WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

Let’s bid good morning to whatever lies in wait, today
The sun shines bright as though in welcome of
A brand new day beaming with
Unknown possibilities galore in store for
You and me, and as we take a moment to
Pay tribute to our good fortune, let’s
Feel thankful for the temp being under
100 degrees outside while no one we love has
Need to be hospitalized inside, sooo
Though Will and I maintain quarantine for safety sake
Our love of family and friends feels fancy free to
Dance up and down 32nd St. with appreciation of
The fact that all whom we love are well, and
As my absence of energy feels inklings of being
Refueled with high octane positive focus, other than
Missing our sons—already—all feels right with
Our little corner of the world—today
And since there’s no mistaking the fact that
Today is today, there’s no reason to feel sad
Because, today, offers us reason to enjoy
The rose garden that no one promised, so
We chose to plant and nurture
One, thorns and all, by ourselves with—
So goes the song—a little help from our friends

I feel as though my spirit’s host of inner strengths
Would not revitalize so gracefully, time and again, without
The constant of Will’s love by my side, striding forth toward
Striking down each fire breathing dragon that hath
Thus far failed to lure me into its cave whenever
My spirit feels too weary to rally enough to take
So much as one more step forward on my own

Will is every bit my champion as had been true during
Times of yore when knights, throwing gauntlets, were
Seen holding standards high, riding off to
Battle the fiercest of foes on the mighty backs of
Magnificent steeds with their favored lady’s
Fragrant hanky secreted ever so
Securely within a hidden pocket of their armor
(Yes, my friends, within modern day layers of
All-work-no-play armor, tender pockets of
Romance (which we all historically long for) are
Still to be found, harboring good luck charms, such as
Rabbits feet thus assuring each noble knight of achieving
Quick footed victories by barring all fear of facing defeat
Truly—Will’s made a full time job of placing
His medical expertise in charge of every detail of
My medical needs, thus assuring himself of
Nothing falling through the cracks with
So many doctors and PA’s on my case both in
Phoenix and Houston ...
Truly—My spirit could not remain so upbeat without
Will being at the helm.  And with that
Awareness clearly stated—
TADA!  Just like that, my rose garden feels
Much less thorny, today, than had been true when
I was hospitalized in need of blood transfusions, just before
Our sons drove into town expressly to nurture
Their mom, dad, each other and
A blond, bronzed, blue eyed, five year old water sprite, who
Adores her doting uncles for sound reason
And once the story of our marriage continues to unfold
More concerning Will and Annie taking turns
Saving each other in real life is sure to be posted, because
Taking turns saving each other is what real live
Princes and princesses are meant to do as both overcome
Adversity by developing half baked inner strengths ...
🙋🏻‍♀️👨🏼‍🍳❤️😊😘🌈🌻Annie

AS MY BRAIN RE-ENERGIZES, IT DOES NOT LIKE DISORDER

So in addition to many likes and comments, my Facebook plea got 19 shares.  How do posts go viral?  I mean, lots of posts recommending masks are so insulting to the populous that I can see people feeling so defensive as to advocate mask burning rallies as happened with draft card burnings and bra burnings in the past—which made no more sense, back then, as burning life-saving masks would make no sense, today.  Seriously.  How many times must we learn to stop putting people down in favor of appealing to the better side of human nature, suggesting that we all have something of value to learn ...

I’m glad to say that Wednesday’s blood tests were good across the board, and over these past two days, my energy level is slowly on the rise.  I actually tackled my socks, yesterday, which have been in a cardboard box on the floor for weeks, ever since I ordered and assembled plastic separators in two large drawers (I’ve acquired quite the colorful sock collection) before an infusion of chemo knocked out my bone marrow’s production of new blood cells, leaving  me feeling too physically weakened to complete the task of reorganization.  Hopefully, this will be a productive week (before my next chemo infusion, next Wednesday).  I’m hoping to put in order everything I’ve not had the energy to put away for many weeks, which is utterly unlike me.

With no energy, disorder barely bothered me.  Now that my brain can reorganize more than my thoughts, I’d like my physical environment and mental faculties to match, again.

Annnd—that plan for productivity flew out the window right after this unplanned incident flew in:
Guess who tweaked her back while sitting on the floor, placing my socks in individual compartments?  Guess any job, no matter how light weight, is more of a feat than I realized after months of inactivity.  Thank goodness, I’m accustomed to keeping my mind well occupied as most of my days are spent in bed, now on my old trusty heating pad—and since this, too, shall pass ... here’s hoping that your day is going well ...
🙋🏻‍♀️🌈🌻Annie

JUST AS THE LONE RANGER WAS A MASKED HERO ...

Below, you’ll find my plea via Facebook, penned in response to a post published by a friend of a friend, who was advocating living life to the fullest by abandoning wearing masks in fear of catching Covid 19 ... I believe this friend of a friend does not understand that her mask protects me from catching the virus from her if she is a carrier who is asymptomatic...

Dear Friends,
I’m a non-smoker, who has been in and out of the hospital battling a rare lung cancer for many months.  I face a serious heart/lung surgery in the near future.  If someone, unmasked, brought Covid 19 to me, I’d be dead in a heartbeat.  No pretty way to package that solemn reality.

“Between 25% and 50%” of people with the virus may never show symptoms, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allery and Infectious Diseases.

Every mask worn is to protect a person like me (who loves life as do you), from suffering premature death, unnecessarily.

I’m fighting every day to save my life, and those who wear masks, strangers though they may be, are helping me.

The only place not to wear a mask is with those who, having been quarantined, seriously, know they’ve not caught Covid 19 from being around others who take less precautionary measures to see that this virus disappears based in having too few hosts.

So if you care about people like me then wearing a mask when you go out would make you one of my heros.  Truly.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart🙋🏻‍♀️❤️Annie
This photo was added to my Facebook plea to share my spirit’s attitude of positivity

A MEMORABLE WEEKEND—A TREASURED MEMORY

Since our three sons are vigilant about quarantining
Social distancing as well as wearing masks and gloves in public
Barry, Steven and David all felt safe
Enjoying each other on our patio, au natural ... and so
This long weekend freed our family to experience
A taste of the ‘normal’ life (that Covid 19 had so
Rudely disrupted, months back) with the exception of
Will and I remaining behind glass so vulnerable to
Infection, any infection, do I prove to be
And now, as with all good things, all six of us
Having made beautiful music, together, have yet another
Shared experience to savor each time
Our treasure chest of memories opens and
Like a music box, we can hear our hearts singing:
WE ARE FAMILY—and you know how the rest of that song goes
Currently, as I ready myself to publish today’s deeply fulfilling post
Barry in blue and David in black (Steven in gray) are
Driving back to the coast and
As was clearly expressed, last night, by one and all, including
Ravi holding pooch, we all miss each other, already ... which is why
Our family chooses to look forward to our next get together with
A heartfelt sense of eagerness, which, like
A group hug, draws loved ones toward
Holding each other close while we are apart ...

PS
Note Lou Malnati’s deep dish sausage pizza on our patio table—
No matter where we tend to roam, there’s nothing like
A favorite meal from home over which a family that
Comes together, bonds—again and again!  

MONDAY—MEMORIAL DAY 2020

With all that I feel personally thankful for
How does one express the depths of sorrow felt
When thoughts of our youth losing
Life, limb and/or peace of mind while in defense of
Our nation’s freedoms—our freedoms—come to mind?
Most especially during quarantine while being
As ill and bed-bound as I prove to be?
I am at a loss for words ...
However, as action means much more than words
I’ll make yet another donation to
Wounded Warriors Project and
The USO in hopes of playing a role, minor as
It may be, in easing some aspect of strife for
A person who, having experienced the horrors of
War, has earned my heartfelt appreciation for
Having placed his/her life on the line in defense of
Our nation’s freedoms when call to duty arose
And in this small way does
Thank you for your service become
More than merely words ...

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
― Mother Teresa

“Peace begins with a smile..”
― Mother Teresa

Red, White and Blue

Long may thee wave proud and free

Protectively over our nation

Actually—forever and ever

R

SUNDAY OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2020

No matter how I feel physically
My smile sparkles naturally while
My eyes feast on Will’s good fortune and mine to see
Our three sons gathered round our patio table
Laughing and reminiscing, together, just
Beyond the pane of floor to ceiling glass that
Can do nothing to separate our happy hearts.
And with three playmates at her beck and call
Ravi’s blond, bronzed, blue-eyed
Laughter peals forth clear as a bell
Come Tuesday, this five year old water sprite is
Sure to miss the loving, playful attentiveness of
Her doting uncles—deeply—since
A young child’s sense of awareness truly
Lives in the here and now
And having been quarantined for months with
More to come, cannot be easy for a child as
Naturally socially outgoing as Ravi had
Proved to be before Covid 19 closed
Her away from the outside world like
Rapunzel with the exception of
Playing with daddy in her back yard pool
Front yard and on our patio where
Covid19 is banned

Will and I slept past 10:30, this morning
Barry and David arrived at 12:30
By 2:30 bed craving overcame me
So off they went to swim with our water sprite while
I napped for four hours so as to enjoy dinner ala family style
Once our three guys and Ravi return to our patio where
Will and I will enjoy their company from our side of the Arcadia door

QUITE THE MEMORABLE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FOR SURE!

Hopefully my brain has reorganized after having been utterly stunned, last night.
As Will and I were enjoying a delicious steak dinner, prepared lovingly and dropped off by a neighbor, two faces appeared in the picture window that looks directly at our kitchen table and standing before us on our patio were eldest and youngest sons, Barry and David—who drove in from lock down in California for the holiday weekend—shocking my brain right out of my head.

So of course, once I can get a think going inside my totally stunned brain, I think they’re here to surprise Will for his 78th birthday until I learn that Will knew for days—so this unimaginable surprise, during quarantine, which our family takes very seriously, was designed for—me.
Holy smokes ...

I can’t imagine what my facial expression exposed when my brain felt too confounded to free me to do much more than stand up and stare straight ahead in total disbelief.  Then, I must have walked to the window, because with the palms of my hands against the clear glass, my sons palms are matched to my own.

Next thing I know, Steven and five year old Ravi are at the window, smiling mischievously, too!  They brought all the fixings for BBQ for four, knowing that Will and I had to stay inside.  So we zoomed with our three sons to hear each other clearly as they feasted on our patio while Will and I, flying high on adrenaline, forced our bodies to remain seated right next to our Arcadia door.

An adrenaline high, fueled on pure joy, kept my eyes glued to our precious family for close to two hours before my above and beyond burst of energy faded, leaving me craving my bed.  I’ve not been able to sit in a chair for two hours in many months!  Post adrenaline rush saw me crash.

Today, Barry and David were back at noon, so I rested up till then.
Will carried a backyard lounger from the garage to the Arcadia door so I could lie in it, being that sitting was an impossibility in the absence of another adrenaline rush, which would have been too much for my weakened body to handle, again, so I called forth my line of control to remain calm while my eyes feasted upon this pair of west coast sons for about an hour and a half before bed craving overwhelmed me, again.  At that point, they left for Steven’s, knowing that Ravi, quarantined for months, was biting at the bit to swim, like the mermaid she’s become, with her beloved uncles, tripling her playmate daddy into a trio of guys who adore the sole little girl born to our immediate family in more than fifty years.

When our sons decided to drive in, as luck would have it, a close friend of theirs, who has been quarantining at a friend’s house, offered them her two bedroom home, which has been empty for two months, so their plan to surprise me came together as naturally as if it was meant to be.

Now, I’m going to rest till this evening, when they’ll all be back on the patio.  Since they’ve each been working from home and quarantining seriously, I understand their decision to be together, outside in Steven’s pool. ... and they lucked out this weekend.  Next week the temp is supposed to climb to 111 degrees—in May—?

This is quite the memorable Memorial Day Weekend for our family—that’s for sure!
And since this is how I’d wished to feel, here is what I chose to wear—

🙋🏻‍♀️Annie