Niece Paula's struggle continues here in St. Louis. Some of her vitals have shown small improvement since her treatment was transferred to St. Louis but not enough to move her out of critical condition. We continue the vigil. I am staying at Jeanenne's and my own needs are very comfortably met. Even had an early swim that showed my own recently healed lung is doing fine.
The news of Paula's pneumonia arrived around the time, before and after, of lots of music events happening in PA that Keoni and Aidan, one or the other, took part in. Wendy shared some of the videos that were taken and they are easily shared here with you now via YouTube...
Seth Trumbore plays piano and organ at our church and arranges programs with the church's music director Sue Ellen Echardt featuring local talent who perform at the church.
I think Keoni scored the arrangement on the following piece...
Aidan has the trio's rendition of Rhapsody in Blue that he will try to upload via a computer which we'll share at some future date. Keoni arranged the trio music score for that piece, too. You probably noted that Seth in these trios is who accompanies Aidan in his solos. That's how we got to know Seth when he did (and still does often) the same for Keoni. Peter's dad tunes pianos for the church and all over the surrounding area.
Jeanenne and Larry were visiting...actually taking it a little easy after a week at Disney Orlando...
Larry at his smart phone.
Jeanenne at her tablet.
Marge at her computer.
Jeanenne at Michener Museum.
We went to the concert at church...
Keoni, Seth, and Peter.
And, we got to Aidan's performance at Kimmel...
Butcher and Barkeep after Kimmel. Jeanenne and Larry went on to Lancaster County
Jeanenne and Larry went to Lancaster County area to join in on a mission project prepping goods for shipment to work being done in foreign countries. Their son Jon, his wife Krista, and their three kids all joined in each day before taking in the Lancaster County area offerings and sights in afternoons and evenings.
Clark Clan at the mission warehouse package up for shipments to South America.
Young Ellie Clark helping out.
I had a walk with the Keoni and Aidan the morning before coming to Missouri...
For six days our family and friends have been following and supporting my niece Paula, her immediate family and her mom Sandy. Paula has an aggressive form of pneumonia that has her in critical condition at Barnes Jewish Center in St. Louis since late last week. An antibiotic was at last found that is slowly fighting down the lungs' infection. Bacterial infection of her blood stream still needs eradication. I am flying to St. Louis later today.
Many hearts and thoughts are sending support and love in the many forms that Spirit expresses. I am humbled by the outpouring and saying my own prayers.
My pony Subaru is back! And, I drove all around doing a bunch of errands nearly all day. Wow. It's been well over six months since I've been behind the wheel! It was like climbing back on a bicycle again but for a smidge of trepidation remembering what lead to the driving hiatus. I feel largely confident it was isolated incidents but will remain mindful.
Hi, Ho, Subaru!
Shoutout to Wendy, John, and Aidan: How nice to find my pony all shiny, squeaky clean and all fueled up. Thank you!
Keoni's time in Italy ended with his flight back to the USA today. Wendy, John, and Aidan (school ended yesterday) drove to JFK to meet Keoni and bring him home.
Trevi Fountain.
Keoni at work in Rome.
...from his train to Florence...
...and in Florence.
Shoutout to Carol: Thanks, for all those years ago your suggestion I take Sue Johnson's class and that got me to Florence and many other places in Italy. So exciting seeing my grandson's adventures having taken him there now.
On the homefront, Aidan has outdone himself with winning music competitions and recognitions this year. All that perseverance to practice every day is really coming into fruition. Sunday he played a solo at Montgomery County Community College. It will be back to Philly again this coming Sunday for the final round of a different competition. That one will take place on stage.
Seth accompanying, and Aidan. All set and waiting to go in and get to work. Wendy and I waiting while John parked the car.
Over in Missouri, my sister Sandy found a nice old photo of my godmother Aunt Hilda, and Uncle John to share.
The weather temps are still fluctuating between chilly spring and sweltering summer. Colds are persisting. Marge just caught one she reports. On drier days the lawns get cut...
On rainy days, I stay in and contemplate the Tillandsia and now the orchid Wendy and family gave me at Mother's Day...
One of the errands took me to the Costco to try out some new hearing aids. Yes, hearing is loads better this evening. The washing machine was making noises I never heard before.
Jeanenne and Larry are flying here tomorrow from Disney/Orlando where they spent the previous week joined by their son David, his wife Sarah, and daughter Kenzie who learned a great deal about princesses, I understand. Jeanenne and Larry will be here for a long weekend before joining another son and family for a mission project not far from Lancaster, PA.
Karma is queen of the farm kitchen and pretty much rules the household when she is not staying warm on the clothes dryer, or atop the dishwasher when it's running. Wendy sent along a brief video of Karma enjoying goat milk...
At last. You are probably thinking, "At last, she's sitting down to write to us." While that is true, I am exclaiming over AT LAST finishing the crocheted bed topper that I started three years ago...
Mostly, I crocheted during PBS' Newshour programs while talking heads discussed all the pro, cons, ups, and downs storming throughout the nation and the world. Now the topper is done even if the world isn't finished with us yet.
Dimetrios, my great-grandson out in Utah, is now officially a teenager. Granddaughter Sonja sent me some pictures from his birthday celebration last Saturday...
Happy Birthday, Dimetrios!
Little brother Kingston helping blow out the candles.
From across the Atlantic, we heard from Keoni that his plane landed and he was just fine in Rome. He had 24 hours to adjust and get ready for rehearsals to begin. He sent these from his arrival...
Looks like there are still plenty of mopeds.
There even was a parade...
Before you knew it, there was a newspaper story...
Way to go, Keoni! You're in your element in Rome!
Marge and I had a day to fill together during this week and headed for the Barnes Foundation that I hadn't seen as yet. The art work displayed is an astonishing collection. More visits will happen in the future. There was so much to love.
Marge at the Barnes. The building itself is a piece of art.
Back in Quakertown, Marge's love of her yard shows especially well right now...
One of the frogs. Nights keep returning to cold so the fish aren't very active as yet.
