new sky

Although the skies were grey and drear/ My Saturday was full of cheer!

Yes, indeed, yesterday was a beautiful day. Not according to the weatherman, not according to the thermometer, not even according to my five senses. But my heart, my soul, my spirit experienced nothing but sunlight and warmth!

I was able to spend almost five hours in Beaufort with Daddy and his family. I drove over after breakfast, not knowing what to expect when I arrived, hoping he would have a few coherent moments that we could share. It had been a rough week for him, his failing health taking a decided turn for the worst, with him not even able to sit up or hold a train of thought for two minutes on the phone. So, number one on my agenda for the day was time with him. Lo and behold, a minor miracle had occurred on Friday afternoon and he had started to rouse himself, even playing checkers with the hospice personnel. When I arrived on Saturday morning, he and Bonnie were out on their front porch! True, Daddy was in a wheelchair, but he was outside enjoying the day, gnats, grey chill, and all. I tell ya, it did my heart a world of good to see him like that! After all, I AM his one-and-only, ever-lovin' daughter, am I not?

And we had a very fine visit, with him trying hard to show me he was okay, even insisting on getting up and WALKING (though rather unsteadily) to the bathroom. Thank God Bonnie was still at home at that point, because I really don't think he nor I would have wanted me to follow him into there. At least we had moved from the porch back inside, away from the flying teeth, and were in the bedroom when he made his move, so he didn't have far to go. Bonnie helped him get settled afterward into his big chair in the bedroom, then she, Bobbie and the two grandsons left to take care of some errands.

Daddy & I then had the next hour together, watching a John Wayne movie ("North to Alaska"), talking and joking, and smelling the Shriners' boston butt warming in the oven. The Bobbie's dad came by and we three chatted and somehow the conversation turned to work experiences. Herschel talked of the mechanical processes to turn cane into sugar of various kinds, Daddy of those which turn trees into pressure-treated lumber and of the techniques for killing insects in the wood. I had no idea how any of it was done and just enjoyed being the audience.

more to come...