Wild Geese Flying 09/11/00

That is the name of one of Ian's favorite books.  It should not surprise me that John, who is so like Ian in many big and small ways, dearly loves wild geese.   

Elsa claims that John can hear any that fly within honk distance of Squirrel Run, even in his sleep.  The only time I have ever known him to get up at daybreak was last year, when he and Elsa went to the Churchville Nature Center several times to watch the geese taking off from the little lake, hundreds and hundreds of them.

I rarely get to see the geese, although just hearing them can make me smile, too.  It takes me too long to get to the door or the window from where I sit in the big chair in the living room.  This morning, though, as I sat on my bed getting ready for the day, I heard the familiar honking coming from the south (probably the bit of a nearby pond) toward the northeast and looked out the window.  There was a magnificent V of Canada geese, winging their way toward Oxford Valley or Langhorne.  It was beautiful.  

It felt like a special blessing from the Lord.   

I am having the first of two cataract surgeries tomorrow, I am not sure on which eye.  I had been dreading it for some time and had sort of worked it so that other people would call it off, but every obstacle was overcome and surgery is still set for tomorrow.  

 

Yesterday I was very nervous and even afraid, but today I felt excited.  I believe that is the effect of the geese.  After the surgery, if all goes as planned, I will have my wings back - I will be able to read again. I miss reading.

John is taking me - at 7:10 a.m. - to the hospital and will stay with me, the dear lad.  Elsa could not get off any time, due to a heavy work load.   

John is so sweet, he almost makes it sound like he is honored to take me, John who normally gets to bed at 4:00 a.m. and gets up after noon.   It will be an adventure.

The geese I saw this morning are settled down somewhere and soon I will be doing the same.  Love to you all,  especially to my loved ones in Hurstville and Loftus NSW - we are separated by as much distance as anyone can be, but my heart is very much with you, fired by The Torch and my love for you all.

  

Grandma Lockhart