A Year Ago Tonight...

I held the hand of my husband of 53 years as he breathed his last breath.  I did not expect this anniversary to have as much impact on me as it has.  I thought by now I'd be "all better." 

As with everything, in some ways it seems like he's been gone a long time, and in others, just a while.  As I drove home from Waxahachie tonight after Maddie's one-act play, I thought, "If Jack were still here we would drive to Lubbock to see her in the regional competition."  He was game for anything in which his grandgirls were participating.

My most prevalent thought this week has been how God blessed us with Silverado.  When Jack moved in there were three other residents.  Now there are 51.  The people who played such a tremendous part in helping Jack adjust are all gone.  Only Rachael, the administrator, is still there.  Who are we, that the creator of the universe, the giver of life, cared so much for us and timed matters so perfectly for us?  I could never, ever thank Him enough.

 

 Jack and Charleigh-Girl in his room

The view from Jack's window

                                           Jack with Raul, one of God's gifts


"Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or imagine, to Him be glory... in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21  That's what He did for us!  More than I even imagined.

My New Career

Everyone at my table on the cruise had an interesting, important sounding job except Judy and me.   Sam is in construction, Sharon manages a large dental practice, Stephanie is an auditor for the State of Virginia, Cynthia is an analyst with the Special Investigations Unit of Geico, and Rosamma, as I have mentioned, is a nurse practioner with the NIH.  And I'm not even a homemaker any more--I'm a retired homemaker.

So...on the way home it became crystal clear to me what I want my new career to be.  This is how it happened.  When I was waiting to go through Customs, I noticed the bomb-sniffing dog with its agent.  It was a darling little beagle.  Now we had been told at least 775 times before getting off the ship that we COULD NOT take any food off--ESPECIALLY FRUIT OR VEGETABLES!!!  So...what was the little beagle doing?  She was sniffing out an orange which some dummy had placed in his or her luggage!  So, the trainer confiscated the orange and rewarded little beagle for the find.  Soooo cute.

Then, event number two.  I was sitting in the lounge waiting to board the plane home when a lady walked up with a magnificent German Shepherd wearing a FEMA vest!  As she made an inquiry of the gate agent, the dog jumped up and placed its paws on the desk!  Isn't that just too precious?

I'm sure you're realizing by now that, yes, I want to be a dog handler for a service dog!  I am simply crazy about dogs.  Now, my son Jay is laughing so hard right now that he can hardly continue reading this because he has very little faith in my ability to train a dog.  I'll be the first to admit that I haven't done too well with Charleigh-Girl, but I know I can get better and more stern.  And, see--I'm not so bad.  She CAN "sit" and "shake."

No, Charleigh, this is not "sit."  This is "down."

O.K., here we go.  I told you she could do it!

Unfortunately, as amazing as she is, Charleigh-Girl has some limitations when it comes to being a service dog.  She is the most hyper, hysterical dog in the world and would find it very hard not to bark at, jump on, and lick everyone with whom we came in contact.  She gets bored easily, leading to this type of behavior if left alone:

It is painfully obvious that I will have to get another dog for my new career.  I'm thinking of a beagle or a German Shepherd.  Perhaps he or she can straighten C-G out for me, too.

My one fear about cruising alone

You might think I would be afraid of getting lost.  No, that never enters my mind.  Well, maybe then it would be getting bored.  Nope, doesn't happen to me.  Getting sick?  No.  Been there, done that.  They have excellent medical care on ships.

My fear is the dreaded dining room table assignment.  For years I sweated out a table for two (by the windows if possible, please) and we were always accommodated.  Jack's memory problems could create a massive case of indigestion for me if we had recurring seatmates.  It has, therefore, become my habit to check out the table size as soon as possible.

A single cruiser is best off at a large table.  Therefore, that is what I requested on my recent trip.  However, that is also what I requested on my cruise on the Oasis, and I was given a table for one.  When I inquired during the afternoon I was told my table was for six.  Not what I had in mind, but I thought I would give it a chance.  When I was escorted to that table, it was a table for only four, with an older couple already seated.  I tactfully told my escort that this wouldn't work.  He sent me to the  maitre' d's line.

Unbeknown to me, there was a lovely lady just ahead of me in that line who had asked for early seating and been given late.  She was changed and reassigned to Table 178, a table for eight.  I was then the eighth person assigned to that table, and I sat down beside her.  Here we are:

Her name is Rosamma.  I found her to be a fascinating person.  She was born in India but has spent most of her life in Maryland.  She is a nurse practitioner who works for the National Institute of Health (NIH).  She specializes in infectious diseases and allergies.  She loves her job.

My story usually starts with the fact that I lost my husband less than a year ago after a ten-year struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.  Rosamma told me she is a widow, too.  Her husband passed away about six months before Jack did.  The illnesses that took them could not have been more different.  Her husband only lived about three months after being diagnosed with cancer.   They didn't have time for the last trips together like we did.  And she is much younger than I.

At the same moment Rosamma and I realized and acknowledged that our seating was orchestrated by God, not by coincidence.  This was the first trip she had taken without her husband.  She seemed inspired by the fact that I had taken several.  We reminisced about our husbands at length.  She told me on the last night of the cruise how much she had enjoyed the socializing at dinner.  I, in turn, benefited so much by her admiration of my ability to travel alone.  Sometimes I think I must be strange to be able to do so,  or I have feelings of guilt, and to know I actually encouraged her was a huge blessing to me.

If God knows even how many hairs are on my head, why do I doubt that He can place me just where I need to be?   Oh, by the way.  Our table was even by the windows!

Continued...I hope

Now let's see if I can show you the world's most beautiful pool table light.

Yea!  So far, so good. 

I wanted you to see the birds on the mural in our bedroom.  I requested these and love them.

And one more new thing.  My "Sam-of-all-trades," Sam Jackson, brought me these beautiful lanterns that his father had restored for me.  He installed them in my rose garden.  I just got candles for them today.  Aren't they beautiful? 

A Few New Things!

I go for months and months, maybe even years, without changing anything in my home. I never rearrange furniture. I place it where I want it, and there it stays. I'm not bad about getting tired of things. If I like them, I keep on liking them. But...just let me get started, and it's "Katy, bar the door," as my Daddy used to say. (Don't ask me what that means--I have no idea!)

This is how the guest bedroom has looked for years.

This is my new guest bedroom--still a work in progress.

The luggage the little girl is sitting on was given to me when I graduated from high school.

From this point I decided I needed a chandelier in my bedroom instead of the 26-year-old ceiling fan. So, here it is.

My name for the mural is "View from the Crystal Symphony," one of our favorite cruise ships. The artist used an actual photo we had taken.

While shopping for the chandelier, I just had to look at pool table fixtures. We had never had "the real thing." I found the perfect one, and it's just what I needed! No one ever even goes in the game room but me.

O.K. I did something wrong and I can't get the "insert image" to work. I'll try again, but I don't want to lose what I've done. Please stay tuned!

Did you know I went to the Rose Bowl Parade?

Of course you did. The real question is, "Will I ever stop talking about it?" I think I will, but not until after this......

This weekend I stayed with Susannah, and she showed me the video of my "appearance." Here is Terri's still shot, which she took from their TV and sent me by text message.

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I thought this was just a momentary shot. It wasn't! I'm on that screen for 2 or more minutes at various times. Now what amazes me is the astronomical odds against the probability of this happening. There were approximately one million people at the parade. This camera shot extends only one row behind where I was sitting--in a reserved seat obtained by the Southwest Bank travel club. The ABC cameraman happened to be just up and over my left shoulder on a stationery platform. NBC showed practically no crowd shots. HGTV was set up on Orange Blvd. around the corner from the main parade route, not even close to where I was. And those were the two channels I recorded.

A big "Thank You" goes to Jay and Terri. They spotted me and alerted the Metzgers. Now I promise I'll shut up about this. (But--they are making me a copy of the video which I will be more than happy to give you the opportunity to watch when you visit me.)

My Martin Idols

Friday night there was a version of American Idol at Martin High School.  This is an annual event.  The two Metzger girls decided to try out, and both made the cut.  They were the only siblings in the group of twelve contestants.  Now this sets the stage for all sorts of worry opportunities for a grandmother.  What if...?  Just fill in the blank.  I really was so nervous that I did not look forward to the evening, even though they are both born performers.

Madeline, the older, was contestant number 6.  She reminded me later that this is her first time to perform on a big stage with no props and not portraying a character, as she has done in musical theatre.  The genre of music was also very different for her--pop rock.  She belted out Katy Perry's Firework like a pro.  My friend Beverly, who graciously attended with me, said that Maddie "sparkles."  Oh, and it didn't hurt a bit that she had on a darling robin's egg blue one shouldered dress, and the beautiful "Martin Idol" sign in the background was the same sparkly blue!  O.K.--one down and one to go!

Susannah was number twelve.  Yep, last.  She is just a freshman, but would you have known it?  Absolutely not!  She took that stage and the audience by storm singing Our Song--a Taylor Swift number.  The audience whooped and hollered, and she radiated confidence.  She looked adorable in a brown leather dress and darling brown boots.  There went all my worries!

Maddie was in the top five, so she got to sing again (in a totally different outfit, of course!)  This time she sang Fairytale by Sarah Barellis.  I thought she was even better on this one, although I won't be putting the songs of this evening on my iPod.  I try to be a cool Mimi, but I guess I'm just not a pop rock girl. 

The outcome was great.  Maddie was second runner up, and she and Susannah both got lots of rave reviews from the audience.  They had a wonderful evening, and so did I.  Too bad I didn't enjoy the anticipation rather than worry!

By the way, save the dates of May 26th, 27th, or 28th, and come see Sweeney Todd,  Martin's spring musical.  Madeline will be Johanna and will sing the beautiful "Green Finch and Linnet Bird."  Now that one's on my iPod, as well as other music from Sweeney.  Susannah is in the chorus, too.   I can't wait!