27 April …

 

Last sunday a man I first saw when his mother brought him home from the hospital after his birth on the 4th of July in 1958 died.  We lived next door.  My oldest son was not quite two.

Six years later, we moved in order to be closer to my husband’s work.  We saw the neighboring family a couple of times after the move, but we lost touch as many families do when one moves.

I never completely forgot the family, but made no move to maintain contact.

Then about eight years ago, out of the blue, we heard a voice deliver some news on Morning Edition on our local NPR station and end with “This is Steve Julian … KPCC”.  George and I looked at each other and said “Is that Little Stevie?”

It was and the tie was reestablished.  He was then an adult and we became friends.

Last Thanksgiving he was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.

Five months later he is gone.

For me, he will always be the man with whom we shared a meal last September and who hugged and kissed me as he left … always tall, gentle, and smiling.

~~~

Things are warming up for the radio club.  We’ve been asked to share events with the Shasta Tehama ARES group.  Some of their people will be at our next meeting.  And we have been invited to participate in a couple of their events next month … a bicycle event and a rodeo parade.  George and I may volunteer (or just go down) to see how they work their events.

The first thing on our club’s calendar this year is a two session training class to help folks get licensed.  Those will also be next month.

Then things will get busy in June.  There has already been an initial planning meeting for the Castle Crags Bicycle Event and the first of the meetings for the Mt Shasta 4th of July will be this afternoon.

~~~

We’ve also been involved in medical stuff. 

Last week we went to an open house at the Fairchild Medical Group to see if I can select a new care giver.  I told you the doctor I’ve been seeing for years (seeing seldom, I don’t go to the doctor much, but I was part of his practice) closed his practice to become the VA provider.  That made me a “Kolpacoff refugee”.

The open house narrowed my choice to two … a FNP and an internal medicine MD.  There had been other providers there, but real contact didn’t happen.  I’ve never been to one of these events before.  It was strange.  The providers were just standing around and people would go up to talk with them.  Sort of like a dog show (here I am, come see me) … or a buffet table (something from table one or a serving from table two).

The FNP was pleasant and seemed to know her business.  George had really valued his FNP at the VA and mentioned her name.  “Mo” (maybe the use of a nickname is what threw me off a bit) knew Denise and seemed to admire her.  Mo said she had been an ED RN, does geriatric medicine, would not require any tests or treatments to which I did not agree, but did not have a non-emergency appointment available until mid-autumn.

The MD is just finishing his internship up in Portland and will not start private practice until September.  He said he expects to combine internal medicine with family practice and treat all ages (just not pediatrics or ob – but since I am not a child or likely to get pregnant that doesn’t matter).  I told him I am a staph carrier and don’t usually need a doc unless the staph flares up into cellulitis.  His response was that since he would know that, I’d not have any trouble getting seen right away.

Initially, I had expected to choose a female nurse practitioner.  However, the connection with the male MD seemed easier. I had revealed my past as an Emergency RN to both of them.  I wonder if that made a difference?

I guess I’ll wait until I have a real need and see which one will work me into their practice soonest … unless I decide earlier … oh well …

~~~

I have renewed my driving license.  As usual, I had a panic attack based on test anxiety but got 100% on the written test.  I had to take the written test because the computer couldn’t recognize my thumb print although I had just registered it as I signed in.

One thing I will probably need to do before the license expires again in five years is to have something done with my eyes. I passed the eye test okay, but I am noticing I need more light, in order to read clearly, than in the past.  Fifteen years ago I was told I had incipient cataracts which would need attention by the time I was seventy-five.  I reached that more than ten years ago, so it is probably nearing time to do a recheck.

But for now … I’m okay.

~~~

We had a stretch of almost-summer weather.  Then last week, wet spring returned.  In fact, on friday , sunday, and monday there was light snow in the heavy rain.

The maple tree has lost its red blush and is donning summer green. 

Everything is in bloom including the apple tree (those are clothes on the solar dryer to the left in the background).  

That is everything with the exception of the catalpa tree.  It is always later than any of the others.

It looks as if there will be a good Oregon grape harvest this year …

 

and the spring tonic makin’s are appearing in the backyard and meadow.

 

 

However, with the rain the garden area is still on hold.

~~~

I tried another of the cast-iron strawberry recipes. 

It baked without a problem.  It looked quite nice and tasted okay.

 

We decided cinnamon rolls with bowls of fresh berries would suit us better.

~~~

And yesterday was another of the monthly trips to see the retinologist for George’s macular degeneration.

There was a slight haze in the air.  The Mountain looked lovely, as normal, and there was nothing new with George’s eyes.

~~~

Since Steve’s death, little notes have been making surprise appearances …

“No matter how long a loved one is with you, it is never long enough.”                         — Roy Orbison’s son

“May I try to tell you again where your only comfort lies?  It is not in forgetting the happy past.  People bring us well-meant but miserable consolation when they tell what time will do to help our grief.  We do not want to lose our grief, because our grief is bound up with our love and we could not cease to mourn without being robbed of our affections.”     — Unknown

“What have I learned …?  In short, the importance of our reminding each other repeatedly to be kind.”       — John Deacon

“Do you love and appreciate someone?  Have you told them why?  Don’t let them live in ignorance anymore.”     — Felicia Friesema

… maybe they are reminders that we need to tell those we love and cherish how valuable they are and to do it now while we have the chance.

 

 So … ’til next week …