Saturday
Rough start today. Up at 7:04, closed my eyes for a moment and awoke at 8:45. Had to scramble to get packed and ready the house for visitors. My plans to leave for Wisconsin at 9:00 were scrapped. I left at 10:30.
Rather than be upset--my normal reaction--I stayed unruffled. (Epictetus wrote: "If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself:'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods."--this would be one in a row for me!) I looked forward to the drive and to my visit. The boring stretch on Hwy 30 didn't phase me. Nor did heavy Chicago traffic. The trip took about five-and-a-half hours. Since I entered a new time zone I arrived at 3:00 in Genoa City.
The first stop was at an empty field so that Duke could run. He is always happy to do that. He skipped, leapt, raced and spun until he had the ride rust run off. Then he drank like a horse and looked at me smiling. I was glad to have pleased him so.
Bill was waiting on the deck when we arrived. There was a time when we had a rocky relationship. That changed after mom's death. Maybe I am his last connection to her. No matter, he greeted me warmly and I returned his greeting gladly. Duke remembered and went to him wagging his stump. All was well.
Dorothy came out, too. She has always been a favorite of mine. She and mom were close. Mom loved her as though she were her daughter. Dorothy is not a talker, yet she and mom would visit for hours. She misses mom as much as anyone and keeps flowers on her grave. I have offered to help pay but she refuses. "It's the least I can do for Helen," she says.
Honoring laughter,
love, time and conversation--
flowers on the grave
After our welcome we caught up on events. Then Kathy, their youngest of daughters--they also have two sons--came in. With Kathy were her children Kyle and Kaitlin (sp?); her other son, Jerrod, came in later.
Bill and I were Pinochle partners vs Dorothy and Kathy. They smoked us. On my last visit Bill and I had been triumphant. This time was payback.
Kathy's husband Jeff came. He is quiet but a terrific guy. Jerrod and I talked about books. He enjoys fantasy immensely. There was little I could recommend to him he hadn't already read. I did point him to Anne McCafferty and Terry Brooks. This was the first time we had really talked with each other. I found him to be bright kid, though like most his age, it was clear that he wasn't certain my suggestions would amount to much. At his age I would have felt similarly.
Tomorrow I will see a different Jeff and Kathy; my long time friends. I spent enough time at their house that they are like brother and sister to me.
My sister, Karen, is 60 today.
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