Building and Taking Down Fences

Yesterday I had a garden workday at school. Parents came to help build a fence around the area that will be the garden patch so that the chickens may still roam free without ravaging our garden. It was a very fun day of happy workers. The weather was HOT, and of course, come afternoon, the garden plot is the sunniest place in the yard.

Then in the evening we had our first meeting with Zak's girlfriend's family, over dinner at Taste of the Himalayas. It was nice to meet them all.

A friend of their family brought his dad, Henry, who is 92 years old and sharp as a tack.

I sat close to him so we chatted through dinner and realized that he raised his children (who are my age) in the same area where I grew up. I mentioned that I went to high school at Mercy, Burlingame. He said, "Oh, those sisters of Mercy who had no mercy!" I laughed at his accuracy and then his son added that he grew up in the woods surrounding that school. I told him (with a grin) that I did as well. I think he meant as a young, exploring child and I meant as a young, exploring teenager. The most beautiful thing is this: Heather told me that Henry's wife, his lifelong partner and mother of their 5 children, died a few years ago. Henry still puts on music in the living room and pretends he's dancing with her. I see it as not in a morose way of denial, but in that beautiful way of the spirit of joy that love brings, living on forever. It reminds me of that Kathy Matea song Where've You Been. If you aren't familiar with it, it's worth listening to as a beautiful love song.

Dinner was delish. I had my favorite Chicken Tandor.

The evening air was warm. We chatted a bit in the promenade and then Shannon and I went to the Irish Pub to get some bread pudding for dessert.

It's Sunday morning, and I had a very full Saturday. I slept until 9:30 this morning! Unheard of for me. And now I'm muscling the will to finish all of the laundry today before it's back to school tomorrow.

Comments

[tracey k. in Ohio]

Sounds like a busy, full weekend. I ADORE the thought of the elderly gentlemen still "dancing" w/his wife. What a strong, beautiful love.

[naomi dagen bloom]

marianne, how fortunate all of us who read here to be able to share your life. we meet your family, their friends, have a lovely meal. i'm finding something that it hard to explain at the moment--but one day i will.

thanks for doing the elderblog survey. my interest is finding out what people no longer working in regular jobs are doing to change their communities. -naomi