Death and Laughter

During the course of my Hospice training we covered some pretty weighty material...stuff most of us don't consider in our day to day lives. And our homework - well, it wasn't like ANY other homework I have EVER had to do. For instance, we had to write our own obituary, write a letter to a close person that had already passed, plan our own funeral/memorial, etc. Fortunately, the two women facilitating the training both had a wicked good sense of humor. For me, it was a welcome balance to diving so deep. One of our assignments was to write about what we wanted done with our body once we died. Normally not a funny topic! So, I was explaining that i wanted my loved ones to care for my body at home for as long as possible after my death...you know, the details of all that. and at the end i was expressing my wonderment as to what i would want to wear to the occasion...
when that homework was returned to me the comment from the facilitator made me laugh out loud. In response to my fashion quandry she replied: "when in doubt, layer!!!"

Sneakin' Up On the Big Five Ohhhhhhhhhh...NOT!!!

Today I bought my first set of AM/PM vitamin trays.
'Nuf said...!

HAPPY BIRTH-DAY, MORGAN!

                                                            MORGAN                       

So, for those of you that knew Morgan I am sure it will be easy to imagine her relationship with this tiny mouse. And for those of you that didn't get to know her it will give you a vivid feel for her sensibilities. Morgan wrote the following after discovering her new friend!

Ode to a Mouse
Oh so small...

brought in as a gift,
dropped gently on the doormat by a cat
who preferred to kill
  maybe faster moving things
no bigger than my first thumb joint
A pink eraser you were
  fragile yet full of Life
that was Friday
  today is Tuesday
and you've left this small body behind for
      BIGGER THINGS...
you were so very beautiful
  to watch
to witness your vitality
  your small becoming
your sleeping soundly
  round belly after a satisfying meal
your strong heart beating
  you clambered up, thru, around
  my fingers
burrowing deeper, looking for
  the smallest of teats.
sucking at the syringe, learning
  to hold on
you came to me with your ears
  laid down tight against your head.
in these 4 days they became
  real little ears.
your eyes dark, knowing
  spheres under your thin
  grey skin
  darting around
were only days away from
  seeing that I was not your mother.
your little life gave mine
  so much happiness
the sweetness of caring
  for your small courage
  was the purest joy.

A Happy Ending

Today was spent with a small group of Morgan's other close peeps sorting through her photos...hundreds of them. I rather enjoyed being with her in that way. She felt very, very close in. At one point we were counting the number of peeps in the room and each time I counted there were 5 peeps (when in this reality there were only 4) It took me several tries before I got it "right"...but I swear, she was present and accounted for!

One of the things I was reminded of so vividly today was Morgan's great love of and connection with animals. Some of her animal photos...well, they just melted me with their beauty...it is one of the things I continue to miss most about our relationship...that kind of Bone Deep Passion that we shared...we had it about animals, kids, nature and art. She made me feel like I had a kindred on this planet. Tho the acute pain of her loss has dissipated, the missing remains strong...and daily.

During the course of our Relationship/friendship I can't even count the number of times we stopped to help an animal...it is from those experiences together that I began keeping a leash and a bag of dog treats in my car! So, it was purr-fectly fitting that as I was driving home from our gathering today that I would see a stray dog in the road! A little fella with leash in tow trotting down a very busy road. I had to stop. And what was a real joy about the experience is that others stopped as well. That alone just made my heart so happy. One vehicle that stopped was a father and his 8 or 9 year old son. I made it a point to let the boy know what a good thing he was doing...I watched him take the compliment inside. It was a sweet moment. Then we see a person way up the road waving his arms and we follow. It turns out the little poochlet had marched himself right back to his driveway and a neighbor who happened to be driving by recognized him and put him safely away. Hurray for that happy ending!!!

Tomorrow is Morgan's birthday...

Under the Apple Tree

Well, the following story takes on a whole new flavor after having just learned that my first Hospice client passed this evening. Blessings to her on the journey...

My 97 year old friend, Helen, and I were sitting out under an apple tree this afternoon. It was lovely. The temperature was just right, there was a slight breeze and the dappled light was beautiful. We'd been quiet a few minutes when a thought popped loudly into my head...which I then spoke aloud. I said: "this would be a nice spot to die right here...a pause and then...I think that'd be pretty good." Helen responded with: "I wouldn't mind that myself."

No chocolate...really?

Anytine the phone rings before 9 a.m. I get a little worried cuz anyone who knows me well knows my legal callin' hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. So, this mornin' when the phone rang at 8 I took notice. However, I needn't have worried...it was my mom (a chocoholic) calling to tell me she had just spoken to my sister (also a chocoholic)  and had learned that I (a recently reformed chocoholic) was working with a health care practitioner who rx'd I avoid chocolate for 6 months...GASP!!!
Mom just wanted to let me know she was certain that said practitioner was a communist!!!

Git Right With Gawd

for the rapture is a comin'...AGAIN!!!
That's right, in case you weren't a first round draft pick for THE ORIGINAL RAPTURE, well, ya got yerself another shot. The CEO at Rapture Central has determined that the scripture which targeted the fateful day last May...well...he says his interpretation was more literal when it should have been more spiritual...Hmmmmm. Anyhow, ol Harold says that Judgement Day is rescheduled for October 21st and that it should be very quick! Thank G-D!!!
Oh yeah, he also says to go ahead and keep sending him money.

A friend says all she's taking is one carry-on...

Harveylee at her 94th birthday party!

94, really?

Harveylee and her friend, John whuppin' it up at her party at the Occidental Farmers Market. She got lots of happy birthday wishes (bein' a Leo, she had a sign up that said it was her birthday) and had some yummy cookies and brownies to share.
I just have to mention that Harveylee didn't start playin' the geeeetar (that's guitar with a southern accent) till she was 68 y.o...and she loves nothing more than to sing and play.

When a gentleman commented on how good she looked she shot back with: "Well, the Lord's been good to me and I helped!!!"

I just love her to pieces :)

Facebook!

On one of my flights to Kansas City I sat next to a woman who I initially thought I might not like. I had the window seat and she kept leanin' over on me to take pictures out of the window. And tho I was cold and her body was helping to keep me warm, I was a little uncomfortable with her bein' in "my space."
Not long into the flight we struck up a conversation and we had a blast. We were laughing our heads off.
We covered a lot of different topics and at one point she asked me if I was on Facebook. I said I wasn't. She replied back: "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? You and my dead grandmother are the only two people I know NOT on Facebook!"
I just about pee'd my pantalones!!!

Marital Bliss?

So, the other day I am sitting in front of Holy Foods thoroughly enjoying my two favorite activities: people watchin' and eatin'. I couldn't have been happier sittin' there eatin' my fudgecicle...nice breeze, sun a'shinin', quirky people in every direction. Yup, I was havin' me a moment. And then into the parking lot comes an old, GREEN Chevy truck and I heard myself purr...no joke. I have a "thing" for old Chevy's....
Anyways, I can only see the back of the drivers head and i notice a gray ponytail. I think to myself: "if that there is a female type i"m unna propose straight away and have me some marital bliss." But alas, it was an ol fellar that I was certain I did not want to marry! However, as he approached the place I was sitting I said to him: "When you die can I have your truck?" I don't think he was expecting that exact question but he did real good with it. He says: "well, I don't plan on dying any time soon but I'll consider it!" Good enough for our first conversation. We continued to chat for a few minutes and as he was walking away I said: "I sincerely hope you live a long time" I meant it AND I really wanted that boy's truck!!!

Namaste, my ass!!!

This morning i decided to go to a new yoga class in Occidental. You know, break out of my normal routine. When the second pose was a downward dog, i knew i was in trouble! In the yoga class I'm used to going to we warm up to a downward dog if we even get there at all. Anyways, we bust out a few more poses at what feels like lighteneing speed. No time to sink in or be with the pose. I am already sweating and trying to figure out how i can inconspicuously exit stage left! the thing is a big, sturdy gal with an equally big attitude was between me and the door. i just couldn't imagine it happening without me making an embarassing scene so i resigned myself to the idea of staying put for the next hour and a half. SHIT. Would i ever walk again?
Oh, and did i mention that the yoga "music" of the day was Phish?! the teacher claims that kind of music isn't normal for her class and she actually asked everyone ahead of time if it was ok. i wasn't familiar with Phish so didn't know any better! kind of like giving someone a massage to....ummm...light rock and roll that's a hair too loud! but i was in too much pain to mention that said music was shattering my nerves!!
so, it was the combo of that, the yoga "outfits" and the general aura of a faux namaste attitude that made me want to screeeeeeeeeeeam.
You can imagine how relieved i was to then go and sit with my hospice client. She's an elderly woman who has lived in the country her entire life...uncomplicated, direct, humble...can't breathe so well and can't walk so well. and yet her realness lent itself to more connectedness than a million namastes.

P.S.
i accidently whacked the big girl with my yoga mat on the way out of class!!!
Namaste, sister :)

Can you hear me NOW?!

About a year and a half ago my dad got himself a brand new set of hearing aids. After wearing them precisely ONE time he put them away in his bedside drawers (the right aid in the right drawer and the left aid in the left drawer) and they have been there ever since. Tho his drawers are hearing much better ever since, my dad, however is not. And after much cajoling, etc. from the entire family he finally succumbed and began trying to wear them this last time i was there. One night while we were having dinner he got this odd look on his face and I asked him what was going on? He replied: "hold on a minute, I'm getting a message from Captain Marvel in my left ear!!!" We all busted up.