Saturday
Enjoyed early morning coffee on the back patio. The birdsongs are noticeably different than up home.
Jenn and Daniel had Band obligations in the afternoon so I spent it relaxing and nursing the mystery pain in my foot. The cats and dog like having me here while their humans are away.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
NC visit Day 5 10-22-2018
Monday
Work and school week begins for Jenn and Daniel. Rachael is in and out juggling classes and work. She’s a busy girl! Lazy day for me. My painful heel is improving and I don’t want to jinx it. Rotating and stretching it while sitting seems to help. My only project for today was to sort and organize my “stuff” that I have stashed here. Several types of shoes are handy since they use precious packing space when flying. Toiletries, too, so I don’t have to bother with the liquid “thing.”
This evening was Daniel’s choral concert. Oh, my gosh! Jenn and I cannot be trusted to go anywhere together! I will explain: Daniel has decided to shave his head. When their director cautioned the chorus about avoiding any distracting accessories, the comments among Daniel’s peers about his bald head centered around its shine. The joking followed him home after school where various remarks continued, including Jenn and myself. Well......when the choir filed onstage in the darkened auditorium wearing all black clothing......there stood Daniel, perfectly aligned under an overhead light. It was a distraction alright. His pasty head (from wearing hats in the sun) seemed to double in circumference by a broad glow forming a perfect circle around his head! (You know...like the pictures of the Holy Family on Christmas cards.) Needless to say, I lost it! I had to try so hard to keep from exploding in laughter that it was painful. Same for Jenn. We could not make eye contact. Nor could I look at Daniel during the entire first number. Just as we were almost under control, we heard the girl (part of the in-school discussion) behind us whisper, “Oh. My. God. Daniel’s head.” It was a memorable evening.
Oh...and the performance was superb!
Work and school week begins for Jenn and Daniel. Rachael is in and out juggling classes and work. She’s a busy girl! Lazy day for me. My painful heel is improving and I don’t want to jinx it. Rotating and stretching it while sitting seems to help. My only project for today was to sort and organize my “stuff” that I have stashed here. Several types of shoes are handy since they use precious packing space when flying. Toiletries, too, so I don’t have to bother with the liquid “thing.”
This evening was Daniel’s choral concert. Oh, my gosh! Jenn and I cannot be trusted to go anywhere together! I will explain: Daniel has decided to shave his head. When their director cautioned the chorus about avoiding any distracting accessories, the comments among Daniel’s peers about his bald head centered around its shine. The joking followed him home after school where various remarks continued, including Jenn and myself. Well......when the choir filed onstage in the darkened auditorium wearing all black clothing......there stood Daniel, perfectly aligned under an overhead light. It was a distraction alright. His pasty head (from wearing hats in the sun) seemed to double in circumference by a broad glow forming a perfect circle around his head! (You know...like the pictures of the Holy Family on Christmas cards.) Needless to say, I lost it! I had to try so hard to keep from exploding in laughter that it was painful. Same for Jenn. We could not make eye contact. Nor could I look at Daniel during the entire first number. Just as we were almost under control, we heard the girl (part of the in-school discussion) behind us whisper, “Oh. My. God. Daniel’s head.” It was a memorable evening.
Oh...and the performance was superb!
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
NC visit Day 4 10-21-2018
Sunday
Beautiful day all around. So nice to feel the love from folks at Hope Mills UMC, some of whom I have known since the 90’s. Jenn has music obligations at both services so I was chauffeured to the later one by Daniel...in the silver Mustang. Coffee, snacks and fellowship after. Then food shopping and home to Jenn’s good cooking. She is a die hard football fan. Me...not so much...so I did my own “thing” for the afternoon.
I am beginning to regret packing so light, Wishing I could reach for items still at home in NY. I guess I wouldn’t be a very good minimalist, would I?
Beautiful day all around. So nice to feel the love from folks at Hope Mills UMC, some of whom I have known since the 90’s. Jenn has music obligations at both services so I was chauffeured to the later one by Daniel...in the silver Mustang. Coffee, snacks and fellowship after. Then food shopping and home to Jenn’s good cooking. She is a die hard football fan. Me...not so much...so I did my own “thing” for the afternoon.
I am beginning to regret packing so light, Wishing I could reach for items still at home in NY. I guess I wouldn’t be a very good minimalist, would I?
Saturday, October 20, 2018
NC Visit Day 2 10-19-2018
Friday
Random thoughts:
1. The pain in my heel is really slowing me down!
2. It is a joy to watch Daniel play his trumpet and see how passionately he connects with it!
3. Homecoming at Grays Creek Highschool. The night air. The sights and sounds. An atmosphere once common but now rare. I enjoy sitting quietly and observing. A lot of insight can be gained that way...about yourself and about people in general through the expression in their eyes and their body language. The more we try to understand, the more we are able to love one another as we should.
Random thoughts:
1. The pain in my heel is really slowing me down!
2. It is a joy to watch Daniel play his trumpet and see how passionately he connects with it!
3. Homecoming at Grays Creek Highschool. The night air. The sights and sounds. An atmosphere once common but now rare. I enjoy sitting quietly and observing. A lot of insight can be gained that way...about yourself and about people in general through the expression in their eyes and their body language. The more we try to understand, the more we are able to love one another as we should.
Friday, October 19, 2018
NC trip Day 1...10-19-2018
Here I am at last for a long overdue visit.! I opted to fly as opposed to driving despite the disadvantages of not being able to transport containers of things earmarked for “the kids,” the limitation of packing space, and most importantly, being without a vehicle. Less travel time and reasonable airfare were enticing enough to choose flying over driving. Maybe I’ll start to enjoy having chauffeurs. We’ll call it “Driving Gramma Dorothy.” 😉 If necessary, I can always get a rental car. Anyway...it’s so good to be here!
J.D. drove me to the airport under not the best circumstances. Traffic was bumper to bumper, the bright sun glared on my car’s dirty windshield at eye level the whole way, and traffic worsened due to what appeared to be a serious accident involving several cars. Once there, the timing worked out perfectly. I was able to board my plane almost immediately. I had printed my own boarding pass and packed sparingly so I only needed my carry on. My good deed for the day was to happily exchange seats with a man who wished to sit with his family. I mention this only because, from their reaction, I gather the attendants are more accustomed to “flack.” (What a shame. Love one another, people!)
I nearly missed my connecting flight despite the 1.5 hour layover. I sat at the assigned gate waiting for the board to change from Charleston to Fayetteville. As boarding time grew close, I inquired and was told my gate had been changed...to one way at the end of the corridor then way to the end of the corridor on the left. With luggage in tow and limping on a very painful heel, I made it! Whew! We were probably informed as we landed but I honestly could not hear any of the announcements. Although I have substantial hearing loss I don’t consider that to be the only reason to have missed the message. For one thing, they rattle off that stuff faster than a normal person can think and secondly, in any work related public interaction, please, please make enunciation more of a priority! What I am learning is to double check, ask lots of questions, and to be extra observant. When I miss something that seems to be important, I’m not hesitant to say, “I have hearing loss!” Most people become very articulate then...which (I believe) they should have been in the first place.
Both flights were smooth as silk. Thank you, Lord. Peaceful silent prayer and meditation time. Before I knew it, we had landed and there was Jenn waiting to chauffeur me away. After a restful night’s sleep I am having a lazy day to ponder. To ponder what, I wonder? The joy of life when there is love in it, I guess.
J.D. drove me to the airport under not the best circumstances. Traffic was bumper to bumper, the bright sun glared on my car’s dirty windshield at eye level the whole way, and traffic worsened due to what appeared to be a serious accident involving several cars. Once there, the timing worked out perfectly. I was able to board my plane almost immediately. I had printed my own boarding pass and packed sparingly so I only needed my carry on. My good deed for the day was to happily exchange seats with a man who wished to sit with his family. I mention this only because, from their reaction, I gather the attendants are more accustomed to “flack.” (What a shame. Love one another, people!)
I nearly missed my connecting flight despite the 1.5 hour layover. I sat at the assigned gate waiting for the board to change from Charleston to Fayetteville. As boarding time grew close, I inquired and was told my gate had been changed...to one way at the end of the corridor then way to the end of the corridor on the left. With luggage in tow and limping on a very painful heel, I made it! Whew! We were probably informed as we landed but I honestly could not hear any of the announcements. Although I have substantial hearing loss I don’t consider that to be the only reason to have missed the message. For one thing, they rattle off that stuff faster than a normal person can think and secondly, in any work related public interaction, please, please make enunciation more of a priority! What I am learning is to double check, ask lots of questions, and to be extra observant. When I miss something that seems to be important, I’m not hesitant to say, “I have hearing loss!” Most people become very articulate then...which (I believe) they should have been in the first place.
Both flights were smooth as silk. Thank you, Lord. Peaceful silent prayer and meditation time. Before I knew it, we had landed and there was Jenn waiting to chauffeur me away. After a restful night’s sleep I am having a lazy day to ponder. To ponder what, I wonder? The joy of life when there is love in it, I guess.
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