It's been twelve days since the last post. I've thought about you out there on the other end of electronic energies. A deep breath and a plunge will make this communication happen today. Before I go further, let's take a moment to rally our thoughts 'round Wendy who over at the farm battled plumbing problems that morphed into an illustration of Murphy's Law. She sent a couple of pictures since the whole (only six-years-old!!!) septic system was drawn into question during the day...

This is the big septic truck being hauled out of where it got stuck.

Later in the day, Wendy confirmed that the clog was solved. No details.

We're all sorry for this day of Wendy's mess interrupting the Empty Nest she's experiencing with both boys away.

John drove Aidan to a nearly month-long cello and music institute in Michigan last weekend. Keoni will return from his European adventures this coming weekend. He Skyped me from their Airbnb (and later from Rome) that is aerie-like perching on a cliff-side overlooking a small bay on Amalfi Coast. What a gorgeous place! with a tiny beach below.

Keoni sent this of Julia who looks like she is rising from the sea of ancient myths.

And, the seaside view...


And what of the great move-in at Dock, you ask? The place is live-able. There are plenty of other things to do but no hurrying now. My back and my feet are groaning a Thank You!

Mary, middle wheelchair, following one of our neighbors in her wheelchair, walking is Sharon who is one of my next-door neighbors; following them is Bill who is Mary's husband. Sharon asked me to join them for dinner at the "Bistro" café located through a series of building connecting hallways that are as bright and open as this one.

A beautiful evening after dinner so Mary and Bill gave me a little tour of some of the Dock offerings. This was one of the many courtyards or areas outside those spacious hallway windows. Often, the halls spread out into seating areas with exits to these sorts of areas outside.

One of the scenes outside windowed seating areas along the hall circling the skilled nursing care building.

This is in one of the largest courtyard-type areas near the childcare center. There are three ducks that come back every year to raise a clutch of ducklings. We saw all three groups. This is the biggest brood with the oldest ducklings.

And here they are again...

Meanwhile, the moving stuff was still in progress and Aidan came over to help me put back together the table that was refinished way back last year.

Aidan hard at work--for hours of patient enterprise and not a little muscle to get it back together.

Alas, after we successfully put all the pieces back together, the supports for the extension ends wouldn't stay together because the wood screw holes were too old and quite worn. A couple of trips to Ace for different screw sizes and still no-go. We stopped our labors. But at least the table was back together though without operable extensions.

But, all that labor was not lost. A couple days ago good friends Bob, who had refinished the tabletop, and Bobbi came over, and after another long session Bob had it tweaked and re-tweaked and re-tweaked so the extension ends work fine now.

I think cordless drills must be right up there with furniture sliders as helpers for humankind.

Tweaking.

Bob had made tiny pegs the day before from oak scraps in his garage workshop. He used them and some hefty glue to fill the worn screw holes and then re-screwed the parts back together. Then, we found the extensions were somehow binding and wouldn't work. Bob solved this dilemma by small tweaks in how we'd lined up the whole mechanism. It is very surprising how elegantly these table extensions are constructed and assembled. Far more precise than is evident, at first--it is a very old table dating perhaps to early 20th Century.

Well done, Bob and Bobbi!

Over in Missouri, Sandy came across an old photo of Aunt Hilda and Uncle John's wedding. She was one of my godmothers and the youngest of Mom's family.

Aunt Hilda and Uncle John.

And, Sandy located Aunt Jackie, now 90 something--Dad's youngest sister. Sandy and Jeanenne got together and went to see her. We all remember she was very shy about having her picture taken so Sandy captured her very quietly with her phone so I could see her, too. This is one of the pix that I like a lot with Jeanenne smiling in the background...

From the Weather Desk: Weather remains a subject in conversations here that includes exclamation points. Gosh, it's raining a lot!

But it clears up every once in awhile. Aidan and I got in another walk or two...

Aidan helped me get this shot.

From the back edge of the farm property.

Back in the music room Aidan played several of the pieces for me, or parts of them, that he was working on to prepare for his Michigan trip.

I can't help but remember a similar posting in this blog six years ago when Aidan stayed with me to housesit Carol and Janie's home just before he and Keoni flew away to join their mom and dad in Pennsylvania.

June 11, 2013, posting. I didn't know yet that I was going to Pennsylvania, too.

So, my friends, enjoy your moments--they're out there waiting for you. There will always be somebody grabbing the last parking space. Don't let such stuff occupy your attention; at least not too long. When you wake up in the morning, you get to find out what happens. Maybe someone will Skype you from Italy, or your dog will nuzzle your hand just when you need some love. Maybe, it's an uncomplicated day like a lot of others. Your day is a gift you get to unwrap.

Whirlwinds of change

Kaleidoscopes of color

Infinitely, unimaginably small 

Infinitely, unimaginably large. 

In a moment

Of ordinary time

Something beyond all

Spins close--
Touchable for a moment. 

My heart swells

And I know something 

That has no words. 

The Universe smiles with me.

May 28, 2019--Heroic efforts made by Pat and Marge loading our ponies (Marge and Pat's, twice) the truckload and muscle of Wendy, John, and Keoni (Aidan had school), and my STUFF arrived in my new apartment. Thank you, thank you, over and over, forever.

Boy, was it a surprise to see how clean and nice this little apartment is! It actually has a very nice view--WNW. All painted; every nook and cranny spic and span; brand new carpet; walk-in, linen, pantry closets all with built-in shelves; coat, bedroom closets. Galley kitchen with plenty of cabinet space for my upsizing.

OK, the before pictures...

The living room and Dana who showed me around and conducts great orchestrations of government and non-profit paperwork with grace and professionalism. I want her to run for President.

May 29th the brand new queen size was delivered and set up.

The woman who runs the resale shops here pushed the chest of drawers I'd purchased earlier in the month, all the way from her shop to my bedroom on furniture sliders!

 (Pause here. Take a moment to appreciate furniture sliders.)

Shelf paper day.
Ouch.

I was introduced to measures that keep track of residents so nobody slips under the radar and a card for access from outside the buildings (all connected with a beautiful hall system). I received keys for my little kingdom and did all the signing while the caravan of friends and family began moving stuff into the apartment. I learned about the laundry room, how to dispose of recycles, garbage, etc. There is a café associated--buffet with four different types of foods that are actually good eating...

A fresh bouquet of flowers, and napery every evening mealtime. 

... library; game and billiards; exercise/workout place; swimming pool. So far, I've taken advantage of the café since the fare is really good, and the prices very low. All this and many more amenities are connected by hallways with plenty of windows and expanded seating areas looking out on beautiful landscaping.

The people here wear smiles and are very interesting and interested. Every single person I have come across introduced themselves and welcomed me.

I'm a little in awe of the circumstances and though immersed in the efforts of situating my stuff pulled out of banker's boxes and Trader Joe bags, I'm also deeply appreciative of my good fortune.

***

That was May 28th and now it is June 8th. Whew! The rest of this blog is going to be a little incoherent, but then--we all know what The Cat Said...

The late afternoon weather of May 29th, Wednesday, brought a destructive storm to the area. Though a lighter version was here at Dock, the heavy damage to trees and power lines nearby was extensive. The farm was out of electricity until Saturday. Many trees were felled and Asplumbh Tree Services trucks were fulfilling their contracts everywhere I drove; plus, huge phalanxes of power trucks and cherry-pickers dotted the roadways.

I miss local newspapers that had the lowdown on these localized happenings. I guess if I could stop thinking poorly of Mark Zuckerberg's behavior I'd look on his FaceBook.

Thursday, the 30th, was shelf paper day. By the time I put the kitchen things away on the shelves and in the pantry closet on Friday, I was in trouble. Oh, my achin' back. It took my mind right off my aching feet.

So, slow down. And, a good way to slow down was riding the (now nearby!) train into Philly on Sunday for Aidan's final and biggest concert of PYO's season. They did a remarkable job with a very, very ambitious program...

Taking a bow afterwards.

After the concert. With his 11:00 a.m. rehearsal call, Aidan had been playing for a total of seven hours. I meet and visit a little with Wendy and John sometime during their "hanging out in Philly" time and then we walk to the concert.

Soon after my last posting, I learned that Dimetrios was able to go home from the hospital in time for his birthday, May 26th! Yay! All are relieved. Sonja shared some photos...

Kingston, Dimetrios, and Elijah.

Happy Birthday, Dimetrios!

And, a couple more...

Kingston.

Elijah's team.

Elijah.

May 30th, Keoni and his friend Julia at the powerless farm...

Aidan, Keoni, and Julia.

...were picked up by Michael and his parents who took them through another traffic-stopping storm to JFK to launch them (just in time) on their way to Amsterdam and points beyond eventually to wind up in Rome for the music festival where some of them are playing on June 17th and 18th in the McDuffie octet posted earlier. They are a celebratory explosion of youth encompassing the world. They shared some images that Keoni sent along...

Keoni, Julia, Michael, and Lukas in the Riijksmuseum. And, yes, they did see "Nightwatch" and many, many other wonderful pieces.

Julia, Lukas, Keoni at one of their Airbnb lodgings they're all sharing.

Lukas, Michael, and Julia. Concertgebouw in background, Amsterdam.

They've met friends they know from other venues, or parts of the world, as well, enjoying all the connections. Less than enjoyable, Keoni Skyping said, was trying to board the plane between Berlin and Rome when the boarding personnel said they couldn't bring music instruments on board. Keoni gained more experience in smoothing out airport dilemmas with supervisory personnel and marked a success notch wherever he keeps score.

Meanwhile, sister Susie and cousin Jackie went on a foray into a riverside community for a satisfying day trip and shared a couple of moments on the Illinois side of the big river...

Jackie's "bridge" smile.

Over at her place, Marge had a Redbud Tree planted out by the fish pond...

Wendy shared a Toby moment...

And, John sent over a view from the back deck. A view I've loved for a long time now.

The setting sun will happen pretty much the same direction from my windows. I'd hoped to get home from a gathering at my church a few minutes earlier to capture a pretty sunset last night in my "new" view but got back home too late. Still, here's what was left...