I’ve been asked for updates!!! 

Did I sing on Christmas?  Has life returned to ‘normal’? How was Christmas, anyway?  Are you walking? Do you have your plane ticket for the Camino? When are you going to Star Wars land and stay in the Star Wars hotel?

Where was I? December 12th…

I was hoping to sing for Christmas and jump right back into some sense of normalcy. And I had some great days.

Then just before Christmas I tanked again.  Slept right through for several days, cancelled the angels from their scheduled visits.  It was a good thing Rich was unable to meet with me and rehearse before Christmas as I just wasn’t up to it.  

Had some great visits from Emmita and Lynn took me down to St. Isabella to see the IMMENSE Bethlehem creche Fr. O put out - immense and glorious.  And I have started walking again at least four times/week! My roommate’s dog, Sascha, is going with me again. 

It’s about energy, still, and using it appropriately when I have it - not overdoing even when I think the things I want to do are ‘small’.  I tried to let my  angels ‘off the  hook’ for now but all six are still coming by choice.  Movies with Fran (retired accompanist) on Wednesdays.  Walks with Miss Lou Elsa (current OLL accompanist) as tolerated -  and she absconds with laundry to return it fresh a few days later.  Lynn (current  St. Isabella accompanist and music director - we’ve been making music together for close to four decades) comes Sunday after church with communion and encouragement.  Mother Lois is My Gal Friday (who was with me when I sang in the  Vatican) comes Friday after church with communion and love from Fr. Healy.  Mad McC comes for Sci Fi Friday afternoons and we dream about our UK trip. And Mary, my  fly-by-night-Godmother-at-large, makes sure I have the most sumptuous meals I can tolerate.  I’m pampered by their  love and care. They keep my heart and mind  connected and that’s what is saving me.  

I have no more appointments until the week of the 24th.  And the new plan is to try and go back to singing by the  first of February.  I  have not sung, yet.  Speech Therapy is complete but this rest I’m taking is profoundly helpful.  

Writing? Yes.  Mostly about music and insights from meditation and my OA program.  Of late, I’m trying to listen to ‘new to me’ genres, like trans, which is something out of a Matrix movie to me.  And I take time to dance every day and to look at something beautiful for a serious moment.  I’ve had my frustrations about this ‘forced quiet time’ thinking I SHOULD DO MORE and not ‘rely’ on my angels so much in some rush to be ‘normal’ again.  (Been listening to Will Smith narrate his book - that man can WORK hard! I wanna be there.) Maybe my great gift here is learning patience.  And to let people help as they wish, knowing the great HF (God) will send all I need.

There have been monetary  gifts from several anonymous donors (Except Kira and AA from OLL) and I am grateful for them all.  I’ve had one massage-simply the best thing, so needed; three hours of housecleaning (which didn’t even all get done!); stamps and hummingbird (my favorite) stationary have made me feel very pampered.  Thank you if it was you. 

Any  stoicism aside, I really am ok and in a status quo for the foreseeable future; each day to move a bit more and keep my eyes bright on a beautiful spring, that’s the goal.  

Love flows,

C