Day 98

Last day of May already. I felt Gene with me at the vets service. He loved our country so much. The journal is still words, no color but I am wanting to doodle or cut/paste, anything to get back to decorating the pages. Lots of errands today. I will take my ballot to the clerk’s office. I have never missed an election and I have friends wanting reelection. I will be glad when it is over although November will be worse. 

Day 97

Today is Memorial Day and I will walk to the cemetery to witness the veterans’ event. There will be military flag rituals and music. It’s a beautiful morning with no wind yet. When Barbara asked me if I had art in my journal, I said I was lucky to have words in it but it made me wish for more. I may sit with the journal and see if color happens. My old journals are so  much fun to look at.

Day 96

High point yesterday was a catch-up conversation with Barbara Clark. Her good news is her wedding with partner Linda after 22 years. She invited me but I wouldn’t know anyone. It sounds like a family and fellowship event. Usual Sunday morning routine: water orchids, clean bedding, walk, church, socialize after church, love my life. Maybe I will see Gene and Carol again on their morning walk. The garden is growing well. Won’t be long before the first greens will be ready.

POH

I had a 9:45 dental appointment on a Wednesday morning. I told the museum manager that I would be late for my 10 AM volunteer duty, and that I hoped to get there by 10:30. She forgot. There I was having a new crown fitted in perfectly oblivious that a storm of activity was going on. My phone rang three or four times but of course it went unanswered. Then I was finished and walked to the museum. I was met by Rick who said, Where have you been? At the dentist. We were so worried that something was wrong that Karen is out looking for you. A deputy sheriff came in and asked me my name. I told him. He said scanner land was looking for me. Karen called my daughter Hollie at nine minutes after 10 and upset her. When she arrived here, Jon and Chris were sitting on the couch as Karen had knocked on their door to ask for help. Then a deputy sheriff came in the house and looked all around the house and yard, including reading my journal that lay open on the kitchen table. Meanwhile Karen had driven up and down streets, stopped people, gone into stores asking if anyone had seen me. She made more stops than Paul Revere. Hollie knew that I kept a calendar and when she looked she saw the dental appointment listed and called the office. I had just left for the museum where I was accused of making Karen’s life miserable by scaring her. Wait a minute, I went to the dentist, that’s all I did. At home, Chris told me the deputy had even looked in the closets and she saw him reading my journal to see if I had left a suicide note. Karen told the story over and over with herself as the hero and me as the villain. Finally I had enough and told her clearly how her behavior had affected my life. The intrusion left a bruise on my sense of privacy and took away any kind of trust in Karen as a manager. It took a while to get over it with her multitude of teary apologies and obsequious behavior toward me. I tried to see it from the point of view of the total stranger, the trained officer, and wondered what he knew about me from coming into my home. It was months before I opened my journal again and to this day I cannot leave it open on the kitchen table.

Day 95

I’m recovered today. Took a couple of naps yesterday to get moving. The good long day needed a day off. I’ll start off with a walk and watering the gardens. Then look for something new to get involved in. I want to write too. POH memories flit away before I can add them to the list! I need that phone with the pencil. The morning pages in the paper journal are great for sorting out what worked and what needs course correction. 

Eggs, cheese, vegetables
Add Megan's special magic
Super fritata

Day 94

Megan says she will look for a job today. I would like to see her pursue work in town. Yesterday was satisfying: one of those days when I feel truly comfortable, connected, and productive. Senior center was noisy and the band was particularly delightful with lovely singing. POH group was interesting and fun and I had to tell them to go home so I could get to the community dinner in time to serve. It was busy and noisy there too.

Day 93

Feeling okay again. Another busy day coming and I’m ready for it. Yesterday the museum was busy with pricing new merchandise and visiting with Karen and Linda. I like the duty there. Then preparation for the church community dinner. Today, senior center duty, POH writing group, and community dinner service. I like days with parts that still have spaces for walking and home stuff. Peas are half way up the fence. Now that it’s warmer at night, plants are doing well.

Day 92

Never recovered from the migraine yesterday but sleep has helped. I’ll be fine again today once the coffee clears the remaining foggy brain. Today is museum duty plus preparing for community dinner at church. I hope to get a good walk. I miss feeling well and strutting happily around my long block. Maybe I will write at the museum. If it is quiet, I can find new words and explore POH with vignettes. I enjoy condensing experience into a few words.