by Judy Handley | Oct 9, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 282: Hospice Visit
Date: Friday, October 9, 2020
Weather: Still Cool, But Sunny; High 57, Low 53 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
Today I made the trip to Reading, northeast of Boston, to meet my sister-in-law Sue and niece Candi at the Sawtelle Family Hospice House and then take them to lunch. Due to Covid, I had been told that I would not be able to go see my niece Lynn, but when I got there, Candi came down to meet me and they let us exchange places. I was so grateful to have a little time to say final farewells. I don’t know how much Lynn comprehended, but I hope she felt the love I was conveying from all of my family members who live so far away. I then took Sue and Candi to lunch. It was bright and sunny, so we were so we were able to take advantage of the outside seating. It was 3:15 by the time we finished lunch and I started the long trek home. Being a Friday on a holiday weekend, there was definitely more traffic than during a normal Friday rush hour. I didn’t get home until 7:15, but that did include a stop at Costco to buy a dog bed for Shadow. Shadow was VERY happy to see me and I was actually able to play ball with him outside by turning on my porch light and using my car headlights. It definitely made for a happy puppy. But my day was not over. Shadow and I then had to drive to Heather and Jed’s to feed the guinea pigs. The Goldstones left early this morning for a weekend in Maine. I got a text late afternoon that said they arrived by 1 pm and that the house on a lake they are renting is rustic and gorgeous. As I traveled today, I heard that it is supposed to be 80 and sunny in Boston tomorrow. Hopefully that weather will continue on up the coast to Maine allowing them to truly enjoy the weekend. We are supposed to have warm but very windy weather here tomorrow. I’ll try to ignore the wind and just enjoy the warmth.
by Judy Handley | Oct 8, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 281: Guns versus Political Signs
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2020
Weather: Cooler Again; High 63, Low 40 Degrees F (Brrrr)
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
I hope I heard this wrong, but I think I heard a state senator in Michigan say today that you are allowed to carry guns outside and inside the state capitol, but protest signs fastened to sticks are banned as they might chip the building’s facade. When I Googled this I found a quote from the Michigan State Police saying protesters are “within their rights to carry their weapons inside the building “as long as the person is carrying the firearm with lawful intent and the firearm is not concealed.” Evidently there is no law explicitly allowing this. It is just that there is no law saying it can’t be done. And then there are the men that were arrested in Michigan today for plotting to kidnap the governor and much more. What kind of country have we become?
My world is a waiting game right now. My niece who had a tumor removed from her spine yesterday is doing well. So far, so good. And the condition of my niece that is hospice care, Lynn, has not changed much since yesterday. I am driving to the Boston area tomorrow to hopefully have lunch with Lynn’s mother and sister. I am not allowed in the hospice house due to Covid, but it will make me feel better to be close by.
This afternoon was sunny and beautiful and I took Sam to his rowing session. It was a bit windy and the temp was not particularly warm, so I sat in my car in the sunshine overlooking the lake and reading my book. Sam was the first out and they rowed all the way around the lake today. He really enjoyed the rowing and I really enjoyed watching. So peaceful.
by Judy Handley | Oct 7, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 280: Trip to Scituate to Visit the Aunties
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Weather: Warm and Windy; High 70, Low 49 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
I spent most of my day traveling north to Scituate with Karen Baranowski to visit my friends and her aunties, the two women who live next door to me half of the year. Karen brought lasagna and I contributed a salad and birthday cake for Doris who turned 102 on Sunday. We had a delightful visit. But during and after the visit, I had phone calls focused on my two nieces. The niece in hospice in Massachusetts is still hanging on and I got to talk to her on speaker phone today. She cannot talk, but she seems to comprehend what is being said. I cannot visit due to Covid, but at least she heard my voice. My other niece who lives in North Carolina had her emergency surgery this afternoon and everything went very well. The tumor on her spine was successfully removed. We won’t know if it is cancerous until the biopsy results are in and we don’t know if the scheduled surgery to remove her left kidney will happen next week as previously scheduled. My guess is that it will be delayed. My thoughts are with both nieces and everyone who knows and loves them.
by Judy Handley | Oct 7, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 279: From Oysters to Sculling
Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 64, Low 57 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
I was so upset about my niece last night that I totally forgot to mention one of yesterday’s highlights in my log. On my way home from town late yesterday afternoon, I stopped by to visit with Karen Baranowski in the Taj Garage. The Baranowski’s newly floored and freshly cleaned garage has become the place to meet as the weather gets cooler. Peter went oystering over the weekend and when I was leaving, he asked if I would like some oysters.
I asked him to just give me two or three so that I could have them as an appetizer. When I got home, I put them on the grill and when the ‘lids’ popped, I put in a little garlic butter. They were delicious. Thank you, Peter.
Today I had a chiropractor and an orthopedic appointment to check out the problem I have been having with my left hip and leg. I assumed it was a result of my back issue, but I just wanted to make sure since it was my left knee that was replaced last year. I was assured all around that the knee replacement was fine as shown in the x-rays that were taken, and that, yes, it is a problem stemming from the herniated discs. Exercise, especially biking and religious morning stretching was prescribed, so I must get myself out on my bicycle every day. But at least all of that was the news that was expected—no bad news.
Then mid-afternoon I volunteered to take Sam to his sculling session. Sculling is when a rower uses two oars, or skulls, to pull a very thin-hulled boat or “shell” through the water. The long, narrow boat with two oars per rower is referred to as a scull, the oars can be called sculls, and the person rowing is also referred to as a sculler. You can scull with just one person in each boat or you can have a team in a boat and compete in crewing events. This was only Sam’s second session and he really loves it. Doing this requires a 45-minute drive to another 45-minute drive from Lake Wequaquet near Hyannis and a two-hour wait while he rows, so it is quite a time commitment. I hope Heather and Jed will choose to let me continue to help with the transport as I love watching the kids row while I spend time reading and being close to the water. So peaceful.
And right now, I need to seek opportunities for peacefulness in my life. While one niece is in hospice dying from cancer, I found out this afternoon that another niece, Jennifer, who was scheduled to have a kidney removed on October 14 due to cancer, was hospitalized this afternoon and is having emergency surgery tomorrow. The doctors discovered a tumor on her spine that needs to be removed immediately. That surgery is scheduled for 2 pm tomorrow afternoon. If my writing seems a bit scattered, please forgive. These are difficult times.
by Judy Handley | Oct 5, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 278: Appointments and Visits
Date: Monday, October 5, 2020
Weather: Partly Sunny; A Little Rain; High 64, Low 49 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
Today started by taking the car in for an oil change and tire rotation. Then in the afternoon, I had a dental appointment to get my teeth cleaned. I missed my appointment in March and two subsequent appointments due to Covid, so this was a long overdue cleaning. Tomorrow I have a chiropractor appointment and an appointment with my knee surgeon’s assistant. So, this feels like the week of appointments. Wednesday I drive to Scituate to visit the aunties who alternate living next door and closer to Boston in Scituate. The auntie’s niece and my friend, Karen Baranowski, will drive up and take lunch. Yesterday was Doris’ 102nd birthday, so we will have a little celebration.
Tonight I am thinking of my niece Lynn who was moved to a hospice house last week. In fact, I think of her all day, every day. Because of Covid, I am not allowed to visit, but my other niece Candi and my sister-in-law Sue keep me updated every morning and evening. The hospice nurses think Lynn has only a few days to live, so I expect to go visit with the family later in the week. Plenty to keep me busy this week.
by Judy Handley | Oct 4, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 277: Great Progress at 43 Grasmere
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2020
Weather: Partly Sunny; High 65, Low 53 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, Falmouth, MA
Great progress was made at 43 Grasmere this weekend, culminating in Ollie and Jonah getting to move into their bedroom tonight. When the Goldstones moved into their new home in April, the carpeting was stripped from the two upstairs bedrooms and it has been a constant project to get walls removed. walls painted, and wood flooring laid. They got a little help with the removal of walls in Jonah and Ollie’s bedroom and painting in that room, but otherwise, Heather and Jed have done all the rest of the work themselves–painting walls and trim and laying wood flooring themselves. This weekend they made a huge push to get Ollie and Jonah moved out of the bonus room over the garage and into their new bedroom. Jed finished off the flooring before the weekend, but they had to get the trim in, assemble the new beds and desks, and remove a ceiling fan. By dinner time tonight, the move was mostly complete. The bonus room was turned into an office and quiet space and furniture was moved into Ollie and Jonah’s room. They still need to work on lighting and a few small details in the new bedroom, but it looks great.
I got a few photos tonight, but will have to get better photos of the completed project during the day. I am just so happy that so much progress was made and that now all three boys have completed bedrooms that they love and that the bonus room can now be used as a school space for Sam and his friend Robert, and a quiet get away for everyone else in the family who needs a change of scenery from their school and office spaces in other parts of the house. Redesigning a home to accommodate working and schooling at home is quite a challenge during these cornonavirus days, but I think the Goldstones have nailed it.
I talked to my good friends Kevin and Claire tonight. Mark and I met Kevin and Claire when we were both living aboard our sailboats in Boston in 2003. Mark and I were living aboard Windbird and Kevin and Claire were living aboard Merganser. Even though Kevin and Claire are in the same age bracket as our children, we became friends for life. More recently, they have been living aboard Merganser in Philadelphia while Kevin worked from home and Claire was managing a research project at Princeton in New Jersey. In mid-September, they sold Merganser and are moving their land yacht, a motor home, to the Los Angeles area where they will continue their work remotely. They called today because they have finally left Pennsylvania and are headed cross country. They are in Ohio tonight and will be heading to Bloomington, Indiana, tomorrow, and have promised to keep me updated on their travels. Their destination is the Golden Shore RV Park in Long Beach, California. Kevin’s mother, his sister and her family, and Claire’s only sibling, a sister and her family all live in the LA area. So, they are very excited to get there to be closer to family. Here’s hoping they have a wonderful trip across this country and reach their destination safely.
