her (then) partner, Mary. There were septs going down into the kitchen, upon which Pat and I sat all day one Saturday stemming an incredibly large harvest of basil. I do not know how many jars we filled that day, but I do remember that the quantities of pesto we ate we abnormally large.
I have since tried to recreate that experience in every place I have lived. Thee were wonderful "pesto parties" at my houses in Marshfield and in Springfield, made special by the friends and family who were there. Today, my orderly, quiet preparation paled in comparison.
One of my goals for this next year: to have a loud, bawdy group of women with whom to make pseto next year.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
full moon #8 shines on our new babies!
One of my goals for my time off this summer was to adopt kittens. We have been pet-less since our move and life is just missing something without them...
So on this past Saturday we went to the shelter to check out the kittens. We were hoping for litter mates. The place was pretty chaotic, I must say! We were having our second "visit" in the "visit room" when I tried to pick up a scared kitten and got myself scratched and bitten. Time out for wound cleaning and antibiotics. We will try again tomorrow.
Our luck was better Sunday. I had previewed the adoptable cats on line and was better prepared for the process ahead of us. I asked to see Junebug and Bagheera first. Junebug's cute face had caught my eye the day before, but I hadn't known she had a brother. They were just right for us. We briefly viewed a couple of other pairs, but I didn't need to visit with the others. I just knew.
We had just let them out of the carrier at home when Bagheera bolted. He found a great hiding place in a bookcase with an open back, and kept us looking in there for him for hours. Eventually, they were both out to play. And there has not been a dull moment since.
We kept the names they war given at the shelter. All black Bagheera's name comes from the Indian leopard in Rudyard Kipling's "Tales of Mowgli," known to many of us as "The Jungle Book." He is the more serious of the pair. Junebug is a tortie who is, well, cute as a bug. She is quick to lead the way into new adventures, but loses interest quickly while Bagheera stays to figure the whole thing out.
We found a darling vet down the street, another midwest transplant (from Minnesota). She and her husband share a small office we can walk to. Cute adolescent vets-to-be are their help. Perfect.
Lots of fun to come with these two!
So on this past Saturday we went to the shelter to check out the kittens. We were hoping for litter mates. The place was pretty chaotic, I must say! We were having our second "visit" in the "visit room" when I tried to pick up a scared kitten and got myself scratched and bitten. Time out for wound cleaning and antibiotics. We will try again tomorrow.
Our luck was better Sunday. I had previewed the adoptable cats on line and was better prepared for the process ahead of us. I asked to see Junebug and Bagheera first. Junebug's cute face had caught my eye the day before, but I hadn't known she had a brother. They were just right for us. We briefly viewed a couple of other pairs, but I didn't need to visit with the others. I just knew.
We had just let them out of the carrier at home when Bagheera bolted. He found a great hiding place in a bookcase with an open back, and kept us looking in there for him for hours. Eventually, they were both out to play. And there has not been a dull moment since.
We kept the names they war given at the shelter. All black Bagheera's name comes from the Indian leopard in Rudyard Kipling's "Tales of Mowgli," known to many of us as "The Jungle Book." He is the more serious of the pair. Junebug is a tortie who is, well, cute as a bug. She is quick to lead the way into new adventures, but loses interest quickly while Bagheera stays to figure the whole thing out.
We found a darling vet down the street, another midwest transplant (from Minnesota). She and her husband share a small office we can walk to. Cute adolescent vets-to-be are their help. Perfect.
Lots of fun to come with these two!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
summer tour 2012
This is my first morning waking up at home in 29 days, and it feels wonderful.
The first of my 2 months off was spent traveling to spend time with loved ones. I loved each of my 3 stops away, yet I dislike being away from Rich for such a long time.
My first stop was a visit to Cape Cod ( or, "the cape of the cod" as Will used to call it) beginning June 23. I flew into Boston and took the bus to the Cape where my dear friend Pat and her 12 year old son, Theo met me. Over 20 years ago she and her partner, Leslie, bought a broken down small cottage just outside of Wellfleet, on the outer Cape. It is a lovely, simple, grey shingled place with a large main room contiguous with the kitchen and dining area, 2 small bedrooms downstairs, and a bedroom loft upstairs. It is not on the water, but there are 2 bay beaches within short walks in both directions down the dirt road from their deck and garden. The house is on a small island which is not accessible by car at high tide. The expansive view near the bridge onto the island is simply magical: it is my favorite spot on the entire Cape.
We were a continuously changing group in the house during my 12 day stay. Pat and I and Theo were the constants, Pat's dad, Ed, was there for my first week there, and Leslie and their 17 year old daughter, Emma, were there on weekends. Leslie is teaching a summer course in Providence on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Emma has been going with her to keep up with her "just graduated from high school" life.
Our days revolved around 3 things: 90 year old Ed's needs, Theo's 9 to 2:30 weekday camp at the nearby Audobon reserve, and bug avoidance. Typically we would get Theo up and out (not as easy as it sounds) and off to camp with a packed lunch before Ed's shower and breakfast. Ed's right hip is fixed in extension, a result of a long bout with TB which he contracted in WWII. He dealt successfully with this for his entire adult life, but, now, combined with the other ravages of old age, it is a challenge for him to get up and down and in and out of cars. Luckily, both he and Pat are tall and strong, and they manage beautifully with the aid of a walker, a chair specially designed for him by Leslie, and extra bars in the bathroom. And with each day came a new strategy for how to best avoid the no-see-ums and the green head flies (ever the bane of Cape existence in June), in planning our mid-day outing with Ed and our afternoon outing with Theo.
These things left plenty of time for beautiful walks, swims in the bay and the fresh water ponds and the ocean, delicious meals, and the entertaining banter of multigenerational family life. When things got tense ("Theo, is your headgear on?!?!?"), Teddy, the charming family dog, was there to distract us.
At the end of my first week there, it was time to take Ed back to his apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Pat and I timed the 6 hour trek to avoid traffic on both ends, leaving the Cape on Sunday morning, staying overnight, then getting out of the city at 6am Monday morning.With Ed and his urinal in the backseat, the trip went just fine. The heat and action of the city were a good reminder of the beauty of the Cape, and we were glad to be back on the island Monday afternoon.
Full moon #6 occurred on Tuesday July 3-incredibly beautiful on the water-and on the 4th we had a long walk on the beach at Truro with our friends Cathy and Tucker. On the 5th, I took the bus back to Boston, had a delightful seafood meal with friends Brian and Linda, then flew out early am on the 6th for Canada.
Oh, Canada! I met up with my mom in Minneapolis, then we met up with my cousin, Jill in Winnepeg and the three of us took a hopper over to Red Lake. Carrie picked us up in the Eagle Falls Lodge truck, fed us lunch, took us to buy groceries, then captained their barge over the lake to the lodge. I was "helping" her dock the barge when I fell in the water causing great concern and confusion...a funny, muddy start to our stay!
This was the second year Carrie and Travis took a "break" mid-season to host family and friends at the lodge, rather than their usual guests. This year, most of the group was from Travis' mom's side of the family, hailing from Marshalltown, Iowa. Their group of 10 was led by Uncle Terry, a wonderfully positive and generous soul, and included two 5 year olds, and a 7, 10 and 13 year old. So to say there was excitement about fish and frogs does not begin to capture it! So with our "Case family" group of 3, 5 of Carrie and Travis' friends, Travis' brother, Carson, and our hosts (including Cosmo the camp dog), we were a big group! Each day was more fun than the last, and it was hard to leave my dear daughter, as always, when it was time for us to leave and for new guests to arrive on the 14th.
My last stop was a week in Kansas City with my son, Will and my friend, Alison. If I needed any reinforcement for having made the decision to leave Missouri, a week of humid 100 to 110 degree days served quite well.
Will has a nice apartment near Westport which he shared with me for the week. We shopped the first day for the week's food, and shared some nice meals out as well. While I had been in Canada, Will returned from a summer voice workshop in Vancouver which he really enjoyed. He met a teacher from Montreal whom he really liked, and had some good times with his friend, Ava, whom he met at a workshop a few years back in Germany. He is in the throes of sorting out his plans for the upcoming year, including his last semester of classes this fall and figuring out what graduate programs he wants to visit so that he can apply in the spring for the fall of 2013. We had a lot of fun together, including a yummy dinner out with our friends Margo and Isabel.
My week of daily visits with Alison was amazing. This beautiful, brilliant 31 year old woman suffered multiple strokes to her brainstem this past March. After her initial hospitalization in Kansas City, she spent several weeks at a rehab hospital in Lincoln, NE before returning to a facility in Merriam, KS about a month ago. We worked together at The Kitchen Clinic for a couple of years. She was the best healthcare administrator I have ever had in my 30+ years as a family doctor.
Because of the location of her strokes, Alison's mental function is completely intact, yet her body barely responds to the signals sent by her brain. She is quadriplegic, but has some movement in her left leg, including her ankle and toes. She can also open and close her jaw and is gaining in ability to swallow food. She communicates "yes" by using long blinks. And she can laugh-boy, can she laugh!
This was my first in-person visit with her since her strokes. I had done FaceTime with her in the past, so I was somewhat prepared for seeing her in this completely changed state, but, still, it was very hard to see someone I love so much suffering as a prisoner in her own body. Some people call this "locked in syndrome," and I plan to do some more reading by those who have regained their ability to as they recovered. Her courage and determination in this situation are unbelievable, as is the devoted care she is given by her husband, Chris.
We spent out time each day attending various therapy sessions, practicing movements and sounds, listening to music, reading books, tasting soft foods, and making lots of jokes. And re-positioning...always re-positioning. It was wonderful just to get to be with her. Chris' goal is to get her home with caregivers there. I left feeling inspired by them both, and hopeful that her communication, movement and eating skills will continue to progress so that she can enjoy herself more in the days ahead.
As much fun as all these experiences were, nothing beats the pleasure of being at home with your beloved. Our house definitely looks like Rich has been here by himself for a month-it is clean, but quite amusingly messy. What a dear he is! I am looking forward to spending the next 4 weeks (until I return to work on 8-20-12) going to lots of yoga classes and figuring out more of how I want to spend my time in this community. East, west, home is best: so hello again, Santa Cruz!
The first of my 2 months off was spent traveling to spend time with loved ones. I loved each of my 3 stops away, yet I dislike being away from Rich for such a long time.
My first stop was a visit to Cape Cod ( or, "the cape of the cod" as Will used to call it) beginning June 23. I flew into Boston and took the bus to the Cape where my dear friend Pat and her 12 year old son, Theo met me. Over 20 years ago she and her partner, Leslie, bought a broken down small cottage just outside of Wellfleet, on the outer Cape. It is a lovely, simple, grey shingled place with a large main room contiguous with the kitchen and dining area, 2 small bedrooms downstairs, and a bedroom loft upstairs. It is not on the water, but there are 2 bay beaches within short walks in both directions down the dirt road from their deck and garden. The house is on a small island which is not accessible by car at high tide. The expansive view near the bridge onto the island is simply magical: it is my favorite spot on the entire Cape.
We were a continuously changing group in the house during my 12 day stay. Pat and I and Theo were the constants, Pat's dad, Ed, was there for my first week there, and Leslie and their 17 year old daughter, Emma, were there on weekends. Leslie is teaching a summer course in Providence on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Emma has been going with her to keep up with her "just graduated from high school" life.
Our days revolved around 3 things: 90 year old Ed's needs, Theo's 9 to 2:30 weekday camp at the nearby Audobon reserve, and bug avoidance. Typically we would get Theo up and out (not as easy as it sounds) and off to camp with a packed lunch before Ed's shower and breakfast. Ed's right hip is fixed in extension, a result of a long bout with TB which he contracted in WWII. He dealt successfully with this for his entire adult life, but, now, combined with the other ravages of old age, it is a challenge for him to get up and down and in and out of cars. Luckily, both he and Pat are tall and strong, and they manage beautifully with the aid of a walker, a chair specially designed for him by Leslie, and extra bars in the bathroom. And with each day came a new strategy for how to best avoid the no-see-ums and the green head flies (ever the bane of Cape existence in June), in planning our mid-day outing with Ed and our afternoon outing with Theo.
These things left plenty of time for beautiful walks, swims in the bay and the fresh water ponds and the ocean, delicious meals, and the entertaining banter of multigenerational family life. When things got tense ("Theo, is your headgear on?!?!?"), Teddy, the charming family dog, was there to distract us.
At the end of my first week there, it was time to take Ed back to his apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Pat and I timed the 6 hour trek to avoid traffic on both ends, leaving the Cape on Sunday morning, staying overnight, then getting out of the city at 6am Monday morning.With Ed and his urinal in the backseat, the trip went just fine. The heat and action of the city were a good reminder of the beauty of the Cape, and we were glad to be back on the island Monday afternoon.
Full moon #6 occurred on Tuesday July 3-incredibly beautiful on the water-and on the 4th we had a long walk on the beach at Truro with our friends Cathy and Tucker. On the 5th, I took the bus back to Boston, had a delightful seafood meal with friends Brian and Linda, then flew out early am on the 6th for Canada.
Oh, Canada! I met up with my mom in Minneapolis, then we met up with my cousin, Jill in Winnepeg and the three of us took a hopper over to Red Lake. Carrie picked us up in the Eagle Falls Lodge truck, fed us lunch, took us to buy groceries, then captained their barge over the lake to the lodge. I was "helping" her dock the barge when I fell in the water causing great concern and confusion...a funny, muddy start to our stay!
This was the second year Carrie and Travis took a "break" mid-season to host family and friends at the lodge, rather than their usual guests. This year, most of the group was from Travis' mom's side of the family, hailing from Marshalltown, Iowa. Their group of 10 was led by Uncle Terry, a wonderfully positive and generous soul, and included two 5 year olds, and a 7, 10 and 13 year old. So to say there was excitement about fish and frogs does not begin to capture it! So with our "Case family" group of 3, 5 of Carrie and Travis' friends, Travis' brother, Carson, and our hosts (including Cosmo the camp dog), we were a big group! Each day was more fun than the last, and it was hard to leave my dear daughter, as always, when it was time for us to leave and for new guests to arrive on the 14th.
My last stop was a week in Kansas City with my son, Will and my friend, Alison. If I needed any reinforcement for having made the decision to leave Missouri, a week of humid 100 to 110 degree days served quite well.
Will has a nice apartment near Westport which he shared with me for the week. We shopped the first day for the week's food, and shared some nice meals out as well. While I had been in Canada, Will returned from a summer voice workshop in Vancouver which he really enjoyed. He met a teacher from Montreal whom he really liked, and had some good times with his friend, Ava, whom he met at a workshop a few years back in Germany. He is in the throes of sorting out his plans for the upcoming year, including his last semester of classes this fall and figuring out what graduate programs he wants to visit so that he can apply in the spring for the fall of 2013. We had a lot of fun together, including a yummy dinner out with our friends Margo and Isabel.
My week of daily visits with Alison was amazing. This beautiful, brilliant 31 year old woman suffered multiple strokes to her brainstem this past March. After her initial hospitalization in Kansas City, she spent several weeks at a rehab hospital in Lincoln, NE before returning to a facility in Merriam, KS about a month ago. We worked together at The Kitchen Clinic for a couple of years. She was the best healthcare administrator I have ever had in my 30+ years as a family doctor.
Because of the location of her strokes, Alison's mental function is completely intact, yet her body barely responds to the signals sent by her brain. She is quadriplegic, but has some movement in her left leg, including her ankle and toes. She can also open and close her jaw and is gaining in ability to swallow food. She communicates "yes" by using long blinks. And she can laugh-boy, can she laugh!
This was my first in-person visit with her since her strokes. I had done FaceTime with her in the past, so I was somewhat prepared for seeing her in this completely changed state, but, still, it was very hard to see someone I love so much suffering as a prisoner in her own body. Some people call this "locked in syndrome," and I plan to do some more reading by those who have regained their ability to as they recovered. Her courage and determination in this situation are unbelievable, as is the devoted care she is given by her husband, Chris.
We spent out time each day attending various therapy sessions, practicing movements and sounds, listening to music, reading books, tasting soft foods, and making lots of jokes. And re-positioning...always re-positioning. It was wonderful just to get to be with her. Chris' goal is to get her home with caregivers there. I left feeling inspired by them both, and hopeful that her communication, movement and eating skills will continue to progress so that she can enjoy herself more in the days ahead.
As much fun as all these experiences were, nothing beats the pleasure of being at home with your beloved. Our house definitely looks like Rich has been here by himself for a month-it is clean, but quite amusingly messy. What a dear he is! I am looking forward to spending the next 4 weeks (until I return to work on 8-20-12) going to lots of yoga classes and figuring out more of how I want to spend my time in this community. East, west, home is best: so hello again, Santa Cruz!
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