Random Joys

My daughter, Kate, used Random Tuesdays as a special day to post a variety of thoughts on her blog. I'm borrowing her idea today because my days have been so full of joy lately that I want to share some with you in a somewhat random way.

Despite a few embarrassing moments, and an occasional sarcastic comment or correction aimed in my direction, last week was particularly happy for me.

Gladys and John DeMerit arrived from Wisconsin and Susan DeMerit flew in from Seattle. It is always such fun to see members of our extended family especially for Agnes Rose and Bernadette to have both sets of grandparents around and having a grand time together. Kate and Ben came down from Boston as well. Karen and Joe hosted a Welcome Spring Open house on Saturday so we got to spend time with many old friends and lots of sweet, lovely babies all around Bernadette's age as well as some just right for Agnes Rose.

Friday night, Agnes Rose asked me to hula hoop with her. Well, you may be surprised to know that I could actually do it (thanks to the yoga, see below) - not well, but at least a couple of spins. After all, hula hoops were hot when I was a kid! While Ag, who will be three in October, pondered my attempts, she said, "Nana, I have a song about the hula hoop." I figured it was something from Sesame Street or Dora but when she sang it for me, I got such a kick out of it. She sang "Alleluia, Alleluia, let the holy anthems rise" our favorite Easter hymn but it came out "All lets hula, all lets hula, let the holy anthems rise." Talk about pure innocence! Of course, I asked her to sing it for Gramma DeMerit who enjoyed it as much as I.

My friend, Carol, filled us with joy just by her happiness when seeing Agnes Rose and Bernadette. Such patience and caring - this will be a fun summer for Ag when she visits Carol when we are all out east. She also brought a fabulous carrot cake - good thing it was before I met with the Endocrinologist on Monday.

Bernadette Lucille was baptized on Sunday. Pure joy to see all those beautiful babies being brought into a life of faith. The date just happend to fall the day after my Aunt Lou's birthday and "Lucille" is in remembrance of her. I found a few pennies during the week and just know it was Aunt Lou letting me know she knew what was happening in her honor.

I am taking a yoga class twice a week now (twice when I can get there!) My aim is to go three times a week but that will have to wait until autumn. My yoga class has opened a whole new world of joy to me - not only has this 62 year old former couch potato found a form of exercise that I love, I can't wait to get to class to see the gals. It is such a wonderful, joyful group of women - and none of us are spring chickens, let me tell you! I realized how much this yoga has added to my life when I was at MSKCC this week with a new Endocrinologist to work on bringing my glucose back in line. She kept a blood pressure cuff on me as my pressure was high (I was nervous) and she did not believe in taking one or two readings and then prescribing. She wanted to watch the pressure over a period of time. Well, nothing was making me relax or my pressure go down. Finally, I thought about how we begin and end our yoga practice with a form of meditation and that is just what I did. The doctor was amazed at how quickly my pressure lowered and stayed within the normal range for me. Jack was in a chair next to me and was amazed at how I learned to tune out....actually, he asked "where'd you go?"

Gladys, John and Susan had to head back to Wisconsin much sooner than expected as there was a sudden death in the family. No joy in that but a merciful way to pass for the deceased.

Yesterday Agnes Rose and I visited for about an hour as Joe took Bernadette to see the pediatrician. We had a picnic on the deck and then threw around a ball. Callie, the cat, came out of hiding under the hosta plants and she and Ag made a game of hide and seek. Ag and I walked around my overgrown flower beds and she admired my daylilies (which have invaded almost every inch of the garden) and we chatted about the garden. It reminded me of when Kate was about the same age as Ag and told me the lilies were "tropical" colors. There is great joy found in old memories as well as new moments.

As we walked around the flower beds, a magnificent Monarch butterfly took flight and danced over the flowers for us. Do you think it was Aunt Lou waving a cheery hello? I do.

May the joy overflow in your life.

Believe!

As always, love from me to you!

Simply, a Hand

Sometimes the smallest, inconsequential act – done without any thought or plan – can bring forth  many memories. 

I want to share some of the thoughts brought to mind by the unconscious act that occurred as Jack and I were crossing over Third Avenue heading to my appointment at MSKCC on Monday for my monthly check up.

I guess I was dawdling along as has become my habit lately – although yoga has put a little pep in my dawd. Apparently, not enough for Jack as he reached back and grabbed my hand to get me to move a little quicker than the oncoming cabs. For some reason, we continued to keep our hands linked as we walked along the crowded sidewalk and around the corner to the entrance.

Jack walked me to the entrance then headed off to visit his eye doctor several blocks uptown. We managed to coordinate our appointments in the big city this time! I checked in and had a few minutes to contemplate what had just occurred.

I realized that the hand I had been holding was no longer smooth and soft. Rather it was rough and callused, knarled with arthritis, but felt ever so much stronger than the hand of that young man who held my hand through both childbirth labors and deliveries.

It was less tender than the hand that held mine while we waited too many hours for news during Kate’s back surgery.  This is the hand that smoothed her dry, itchy skin with cream while she lay connected to machines because he did not know what else to do for this beloved child.

This hand held the trusting hands of his beloved daughters as they climbed rocks at the beach; jumped waves in the Atlantic;  explored glaciers in Alaska and the greatest museums of the world.

This is the hand that clenched and unclenched as he taught his girls to drive. This is the hand that waved good bye as they headed off to college. And this same hand brushed away a tear as he prepared to walk his first born treasure down the aisle.

This is the hand that hides lollipops and chocolate in his pocket for Agnes Rose and will do the same for Bernadette when the time is right.

This is the hand that has known hard work and sacrifice.  This is the hand that could stop traffic and a gentle hand that could deliver a breach birth baby on a kitchen floor.

This is the hand that patted my back when I told him I was ill. This is the hand that has held the steering wheel and driven me to every single doctor’s appointment and test for the past three and a half years.

This hand has toughened over the years through the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. This hand has never been raised in anger or threat.

This hand has remained a steadfast rock.

I’m happy my hand still fits into it.

Where’d April Go?

Ooops!  I missed an entire month without stopping by to say hello to all of you – at least those of you who haven’t given up on my blog entries!  I don’t know where the month of April escaped to but after all, it was only a 30 day month.

Driving along Bryant Avenue one day a few weeks ago, I really paid attention to the blooming of this spring.  Maybe I paid more attention as I am so grateful for still being here to enjoy the beautiful greening of the earth.  When I was younger, I always preferred the colors and scents of autumn.   My mother always said she loved the spring best and I finally realize why that is.  Spring is new life and rebirth.  It is a time of joy and sunshine (mostly, notice I did not write this in April!) and the warming of the earth.  The colors are vibrant and I realized that Ireland does not hold the patent on all the colors of green.  The weeping willows almost laugh at the antics of the squirrels and birds as they begin their courtships.  The cardinals come back to their nests all around our yard and I am awakened each morning by one particularly cheeky cardinal who seems to reside right outside my bedroom window.   He does not know or particularly care that I am retired and can sleep well past the gloaming.   Get up and enjoy this blessed day! he chirps.  Sometimes I listen and sometimes I roll over and pull the covers over my head! 

Easter was a day of great joy spent with Agnes Rose and Bernadette;  Karen, Joe, Kate and Jack.  We all attended mass at St. Peter’s then headed back to Joe and Karen’s for brunch.   Later on in the day we took off for Eileen and Jim’s where we celebrated with the whole clan – and the little ones, Ava, Samantha, Agnes Rose and Bernadette (well, not Bernadette) all took part in a great egg hunt that Eileen and Jim  provided all over their lawn.  It was such a happy day for everyone.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day and we were back at Joe and Karen’s for a brunch.  Agnes Rose delivered a big hug that was from Gramma (DeMerit) all the way from Wisconsin.  I told Agnes Rose that she was a lucky girl to have two grandmas and two grandpas who loved her and Bernadette so much – and each other!  She said she agreed. 

A sad note to my day was a visit to my own mother in the nursing home.  She has been a little more with it the past few visits so Karen and I took Agnes Rose with us.  Mom was a little startling to see and Karen and I decided it was best to take Agnes Rose outside to play.  I sat with Mom, holding her hand and listening to her ramble for awhile.  It was very, very sad to see such a vibrant, beautiful woman in such a faraway place.   She is almost 99 1/2 years of age and would not be happy to know she lived to such an age without her mental facilities.  I guess I was expecting a miracle in that it is so disappointing not to be able to show off Agnes Rose and Bernadette to someone who would have loved them so deeply and enjoyed them so completely.  Ah, well.  Such is life.  I will have to love and enjoy them for her.

On a happier note, my recent reports from MSKCC have been positive and there is no sign of cancer.   I live with hope and the firm belief that continued prayer and the support of so many loving people will help me face whatever is in the future.

Happy spring!  It has been a long winter.

Believe!

As always, love from me to  you!

Jeepers! Peepers!

Except for a Steinway Grand and a two-seater, red convertible (I don’t care what kind), I haven’t dreamed for too  many extraordinary things.   Oh, the usual – loving and safe family, good health, good friends – the really important things.  HOWEVER, a dream I dared not to dream has come true. 

Having to stop at our local pharmacy to pick up a prescription and some tissues, I simply had to walk down the candy aisle – just to look…..sniff…..gaze at the Peeps.  I know I am turning into a voyeur with these secret peeps at the Peeps but I am out of control…..a candidate for a Peep Peeper Clinic for my addiction.  Well, you will not believe what I found.  I was so startled, I knocked off my sunglasses as I pushed back my low brimmed hat and lowered the scarf from my nose and lips.  (Well, you can’t go around peeping unless you wear a disguise can you?) 

SUGAR FREE yellow Peeps – the diabetics of the world of Peeps.  Of course, they were about three times the price of the regular Peeps but what an incredible discovery.   THIS is how Columbus must have felt when he saw land after all those choppy waves.   With wild abandon I quickly snatched a box of 3 (yeh, 3 not 9) and rushed the cashier – then rushed back to actually pick up my prescription and tissues.  I waited until I got home to open the package.  I put it in the freezer to get them stale quicker.  I delicately snapped off the head with my teeth after dinner.  It was divine.  Tonight I will have another and tomorrow I will try to find another ten boxes or so.  Of course there is a warning on the side saying “Not a calorie free food.”  Certainly not, it tastes good therefore it must have calories  just not sugar.

Now accompany my sugar free Peeps with some sugar free Jelly Belly jelly beans and I will have come close to Nirvana.

Believe!

As always, love from me to you!

March Happiness

There is much to say about the joys that have come about this month.  I’ll start with the most current and work back…..Our friends Bill and Joan became grandparents yesterday when their daughter Jennifer and her husband presented them with 7lb 20 inch Lia Grace.  God love them all.   (Thank goodness Jack and I finally got the baby’s shower gift over to them on Saturday!  Nothing like cutting it close!) 

We also learned that Virginia’s son Tom and his wife Jenna are expecting a girl in late July/early August.  I, of course, am hoping for August 4 – I’d like to share the feast of my nativity with this new life!  March 19 was Virginia’s birthday as well as the Feast of St. Joseph.  I had a St. Joseph’s pastry on Saturday night – late for the feast day but good nevertheless.

Jim had his surgery last Monday and says he is as fit as a fiddle already.  Thank God again, all went well and there was no need for any follow up treatment.  I hope he takes really good care of himself because we love him and need him with us for a long time.  I have been giving a lot of thought to where we should go in Ireland as Joan and Bill are in agreement that it would make Jim happy and we are all happy as long as we are together.  Maybe we should spend most of our time on the west coast with a trip to horse country around Tullamore and the Giant’s Causeway in the north.   We’ll see. 

I got to spend some time with Bernadette on Friday and I think she recognized my voice and actually smiled before she saw me.  She is a sweet baby who is really plumping up.  All her little forehead wrinkles are gone and her big blue eyes are observing everything.  When she sees her big sister, Agnes Rose, she smiles and coos. 

Agnes Rose and I got to spend some time together on Friday, too.  She took me on a tour of the garden (which her Papa is working very hard in with her help!)  We found tulips and daffodils coming up through the soil as well as crocus and a ladybug.   I was so happy to find the ladybug as ladybugs are very special to me and Kate.  We used to spread them in our garden and it was always funny to have a pint of them in the refrigerator afraid that they would be mistaken for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s! 

Yoga has been wonderful for body and soul.  Tomorrow I will meet the local Crones for coffee at Starbucks.  I have been rewarded for my hard work at yoga as the Dominos Pizza next door to the yoga establishment has been turned into a place called Vanilla Cupcake.  I will have to check that out on Thursday and get back to you.  I hope they serve coffee as well as sell cupcakes.

Being back on diabetic medicine has brought my glucose level down quite a bit but not enough.  I’m sure when I see the endo at MSKCC, I will be back on injections. I don’t mind that – at least it keeps me in check.  I am trying really hard to watch my diet but I need to exercise more……exercise more, what a joke – I NEED TO EXERCISE every day not just on yoga day!  And what with Passover next week, I already have a box of matzos waiting for me to butter them up and put on some sugar free jam.  Then there is Easter and the Peeps.  Sometimes, life is not easy.  I don’t mind not eating chocolate candy (and you can get sugarfree everything) but there are no sugarfree Peeps and I’d rather have Peeps (yellow, please, I am a purist) than any other candy…..although I don’t mind a Cadbury egg or two.  AUGHHHHHH!

Believe!

As always, love from me to you.

Yoga Cheer

This may seem to be a silly thing to write about but I am so happy I wanted to share it.  As you know, I’ve been going to yoga as often as I can – trying for at least once a week.  I really love it as the group is so much fun to be with and the instructor is so inspiring.  Anyway, joy comes in little ways…..a few weeks ago I started to spend time off the  chair and go down to the mat – it was a struggle after so many years as a couch potato.  I then needed some assistance to get back up – but I wasn’t the only one in the class so I wasn’t ashamed of asking for help.  Well, today, I got down on the mat and I got up from the mat with no assistance from anyone of anything!  It was a big achievement for me and I wanted to share this with you. 

My goal is to strengthen myself physically and calm myself mentally.  Physically, I would like to be in good enough shape to start walking in a few weeks so that I can go to Ireland this summer and not be a total drag.  Of course, I haven’t exactly shared this Ireland plan with Jack yet but I think he will go with it.    I’ll keep you posted!

All journeys begin with a single step so they say!

Believe!

As always, love from me to you!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Well, the parade is on the television and the soda bread is in the oven.  Jack is marching along in the BIG PARADE again and no matter how long I watch the parade, I  never see him.  There are too many white haired men wearing Irish sweaters to pick him out.

It is hard to believe it is March 17 as the weather is glorious – warm and sunny.  After all the misery of this hell of a winter season, the sun almost hurts your eyes!  Agnes Rose will miss the snow, I fear.  Hopefully, the sand at the beach will be a good substitute for a few months.  Bernadette will enjoy a ride in the sled next year.

I think I shall purchase a corned beef sandwich at the deli when I go out later.  Jack won’t be home for dinner and I’m thinking a sandwich would be just right – maybe with a touch of Jamie….we’ll see.

I promised my pal, Jim, that if he was up for it, Jack and I would plan a trip to Ireland this summer.  It is ok with our other travel companions so we’ll see what we can do to keep our promise….God willing and the creek doesn’t rise.

Here is a lovely thought I copied from the program from the LAOH Division 8 St. Patrick’s Dance last week.  I thought it was beautiful:

St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.

–Adrienne Cook

Believe!

As always, love from me to you!