Kitty, RIP

First things first – the happy news.  Happy birthday Sean! Happy anniversary Margaret and Andrew. Both events have images seared into my mind, never to forget. Happy times. Then and now too.

And then there was Mothers’ Day. Best ever. Hope yours were too. We had calls and cards and flowers here, and then a pizza/movie party with a mother-type film – Remarkably Bright Creatures. We liked it, but it is definitely, as Andrew S. says, a PG-65 movie. We had both read the book which was even better.

And some sad news. Our kitty, sometimes known as Bubbles, passed away this week, He had been slowing down for some time, and then stopped eating and even moving for a day or two almost. The vet said he had heart failure, and his lungs and body cavity were filled with fluids. It’s sad. And we know it is part of having pets. We outlast them. David and Paula went through the same with their cat recently. We see pictures of an elderly, greying pup in Pennington.  We keep looking for our kitty, thinking he’s outside, waiting for us at the door, or sleeping on the stairs in a very trip-able spot.  He lived a full and good life, and so did we. Yes, we’ll probably get another one.

Our garden work is proceeding, one hour a day at a time. Here’s a too-late investment tip – mulch. By the end of this month, we hope everything is in place. Back-breaking, but boy it looks nice this time of year. I love the fresh green everywhere.

Around the horn. Over in London, Joe has the weekend as a single dad. Leonor went to Lisbon to check in on her father. And Joe bravely took all three children to Thomas’ rugby banquet. Tell me that photo doesn’t sum up everything you need to know about the UK. In Washington, Darcy continues to thrive, more and more alert, and she went to the pool for the first time. Mary bought her a bathing suit yesterday. Over in India, Annie landed in the hospital with some kind of stomach issue, perhaps a parasite. She’s home and better now.

Timmy is also home, getting an early release from his rehab facility. He lasted not one day, before he had to go back to the hospital. For fatigue and nausea. He stayed a couple of days and then returned home. He thinks (hopes?) he can get visiting nurses from the VA tio help out.  Fingers crossed.

Claire came down from WI for Mothers’ Day. A three- hour trip down and back. That’s devotion. Andrew and Lur are in the middle of a total bathroom overhaul. We all know what that’s like – not much fun, until it’s all over and then you can’t imagine how you ever lived before.

My two OLLI classes ended, one I was teaching on international relations, and the other I was taking on Thoreau’s Walden. I had read the book in college and found it hard. It is still hard, but valuable lessons.

Coming up - Mary’s heads down to Washington tomorrow, I then go to Princeton for my 50^th reunion, and then we meet up at Newark Airport to go to London. Hope they have enough jet fuel to get us back home. Our next letter we’ll be home again.

And that’s a wrap; love from up here.

 

 

May Day, May Day

Well, May crept up fast. Happily so. 

But we were in Fairport and Ithaca this weekend, and we saw snowflakes. For that matter, it also snowed here this morning. Fortunately I didn’t have to shovel. 

Actually I did shovel. In the yard, around the bushes in preparation for the mulch. It’s that back-breaking season. And we got our lawn mowed. And I got to try out my new battery-operated push mower. 

Mary got home last Tuesday after a week in Daytona, and it looks as if Timmy will actually be able to go home. He still has work to do (pt) but he’s walking a little. What a difference from a few weeks ago. 

Friday we headed west and our first stop was Fairport. We had”high tea” and covered a lot of catching up ground. Paula is psyched about winning the lottery to go to Antiques Roadshow soon. David has been in the garden and is doing some pretty intricate needlepoint. 

The next day we headed over to Ithaca for a wedding which was fun. Just one night away but packed it in. 

Before Mary went to Daytona, we were in DC visiting Darcy and Simon and their parents. And their uncle. Joe had flown in for a week of meetings. Darcy is well, putting on weight and checking out her surroundings, including her big brother. Andrew is back at work so Margaret is going solo at home. All is well in London, Joe reported, with John and Luisa starting ballet classes. 

Andrew cooked a great barbecue one day, and the next day, rainy and cold, Jeff and Melodie came over for dinner inside. Melodie was getting ready to go to San Diego which I hear may be her favorite place in the world. 

Did someone have a birthday?  Yes. Peter, and I learned from Facebook that he loves sardines. Who knew?  A sardine cake?  That would be too far. 

Andrew and Lur hit the road too, heading up north to see the spring concert put on by Claire’s orchestras. 

Annie and Sankar had their first visitor!  Who promised to come back. That’s a good review. They also got their landscape design plans back from the architect so they’re moving closer. 

All is well here; making plans for the summer. Poconos and visitors and short trips. Life is good

Love from up here.