I really hate cold weather, and as I have said before, I spend a good part of my day trying to figure out ways to get out of cold weather, and stay in hot weather. I would be happy to be in hot weather 365 days a year. I would not miss the cold, or the snow, or the ice. Because I hate the cold. I love heat.
Which is why this always strikes me as the saddest day of the year, because even though we will probably still have some 90 degree weather, and even though summer still is around for another 3 weeks, the simple fact is that once the calendar turns to September 1st, which is will do tomorrow, there will be a noticeable chill in the air. And that makes me sad...
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Three Months Out...Chris is slowly improving--August 30, 2016
So, technically, Chris had his stroke on May 28th, but I didn't notice there was something wrong until 5/29, and he wasn't diagnosed until 5/30, so, I think it is fair to say it is exactly 3 months today that we learned Chris had had a stroke. A lot has changed since that night, really that middle of the night early morning, in the hospital when the doctor said "it does look like your husband has had a stroke."
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Our Trip to Boston College--August 23-24, 2016
Well, I will start off, and maybe finish, by saying that I should have known my daughter. Anna will make anything that should be really simple, and easy, into a production. Such as when she passed out at her high school graduation, and we spent the day in the ER instead of her graduation, and instead of going to parties.
So, I don't know what I was thinking when I said we would drive up to Boston on Tuesday, spend the night, and drop her off on Wednesday at Boston College, and then leave that same day. Part of that was because I started a new job on Monday (more on that later), and Chris had a pretty important doctor's appointment on Thursday, so we wanted to maximize our time with Anna, but also be efficient.
At Notre Dame, freshman drop off is a 4 day affair. There is no official summer freshman orientation at Notre Dame for students and parents, so they do it all at freshman drop off, and the parents get their orientation at the same time. When I dropped off Jack two years ago, I could not have been happier about the way those few days went. I was reassured that this was a great thing, and as one of the administration people said "don't worry, Mom and Dad, we have your child's back." That is exactly what I wanted to hear. I wanted to know that someone else was doing for Jack what heretofore I had been doing for Jack. Having his back (although he would probably not see it that way.)
Boston College is different. I went with Anna to a torturous 3 day Freshman Orientation session in July (it may have been longer...I was so miserable, that I lost track of time.) So, drop off for Freshman year is a 30 minute event. You are told to come in the morning or the afternoon, and you are given a quick 15 minutes to park and unload (after waiting in a line of cars for two hours on Commonwealth Avenue, we all really needed to use the bathroom, and that wasted some precious time that we were told we could use to stay before we would have to move....I was not thrilled, and I don't like being bossed around by 19 year olds wearing BC "Welcome" shirts.)
So, I don't know what I was thinking when I said we would drive up to Boston on Tuesday, spend the night, and drop her off on Wednesday at Boston College, and then leave that same day. Part of that was because I started a new job on Monday (more on that later), and Chris had a pretty important doctor's appointment on Thursday, so we wanted to maximize our time with Anna, but also be efficient.
At Notre Dame, freshman drop off is a 4 day affair. There is no official summer freshman orientation at Notre Dame for students and parents, so they do it all at freshman drop off, and the parents get their orientation at the same time. When I dropped off Jack two years ago, I could not have been happier about the way those few days went. I was reassured that this was a great thing, and as one of the administration people said "don't worry, Mom and Dad, we have your child's back." That is exactly what I wanted to hear. I wanted to know that someone else was doing for Jack what heretofore I had been doing for Jack. Having his back (although he would probably not see it that way.)
Boston College is different. I went with Anna to a torturous 3 day Freshman Orientation session in July (it may have been longer...I was so miserable, that I lost track of time.) So, drop off for Freshman year is a 30 minute event. You are told to come in the morning or the afternoon, and you are given a quick 15 minutes to park and unload (after waiting in a line of cars for two hours on Commonwealth Avenue, we all really needed to use the bathroom, and that wasted some precious time that we were told we could use to stay before we would have to move....I was not thrilled, and I don't like being bossed around by 19 year olds wearing BC "Welcome" shirts.)
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Two Days before Anna leaves....August 21, 2016
In less than 48 hours, we will be on our way to Boston, to drop Anna off at college. All of the shopping (most of which took place within the last 4 days....and the actual dorm room shopping literally took 35 minutes at Target on Thursday...), and all the years in preparing Anna for her life, will come to a close, largely, on Tuesday.
I wrote about dropping off Jack, in a post two years ago, almost to the day, which I called 7 Piles of Laundry. Dropping off Jack was so different for me. I was really excited for him. This time it seems so much more difficult. Jack is different, and Anna seems to be going so far away, although she is actually much closer than Jack is, and it is so much easier to go up to Boston to see her, or to visit her.
When I dropped off Jack, I kind of knew that it was the end of that special family unit. In fact, when my children asked me who would upset me the most, I always said Jack, because that would be the beginning of the end. Of course, we still see Jack, but last summer he spend several weeks in Rome, and this summer, he spent all but two weeks in Green Bay, and he already knows he will be in Pittsburgh next summer working for another company (My lord, those engineers really make great money and have no problem getting jobs!)
So, now the time before Anna leaves is being counted in hours. Today, she was on her bed counting her money (which I figured out that she should deposit into a new bank tomorrow which also exists in Boston so she can use an ATM machine in Boston to take out money without having any problem) and I yelled up "Anna, you have to go to the mall to get those sneakers...you are leaving here in less than 48 hours!"
So, now the countdown begins. Like a condemned prisoner, waiting for the hour of execution, I watch the clock count down, knowing each tick of the clock takes me closer to the moment when I say goodbye to Anna. Okay, that may sound a little dramatic, but I have a clock here next to me that is ticking away....and I do kind of feel that way.
I wrote about dropping off Jack, in a post two years ago, almost to the day, which I called 7 Piles of Laundry. Dropping off Jack was so different for me. I was really excited for him. This time it seems so much more difficult. Jack is different, and Anna seems to be going so far away, although she is actually much closer than Jack is, and it is so much easier to go up to Boston to see her, or to visit her.
When I dropped off Jack, I kind of knew that it was the end of that special family unit. In fact, when my children asked me who would upset me the most, I always said Jack, because that would be the beginning of the end. Of course, we still see Jack, but last summer he spend several weeks in Rome, and this summer, he spent all but two weeks in Green Bay, and he already knows he will be in Pittsburgh next summer working for another company (My lord, those engineers really make great money and have no problem getting jobs!)
So, now the time before Anna leaves is being counted in hours. Today, she was on her bed counting her money (which I figured out that she should deposit into a new bank tomorrow which also exists in Boston so she can use an ATM machine in Boston to take out money without having any problem) and I yelled up "Anna, you have to go to the mall to get those sneakers...you are leaving here in less than 48 hours!"
So, now the countdown begins. Like a condemned prisoner, waiting for the hour of execution, I watch the clock count down, knowing each tick of the clock takes me closer to the moment when I say goodbye to Anna. Okay, that may sound a little dramatic, but I have a clock here next to me that is ticking away....and I do kind of feel that way.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Philadelphia Night---August 18, 2016
Since our children were little, we have taken them all downtown for a night, usually at the end of the summer, which we call Philadelphia Night. I went downtown a lot when I was a teenager, but it was mostly to shop at Wanamakers or the Gallery, so I wanted my kids to get to know Philadelphia better (also, hoping that they want to stay here after they all graduate from college!!) Philadelphia Night was my attempt for them to get to know the city.
I decided to go along Kelly Drive to get downtown, which was a huge mistake, because there was something going on in front of the Art Museum. The traffic was terrible. And then we found out why, which was really kind of cool. It was the night of Diner En Blanc. Diner en Blanche is when 5000 people show up at with two hours' notice to an undisclosed Philadelphia location, wearing ALL white, and eat on white plates, with white linens....all white. It is very cool, and very, well, Philadelphia. It was really neat just to watch, as we sat there in traffic. One day, I want to do it.
When we finally made it to Center City, I got the most amazing parking spot right across from Shake Shack, near 20th and Sansom. That is always a good start to Philadelphia night--a good parking spot!
We decided to go to Little Pete's, near 17th and Locust. I used to live at 16th and Locust, so I went to Little Pete's a lot.
Then we walked over to the Schuylkill River trail. Or, rather, I tripped over.....I fell on the sidewalk, and I fell hard. I was wearing sneakers, but those darn sidewalks are so messed up. Anyway, we walked along the River trail, but I was kind of bloody, so we kind of cut the evening short. Still, a great Philadelphia Night, as part of the Anna Fest celebration.
I decided to go along Kelly Drive to get downtown, which was a huge mistake, because there was something going on in front of the Art Museum. The traffic was terrible. And then we found out why, which was really kind of cool. It was the night of Diner En Blanc. Diner en Blanche is when 5000 people show up at with two hours' notice to an undisclosed Philadelphia location, wearing ALL white, and eat on white plates, with white linens....all white. It is very cool, and very, well, Philadelphia. It was really neat just to watch, as we sat there in traffic. One day, I want to do it.
When we finally made it to Center City, I got the most amazing parking spot right across from Shake Shack, near 20th and Sansom. That is always a good start to Philadelphia night--a good parking spot!
We decided to go to Little Pete's, near 17th and Locust. I used to live at 16th and Locust, so I went to Little Pete's a lot.
Then we walked over to the Schuylkill River trail. Or, rather, I tripped over.....I fell on the sidewalk, and I fell hard. I was wearing sneakers, but those darn sidewalks are so messed up. Anyway, we walked along the River trail, but I was kind of bloody, so we kind of cut the evening short. Still, a great Philadelphia Night, as part of the Anna Fest celebration.
Friday, August 12, 2016
Angel Lucker Yarger--June 16, 1958-August 12, 2000
My sister, Angel, or Lucille as she had been baptized, passed away 16 years ago today. Officially, I think she went into diabetic ketoacidosis, and passed away. She was 42 years old. But unofficially, she had been struggling with health issues for several years, starting with a diagnosis of breast cancer in her early 30's, and then other health issues related to her treatment for the cancer, combined with her being a juvenile diabetic since she was 6. In 1964, I don't know how good diabetes treatments were. She suffered throughout her life with diabetes-type issues.
I was telling my children about Angel today, and I was struck that her daughter, my niece, Caitlin, was about 6 weeks away from being 10 when Angel died. And that my brother, Charlie, was about 6 weeks away from being 10 when his mother, also my mother, died. And that my daughter, Lily, is about 6 weeks (okay, maybe a few extra weeks...) away from being 10 right now. What is most striking about that is that in our family, Lily is treated as a treasured child (I am trying really hard not to describe her as a baby...but that is how we treat her.) And so, I am struck by how tragic it is when a child that age loses his, or her mother.
My niece, Caitlin, has done great. She seems to have a great head on her shoulder, is kind, thoughtful, and I am so happy at how she has become such a lovely young woman. She will do very well in life.
My brother Charlie has also been a "give you the shirt off his back" kind of guy, almost to a fault.
And Lily...well we all think that Lily is going to rule the world some day. And I hope that I am around to see her rule the world.
I was telling my children about Angel today, and I was struck that her daughter, my niece, Caitlin, was about 6 weeks away from being 10 when Angel died. And that my brother, Charlie, was about 6 weeks away from being 10 when his mother, also my mother, died. And that my daughter, Lily, is about 6 weeks (okay, maybe a few extra weeks...) away from being 10 right now. What is most striking about that is that in our family, Lily is treated as a treasured child (I am trying really hard not to describe her as a baby...but that is how we treat her.) And so, I am struck by how tragic it is when a child that age loses his, or her mother.
My niece, Caitlin, has done great. She seems to have a great head on her shoulder, is kind, thoughtful, and I am so happy at how she has become such a lovely young woman. She will do very well in life.
My brother Charlie has also been a "give you the shirt off his back" kind of guy, almost to a fault.
And Lily...well we all think that Lily is going to rule the world some day. And I hope that I am around to see her rule the world.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Happy 19th Birthday, Anna!! August 8, 2016!
Nineteen years old. What I remember:
Around 18 months:
Around 18 months:
On the day of her third birthday party:
This was the birthday we talked about in the abstract for the last 18 years....it went like this "I want her to turn 19, and then leave for college two weeks later." And then I would explain that I didn't want Anna to graduate as an 17 year old from high school, and that the extra year would be good for her , and give her the advantage of maturity (I learned from listening to stories from what it was like for Chris to be the youngest in his class.) Well, now she has turned 19, and she is leaving for college in 2 weeks. So, it has happened, it is done. And she is great, but it makes me remember all those years when her 19th birthday was the penultimate goal.....the last achievement before she was ready to go to college. And, now that day is here.
We are heading down the beach for a few days...all part of Anna Fest!!
Sunday, August 7, 2016
I just realized Anna's Birthday is tomorrow!! August 7, 2016
I have spent all day on a post-Hamilton high, and I have been telling everyone that we went because Anna's birthday is on Tuesday. And then Anna pointed out that her birthday, actually, is on Monday....This is what happens when you have a summer birthday!!
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Anna and I go to see Hamilton in New York City--August 6, 2016!!
Every year, I take Anna to see a show in New York City for her birthday...this year was Hamilton!! PHotos to follow!!
Thursday, August 4, 2016
20 Days of Anna Fest begins....August 4, 2016!!
So, the 20 days of Anna Fest begins today...20 days left before we drop Anna off at college.
She started the day at the dentist...we are trying to fit all these chores in before she leaves:
And we ended the day at Sprinkles, getting ice cream, which is something we do far too often!!
On the way down:
And while we were sitting outside eating our ice cream--Anna has it all over her face, and seems impervious to our criticisms of her to use a napkin!!
She started the day at the dentist...we are trying to fit all these chores in before she leaves:
And we ended the day at Sprinkles, getting ice cream, which is something we do far too often!!
On the way down:
And while we were sitting outside eating our ice cream--Anna has it all over her face, and seems impervious to our criticisms of her to use a napkin!!
So, Anna Fest begins today...the countdown, really, to goodbye!!
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