Unslung Hero 03/19/01

It is me!  Today my right wrist finally had its dressing removed.  Dr. Iannarone is very pleased with how well the skin graft "took" - personally, I think it looks pretty disgusting, with an outline of ugly black scab encircling the graft.  What I think looks icky, the doctor considers beautiful because it shows that the graft  has sealed.  Put like that, I guess it is pretty beautiful too.

There is still a gauze dressing on my wrist, but it is loose.  Best of all, I finally bid farewell to the sling.  Now, I know that the sling served a noble purpose, but it is impossible to describe the effect not having the use of my right arm did to my spirits.   

It is no wonder that when older people become incapacitated, even in small ways, their spirits take a tumble, which can have a domino effect.  My incapacitation was only temporary - think about all those people who suffer strokes and heart attach and have permanent damage.

 

Take it from one who has been there lo! these past few weeks - not having the

use of my right arm through my entire sense of  physical and emotional equilibrium oout of whack.  It made me pondering all the functions that diminish as we grow older and older and older, of how it is easy for someone - like yours truly - who is a flagging on vim and pep and vinegar to fall prey to a sense of helplessness and hopelessness.  

As I have mentioned before, Elsa has this interesting trait - learned, she says, at her sister's knee - of turning ordinary moments into celebrations. I wore my nightgown and robe to the doctor's, so I could not go to Curds & Whey, as I dearly would have loved to, for lunch after our appointment.  Elsa suggested she nip into Fresh Fields (Whole Foods) for some soup.   

We had a feast-ival for lunch -  Triple Squash Soup and a maple walnut scone that she picked up for me this morning at a marvelous cafe she stops into on the way to work.  (Loopy girl went to work from 7:30 - 10:00, before heading home to take me to my appointment.)  

What a combination - the two flavors and textures perfectly complemented each other.  Sitting there eating a marvelous soup set off by a perfectly matched scone seemed be right out of one of the Redwall books; Elsa often reads me excerpts regarding their feast days. 

If you have not read any of Brian Jacques’ stories about Redwall Abbey, you should, if only for the marvelous descriptions of food that are always a feature of the stories.  There are days, like today, that I think I could eat even a Redwall hare (famous for their prodigious appetites) under the table!  

This lady is so lucky to be just where she is at this point in time.  It  is fun living with these kids.  They always have some plan or another up their sleeves.  Since it is tough going for them to get out without worrying about me, they decided they wanted to do something special over the weekend. On Saturday night, we blew the wad and got fish & chips and a big tub of meaty ribs from a favorite place in Langhorne.  It is a bit of a trek, but oh, the combination of delicious batter-fried fish, golden brown french fries, and the best ribs I have eaten since December 1976, at the Rusty Scupper in Head House Square.

I went along as an extra adult when Elsa took part of her 6th grade down to Philadelphia at Christmas.  I will never forget watching in admiring amazement as little Amanda Goerwitz ate all the rest of us under the table, then went onto have a great gloppy sundae for dessert and polished that off, too.  

But I digress.  Back to the spare ribs.  I can smell and taste them as I write, the sweet tang of the marinade and lots of dropping-off-the-bone meat.  

I think I am going to want a midnight nibbling if I keep up these thought of food.  Instead, am closing down this gastronomic discussion and heading up to bed.   

Bon appetite!  Aunt Kay

Dizzy Dame, Dashing Dude, Drenching Downpour 03/21/01

Well, it's been one heck of a day.  In spite of the wet, raw weather, I did  not cancel my appointment this afternoon with my GP.  Perhaps it was yesterday's dizzy spell that made me sit up and take notice and not consider rescheduling. 

Yes, I had a dizzy spell yesterday.  Everything went around and around and around.  Luckily, I was near a chair and could anchor myself without taking a tumble.  That night, I mentioned to the "kids" that it was the first time I was dizzy.  They exchanged dubious glances, then reminded me that it was the first time I was dizzy and did not black out.  That made me feel better.

Still, I was not taking any chances. 

Dr. Litt had me take several tests, including one of my abdomin (pardon the language and immodesty, but it is a bit bloated these days) and chest, and took blood.  I feel fine - no vertigo.

My driver today was the dashing and always fun to be with Kent Hyatt.  He is a treasure.  What a bore it must have been to wait for me to have that testing, but Kent made me feel as if hanging around Holy Redeemer Hospital waiting for some old bat to be done testing was just what he wanted to do with his day.  What a lad.

It was a wretched day to have to go outside.  Flash flood warnings have been posted and John has the dehumidifier and the big industrial fan and a couple little fans whirling away in the basement (it tends to get wet in the corners).  It was one of those mean, raw and miserable days, the type of day best spent snuggled up cozy warm.  I was glad to see Elsa walk through the  door.

Well, it has been a long, wearisome day.  Am up the wooden hill and making a beeline for my comfy bed with its warm, cozy pile of cotton sheet blanket, my beloved North Star blanket, topped off with a beautiful peach coverlette.

Sweet dreams - Nan

A lovely description of Pete and Lockhart Lumber 03/26/01

Dear "granddaughter of the heart" Jessie Pendleton Rose sent me the following memory of visits to Lockhart Lumber...

I was just remembering when my dad used to take us on errands.  One of the stops was sometimes Lockhart Lumber.  I was so small I hardly remember it, but I do recall walking into a dusty adventurous collection of wood and shapes and towering masculinity, all coated with that dusty warm piney smell of cut board.  I don't even remember what your husband looked like, but I do remember jokes and friendliness, as though the shop was open to kids, not closed off to us like bulls tied up outside the china shops.  As usual, my dad would get caught up in talking with Mr. Lockhart and the visit would stretch until we tugged hard enough on his trouser leg.  It's wonderful in a small but important way for kids to go where they feel wanted!

Love to you today,   Jess

A personal thank you 02/27/01

My goodness, it was just over a year ago - around the middle of February 2000, as I recall - that I got my very own e-mail address and started sending out Mindwalkers postings.

Little did I know when we began our collaboration - myself as the fount and Elsa as my Faithful Scribe - what a difference it would make in my life.   

It's much more than simply a way for this Gramster to get up and out, at least mentally and psychically (is that a word?).  By writing the bits and piffles that I do, long forgotten memories have come alive, people I have not seen for scores and scores of years join us in the computer studio as we work on the postings, a lot of my own feelings and opinions become clearer. 

Peter once again drops by and has taken me to two or three doctor appointments.  Kerry and Mike are a presence in my life.  Scott, after a year's newly-wed sabbatical, touches base, as do Whitney, Reynolds and Karen. My lines have fallen into pleasant places.

Having all of you out there and yet tucked away in my heart, gives me strength. Having a way to reach out in spite of being more or less housebound is a terrific lift.  I still feel a sense of awe knowing that with the push of a button, my words go around the world in seconds.  I am sure that it will always be a wonder to me (sort of like when I flew from Australia to the USA and arrived in the USA "before" I left Australia).

Thank you all for being a vital part of my life over this past year.  Thank you to Elsa, my faithful scribe - we have fun doing this and have gotten to know each other on a whole new level.  Thank you to our computer, which is pretty bare bones - it does not do a lot of razzle dazzle things - but which serves our needs quite nicely.  My thanks to Michael David, for developing and maintaining the Caritas and NC Women on the Internet lists, which mean so much to me. 

A closing word - someone pointed out last year that there are probably people who do not want to continue being part of my "dist" list.  Lives get busy and e-mail boxes can clog with non-essential mail.  This is my annual reminder that if you would like to have your name removed from the Mindwalkers "dist" list - without prejudice, as they say - just drop me a note and we will make it so. 

My thanks to you all for being out there.  Your presence strengthens my heart.

Love to all - Mindwalker1910 (Katharine Reynolds Lockhart, aka Grammie, Grammie Kay, the Gramster, Mom, Mum, Grandma L', Mom L', Gocky, Nan, Aunt Kay, TechnoGram, CyberGram, Gammie, Ganga, Kay, Pete's Wife, Mim's Mom..........)