Christmas, 2011
As Christmas approaches, I give thanks for my health and blessings, mourn some losses, and find happiness and satisfaction in experiencing beauty in the ‘little things’ of life. One day last summer, I was sitting on my back porch, a pot of cola with its tiny blooming spears not 30 inches from my face, when a hummingbird suddenly flew up, drinking the nectar from those tiny flowers. It was a magical moment.
As for my health, after 2 years, the Injection Fraction of my heart has finally returned to normal- (Sept, 2009 = 20; April 2011, low normal range- 57+). And I have not had an A-Feb episode since Jan, 2010, so the medication is working its magic. I finally feel well. But the A-Feb sapped the strength and endurance of my muscles and even, somewhat, my mind. So now I pretty much fit the category of “elderly” – a label I eschewed in the past.. But with the help of Paul to handle the yard work and house maintenance, Mary to house clean once a month, Claire to help with kitchen and clothes when they get out of hand, and Annette to help with grocery, carrying and other things, I manage to live happily in my own home. Having wonderful friends like this is truly a blessing.
I am not doing much Christmas decorating this year. Last year I did full decorating, had my traditional Xmas eve dinner and gift exchange with Glenn Coven & Annette. It was as usual, a wonderful time. That was the last time I saw Glenn. He spent almost every day in Jan. working—thru Sunday, Jan. 23; went to hospital emergency Mon. morn; was treated for various ailments, discovered to have acute Leukemia and immediately slapped into Isolation. After an aggressive one week treatment of chemo (which I think was more than his system could handle) he died on Feb 14, Valentine’s Day!.
Adding to that shock, my dear friend since 1962, Tom Grooms, passed away just 10 days earlier. Glenn, if you remember, was the “Jolly Santa Claus” in the Xmas picture I sent about 5 yrs. ago. He was always laughing, smiling, bringing joy to others in the true ‘Santa’ image. He is deeply missed!! He had a rich, operatic tenor voice, including singing “Casper” in innumerable productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors; many of them with Bill Giles’ baritone “Melchior”. Such wonderful, nostalgic memories of both Glenn and Bill.
Bill “hated” Christmas, but Glenn loved it. We had that rich tradition of 15 + years of dinner, gifts, and Christmas eve service at Hyde Park Meth. Church, so filled with Carols we loved to sing. I needed a definite break from that, so I am going to ‘get out of town’ and spend Xmas with my Munier cousins in Las Vegas Dec 20-29. (In case some of you get cards late, you will know Time just caught up with me)!!
I was thrilled to have Susan Giles (Bill’s daughter) and her husband, Daniel, visit me for 5 days in Mid-Oct. They brought Xena, their beautiful, gentle German Shepherd. While Coco befriended Xena in ’09, she never did accept her this year. Big, gentle Willa not only accepted Xena, she became her ‘protector’ from Coco. So much fun seeing the “doggie dance negotiations.” Because Coco, at 7 ½, does not ‘play well’ with other dogs, she will stay home with drop in care while I am in Vegas; Willa will go to “The Pet Spot”, stay in the 8×8 “Moulin Rouge suite” with TV and web cam, and play daily with other dogs. A solution happiest for both dogs, not to mention the Pet Spot staff.
I continue to work on family history and genealogy for the Brown family. I am also establishing a collection preserving family artifacts mid 19th c. to present at the Brookville Historical Society, just NE of Dayton, Ohio, near where mom and dad grew up and are buried.
I am no longer actively involved in Theater and like activities. Instead I just go and observe and drink in the beautiful artistry of others at Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival Chorus, Opera, and the many plays. I am still active in Phi Beta, and do what I can at home like their newsletter & yearbook all on the computer and all on my own time. For my calendar this year I chose my 1984 trip to Greece.
What wonderful nostalgic memories as I looked thru the slides and chose my pictures. At the end of that trip, Barb Sorensen, Bill Giles and I went down to lower Manhattan to see a ticker-tape parade for our 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Team – and tour the World Trade Center. I got some great pictures of the WTC and decided, on the 10th anniversary of its 9/11 demise, to make the best iconic shot my Christmas picture present to all.
On this 10th anniversary, may the beauty and majesty these iconic towers once inspired by piercing toward the heavens inspire your life as well and point to better and happier times in this coming and future years.