Well, it is a contradiction to experience the loss of a loved one, and enjoy the love of all those who have gathered to pay their respect and lend their support. The truth is that I am so proud of my family! People stepped in and out as necessary to ensure a smooth and proper chain of events that Mom would surely have enjoyed. I'll miss her, but I know she is in a better place.
On Friday, my sister and I went to rescue "Grandma's roses" but that story is too personal to share at this time, besides, I haven't left the state yet...what is the statue of limitations on rose bushes? Another time, I'm sure to share. In the meantime, the van is half loaded and I am looking forward to heading west. I will be in California for the election among other things and perhaps, just perhaps, I will have a tale or two to share with you.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
The Best Laid Plans...
Well, it may surprise you to know that I am posting from Valley Stream, NY. "What?" you say, she said she was going to New Mexico, then California. True that, so what's up? Fact is, I am trying to make light of sad, sad, terrible news...
Mom had a heart attack on Tuesday, and died on Friday. The good news is that I was able to get there in time to kiss her goodbye, and hold her hand. Now, it's time for the rites of passage...
The other good news is, I get to see so many people that I love this week, and that is enough to hold on to.
As for the book, it will be there next week, when I will dust it off and get excited all over again.
Mom had a heart attack on Tuesday, and died on Friday. The good news is that I was able to get there in time to kiss her goodbye, and hold her hand. Now, it's time for the rites of passage...
The other good news is, I get to see so many people that I love this week, and that is enough to hold on to.
As for the book, it will be there next week, when I will dust it off and get excited all over again.
Monday, October 11, 2010
DoubleYeah, God!
What a week! Frankly, I can't remember the week at all, yesterday was a week all by itself.It started off like any other day, the morning routine, when suddenly the phone rings. A parent's worst nightmare has begun. One of my beloved nephews has been in a terrible car wreck with a fatality. Not him, Thank God - that poor family, I think for a quick minute...How is he? He's a mess.
Okay so that's not what I was told, that's what I heard, which is an entirely different thing. For those of you unaware of the people involved, I'll give you the scenario: Three friends leaving a party at a very exclusive private home driving a long private street somewhere in the middle of no where. Somehow they hit a tree. Avoiding a deer? Maybe, maybe not...speeding? Certainly, the driver is unconscious, the passenger was DOA and the nephew in the back seat is also unconscious.
The nephew rouses enough to dial 911 before passing out again and the police use the cell signal to locate them on that private road where they never would have been found...all of my hair is standing up on end! They take the driver to the hospital by ambulance (with video footage via the Internet viewing of the local news) and airlift the nephew to the hospital. By the way, one local paper stated that they were both airlifted, but no so.
The details are sketchy, the condition is serious...not critical... prayer calls go out, Thank you very much all who responded, and for the first time in my life, I went to the store bought a chocolate cake and ate it. I still don't get that...I'm not a huge chocolate fan like some of the people I know, but I made three meals out of it...but I digress.
The nephew had at least two major surgeries as the day progressed with the last one to relieve the pressure on his spine that was causing him to be numb from the bellybutton down. Does this bring back memories for me? Can you say, "Are you kidding me?" Of course you can.
Two rosaries and three hours later, the call comes in, he made it through the surgery (Yeah) and should be waking up soon. This morning the call comes in, he's alert, talking, and has some increased sensation. (Double Yeah) Thank you God!
One of his friends sent me the sweetest message, he told me that my nephew was getting the best care available in the state, and proceeded to explain how he knew it. I typed "Thanks" into my reply and fell into a deep, much needed sleep. Today has just been weird, which is because I am weird.
Nonetheless, I will be disembarking from the Warford's over feigned protests - they are really ready to have their own routines back, though they love me and want me to come back...which I will on October 16, for a publishing workshop put on by the New Mexico Book Association. I am so excited.
In the meantime, I will be at my aunt's in Colorado Springs, where she has not entered the twentieth century never mind the twenty-first, so if it is more than a week before I post again, do forgive me. I will endeavor to find an Internet cafe but as some of you know, I got hacked at one of them in New York so I'm just a little skittish about the whole thing.
As for the family, I must admit that I am so totally proud of my family. The way they made themselves available when needed, the way they communicated without hysteria, they way they supported the immediate family affected by the accident. I am so impressed and sometime tomorrow my hair should no longer be pointing straight up - but no promises. As for my animals, they caught my emotionality and are totally driving me crazy...but it's a short drive :D Talk to you from Colorado.
Okay so that's not what I was told, that's what I heard, which is an entirely different thing. For those of you unaware of the people involved, I'll give you the scenario: Three friends leaving a party at a very exclusive private home driving a long private street somewhere in the middle of no where. Somehow they hit a tree. Avoiding a deer? Maybe, maybe not...speeding? Certainly, the driver is unconscious, the passenger was DOA and the nephew in the back seat is also unconscious.
The nephew rouses enough to dial 911 before passing out again and the police use the cell signal to locate them on that private road where they never would have been found...all of my hair is standing up on end! They take the driver to the hospital by ambulance (with video footage via the Internet viewing of the local news) and airlift the nephew to the hospital. By the way, one local paper stated that they were both airlifted, but no so.
The details are sketchy, the condition is serious...not critical... prayer calls go out, Thank you very much all who responded, and for the first time in my life, I went to the store bought a chocolate cake and ate it. I still don't get that...I'm not a huge chocolate fan like some of the people I know, but I made three meals out of it...but I digress.
The nephew had at least two major surgeries as the day progressed with the last one to relieve the pressure on his spine that was causing him to be numb from the bellybutton down. Does this bring back memories for me? Can you say, "Are you kidding me?" Of course you can.
Two rosaries and three hours later, the call comes in, he made it through the surgery (Yeah) and should be waking up soon. This morning the call comes in, he's alert, talking, and has some increased sensation. (Double Yeah) Thank you God!
One of his friends sent me the sweetest message, he told me that my nephew was getting the best care available in the state, and proceeded to explain how he knew it. I typed "Thanks" into my reply and fell into a deep, much needed sleep. Today has just been weird, which is because I am weird.
Nonetheless, I will be disembarking from the Warford's over feigned protests - they are really ready to have their own routines back, though they love me and want me to come back...which I will on October 16, for a publishing workshop put on by the New Mexico Book Association. I am so excited.
In the meantime, I will be at my aunt's in Colorado Springs, where she has not entered the twentieth century never mind the twenty-first, so if it is more than a week before I post again, do forgive me. I will endeavor to find an Internet cafe but as some of you know, I got hacked at one of them in New York so I'm just a little skittish about the whole thing.
As for the family, I must admit that I am so totally proud of my family. The way they made themselves available when needed, the way they communicated without hysteria, they way they supported the immediate family affected by the accident. I am so impressed and sometime tomorrow my hair should no longer be pointing straight up - but no promises. As for my animals, they caught my emotionality and are totally driving me crazy...but it's a short drive :D Talk to you from Colorado.
Finally, An Internet Connection
I'm sitting outside the Colorado Springs Public Library accessing the Internet from the parking lot while the library is closed. This is certainly a unique experience for me.
Last night I struggled with the Blackberry to post from my phone, which I have an app for. Evidently, posting to my blog from the phone is meant to be a two sentence deal. if you write more than that, it needs to be read from bottom to top. ? It was certainly frustrating and ultimately unsatisfactory, but I'll let that go for now.
I am visiting Aunt Joan (Jean Helm) and she is certainly my mother's sister. It is really remarkable how alike they are. I have always had a special place in my heart for Aunt Joan, but since Mom is so remote, it is particularly heartwarming to spend time with her. She has given me so many gifts, I will have to leave some behind for lack of room in the van.
I have a completely new wardrobe, a complete set of dishes and so many earrings that I should probably grow another pair of ears :) All of this was waiting for me upon arrival. I was here for a couple of days in August, and promised to return after house sitting for the Warford's- so it's safe to say that she was expecting me.
My foot has been better behaved here in Colorado Springs than anywhere else. Out of the week I have been here there has only been one afternoon that I couldn't walk, not that it wasn't sore, just that I wasn't miserable. Compare that to most of the other places I've been, where I had the exact opposite mobility factor and you can understand why this has moved to my number one choice for relocation so far. It is a real pleasure to be able to go to the grocery store and other otherwise normal activities for an hour or two without being miserable for the rest of the day. I still want to check out northern California and see Oregon, since I have never been there, but at this point, I am very ready to get my stuff out of storage and stay put for a while.
I can hardly wait to show my book at the New Mexico Book Association (NMBA) on the 17th. Half of the NMBA is made up of published authors and illustrators, the other half is exclusively publishers. It is not unreasonable that my book could get picked up right there (assuming it is good enough) or that I would get specific suggestions for making it publishable. I am so excited! Wish me luck!
I will be leaving Colorado on Friday, stopping in Santa Fe for the NMBA workshop, then heading to Los Angeles for part B of my deposition and two or three doctor's appointments. Certainly, these locations have better Internet access for me, so I will let you know how it goes.
As for my nephew, he is out of the danger zone and his recuperation is proceeding as well as can be expected. He has a long road ahead of him and can certainly, he can use all the prayer he can get. I never intended to use this blog for such personal information, even without names, but I would have been hard pressed to write of anything else that day. I won't be posting on that anymore and assume that it is appropriate for all parties. I did have to make a correction to that post, though I wouldn't expect you to reread it, I just fixed my error.
Anyway, I am ready to head back to the house and thank the Colorado Springs Library for their free Internet access.
Last night I struggled with the Blackberry to post from my phone, which I have an app for. Evidently, posting to my blog from the phone is meant to be a two sentence deal. if you write more than that, it needs to be read from bottom to top. ? It was certainly frustrating and ultimately unsatisfactory, but I'll let that go for now.
I am visiting Aunt Joan (Jean Helm) and she is certainly my mother's sister. It is really remarkable how alike they are. I have always had a special place in my heart for Aunt Joan, but since Mom is so remote, it is particularly heartwarming to spend time with her. She has given me so many gifts, I will have to leave some behind for lack of room in the van.
I have a completely new wardrobe, a complete set of dishes and so many earrings that I should probably grow another pair of ears :) All of this was waiting for me upon arrival. I was here for a couple of days in August, and promised to return after house sitting for the Warford's- so it's safe to say that she was expecting me.
My foot has been better behaved here in Colorado Springs than anywhere else. Out of the week I have been here there has only been one afternoon that I couldn't walk, not that it wasn't sore, just that I wasn't miserable. Compare that to most of the other places I've been, where I had the exact opposite mobility factor and you can understand why this has moved to my number one choice for relocation so far. It is a real pleasure to be able to go to the grocery store and other otherwise normal activities for an hour or two without being miserable for the rest of the day. I still want to check out northern California and see Oregon, since I have never been there, but at this point, I am very ready to get my stuff out of storage and stay put for a while.
I can hardly wait to show my book at the New Mexico Book Association (NMBA) on the 17th. Half of the NMBA is made up of published authors and illustrators, the other half is exclusively publishers. It is not unreasonable that my book could get picked up right there (assuming it is good enough) or that I would get specific suggestions for making it publishable. I am so excited! Wish me luck!
I will be leaving Colorado on Friday, stopping in Santa Fe for the NMBA workshop, then heading to Los Angeles for part B of my deposition and two or three doctor's appointments. Certainly, these locations have better Internet access for me, so I will let you know how it goes.
As for my nephew, he is out of the danger zone and his recuperation is proceeding as well as can be expected. He has a long road ahead of him and can certainly, he can use all the prayer he can get. I never intended to use this blog for such personal information, even without names, but I would have been hard pressed to write of anything else that day. I won't be posting on that anymore and assume that it is appropriate for all parties. I did have to make a correction to that post, though I wouldn't expect you to reread it, I just fixed my error.
Anyway, I am ready to head back to the house and thank the Colorado Springs Library for their free Internet access.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)