dave as model

This is an illustration I came across that Miriam did. It was printed on newsprint so the scan is not good. The guy in back is a real MD. I survived it all!
And, yes Miriam was a very good painter and illustrator. It was a short career, less than a decade. She went to college in her 40's and was forced, by AD to retire at 62.
Durn it all.

texas years

Yes you were. . .

Today I was emptying my closet, cutting down on redundant clothes.

I came across a box of magazines. The mags were there because they were published by the company Miriam worked for, and they contain a good bit of her work as an illustrator.

Hoping I could get her interested in clipping out her actual art work, I brought the box down and set it on the table. “Here are some magazines for you to look through.”

She was not anxious to do anything, but soon she was looking and working. At one point she called to me: “I was pretty good wasn’t I?”

Yes you were my dear, very good, and that was cut short, I am so sad. I had hoped that in retirement she might get back to her paints but that does not seem to be working. I wonder what would happen if I set up a paint corner with an easel and her favorite old paints and brushes.

What I am really afraid of is that the light really has gone out and that she would feel more inadequate and that it would destroy her more than it would help her. Maybe I am wrong, but I don’t think I want to risk it.

Yes, Miriam, you were a very fine illustrator, and I so wish it had come out different than this.

deanna again

Did I forget to say that I really really love Deanna and her sisters and their mother?

pda

Public displays of affection. Hmmm.

A good friend and I were talking the other day about how much there should be.

There is an old line that says that when you are a kid it is all icky, but when you are older, it might be wonderful, and then as you get older yet, you think maybe they should be more thoughtful of others!

I don’t know.

I spend a bit of time now and again at airports waiting for family members to get off planes, and planes being what they are and do, they are frequently late, sometimes a long time.

So, we sit and wait and I watch the people. There was a middle age man the other day with a fist full of roses. He was waiting for some one he was hoping to make romanic points with. I notice people meet and nod at each other and walk on together. I see grandparents hug and kiss young grandkids.

There is a lot of hugging going on, but sometimes there are young lovers who run the last 30 feet into each others arms. They embrace and the guy lifts the gal off the ground, and she raises her feet in the joy of it all. I silently wish them the best.

There was a time when Miriam was living in Los Angeles for a few months. Linda was there on business and Miriam went to take care of Emily who was about 3.

I would fly down with some to see them. I remember one time meeting Miriam at LAX. She looked so beautiful in her white dress and red hair. I was sight starved. We met we were almost like young lovers, it was truly wonderful to be with her again.

And when I think of it all I wish all of us would have all of the love we can handle, and that we can be content and happy in this shared love. And to you young lovers, go for it -- up to a point, please!!

rain

My precious Deanna at an age I enjoyed so much and look back at so fondly.
You were a wonderful child and you are a marvelous mother and wife.

company

March is company month in our house.

If you thought I was complaining, let me shout that I am not.

We drove over to see Emily and Linda, but since then we have had Deanna for a weekend, my only brother Ben got in last night from Georgia and just before he leaves Emily will be here for spring break. My brother grew up in this town and one of his two daughters lives in Boise the other in Salt Lake City.

Our only sister lives down the street from me, so when Ben is here is is a reunion of mom's kids.

There is nothing there to complain about.

Deanna lives a pretty tight life, with a full time job, a very busy husband, two teen age boys and a house to look after. She said she needed a break, and she thought old dad might like some company.

I am glad she thought that way!

I cooked food for her, let her borrow my computer to check her email, had the company I knew she would enjoy and just took good care of her, at least that is what I heard her tell her sister on the phone.

There hasn’t been a stage of my daughters lives when I was not proud to be with them and proud to be their father. Now I watch them manage houses, jobs, children and still have some time for mom and dad, and I am more impressed all the time.

I remind us that this is the busiest times of their lives, when their children are teens and they are on the move constantly. My advice is simple. Revel in being with those kids, enjoy their laughter and comfort them in their pain. Those times pass to another stage that has it’s own rewards, but it is never quite the same.

To you the young mothers in my life, I am so impressed with your skills and devotion.

I love you each and all.

ah spring

I like dandelions, they are so easy to grow!

which road?

It is boring always going the same way every time.

Yesterday we were on a route that I have traveled several times, so it is not a new route, and to make it worse, I had a map to watch.

But coming out of Burns Oregon I took the wrong road. It headed almost the same direction, so I was not alarmed. We drove down that lonely road about an hour and then I stopped the car.

BTW, if you want an uninhabited part of the country, South East Oregon is a good start. High mountains of sage and grass. I like the desert, it was a sunny day and I was enjoying the route. In two hours of driving that road we met exactly 2 vehicles.

Then I saw a sign about Rome. And I stopped the car. I know where Rome is and it is on the way to Winnemucca (OK Stef, it is not THAT Rome), and if you go North from Rome you go through the Jordan Valley. Not too many places where the Jordan River is North of Rome, but it is in Oregon.

So we turned around, after I did an in head calculation that going back was closer (as it turned out that was not a good analysis). I studied the map and from the town of Crane there was a road north to the highway I really wanted.

The map I had was small and it didn’t show that the road I wanted did not go through Crane, but went by Crane, oops. So we went to Crane, which has nothing but a school (kids bussed in from miles away), and on up a gravel road. The map was uncertain whether it was paved or not.

Another beautiful drive, fine cattle on the ranches along the road, then the road stopped in a farm yard.

Oops again.

So we went the 25 miles back to Crane and found the right road.

It was a fine day and I had a good trip with pleasant company (Miriam and Leo), but what started out to be about 500 miles ended up closer to 650.

But we saw a LOT of sage brush, mountains and not a few cows. Did I tell you that I don’t really like cows?

emily as aphrodite

The play was wonderful. It was a big production with 35 or so kids, plus countless adult teachers, supervisors and technical people.
It was a musical and there was a lot of good music. The story was the old Helen of Troy story, but highly adapted to modern audiences.
Emily did her part flawlessly.
We were proud of her, and I was delighted at the whole production.

By the way, that is called "stage hair!"

Ron and Rozella

We spent Saturday with Ron and Rozella.

If you have read this blog long you remember me talking about them before. But this is the first time in decades that we have spent a whole day with them.

Rozella is a big time accordion payer, classical accordion, sort of rare nowadays. She teaches and enjoys it a whole lot. Their new house has a nice garden area for Ron, who loves to putter in the dirt.

Ron’s Alzheimer's made him retire from his career as a pastor, when he was in his mid 50’s. Dear old Alz cut him out of some of his best potential years as a pastor, and cost his members his accumulated wisdom.

Now he is at that awkward age, just 60, but not retired officially, not eligible for lots of programs for retired people. But they have a good attitude.

Their 4 children were young when we first met them. We were good friends with the kids and they remember us with a smile (maybe they are just kind to old people, hmm). We met 3 of them Saturday.

It is with a heavy heart that we left their house Saturday night. For one thing it was dark and the route to their house was circuitous at best and a challenge I was not sure about, but we made it to the familiar freeway and on home.

I will think of Ron and Rozella often. We will keep in phone touch. They do not have a working computer and do not do internet, so that form of communication is out, but I will talk to Rozella often.

Having to deal with Alz is the pits, but having close friends go through the same thing makes it into sort of a reverse looking glass.

Damn disease.

the phiosopher

some have brains I got hair

sunday

I am a hugger.

I hug my friends, male and female. I hug my children, and grandkids.

But with the Alz clock ticking, ticking, ticking. I hug Miriam as much and as often as possible.

We have a footbridge at our house and we frequently meet in the middle of the bridge and hug right there over the water.

I hug her when we sleep. I hug when we wake up.

Her company is still my greatest joy and I want to celebrate that as long as I can.

We spent yesterday with old friends we met about 35 years ago. Ron has Alzheimer's, about the same stage as Miriam. We visited for hours yesterday, the 4 of us in all combinations.

When we left, we promised to meet again soon, maybe to go camping together this summer, and we hugged, long deep hugs.

They are good friends, I would not wish Alz on anyone, but if it has to happen, I am glad for company.

I love you Ron. I love you Miriam.