So true.

I just finished reading The Bolter by Frances Osborne. This book was about Idina Sackville. To quote the blurb on the front cover – “Idina Sackville – the woman who scandalized 1920s society and became White Mischief’s infamous seductress. Of course it was about Kenya and I love reading anything about Kenya – but particularly about Kenya in the early days of white/colonial settlement. It was only when I got to the end of the book that I realized that the author was writing about her own relation and that her research was extremely thorough. Wow!

Not to brag but I feel that I am getting pretty good (or maybe I should say better) at this word game that has swept the world. Today I got it in 4, with ease. Maybe I have a Good Luck charm.

Somehow the date April 11 is one I always remember as the birthday of my childhood friend Sandy Crowley (Van Ness) . Sandy and I played together as children. Sandy’s family lived in the adjoining town but her grandparents were our neighbors in Belmont Mass. And when Sandy came to visit her grandparents we got together. I enjoyed many happy times with Sandy and her grandparents. As the years went by and we got older Sandy and I interacted only as rivals on our respective high school sports teams and later still on our respective college teams. Post-college After college there was only the odd Christmas card or two and then I lost track of Sandy but I always thought of her on her birthday April 11. A few years ago, on April 11, I phoned Sandy out of the blue and we re-established contact and promised to keep in touch. But again, we lapsed.

This morning, April 11, I tried to contact Sandy again. Alas, she had passed away 2 years ago. I was surprised and I feel a sense of loss. My early childhood friend. She was such a good athlete! Reading her obituary I learned that she was very active for many years with Andover-Newton Theological School. That was not a surprise – one grandfather was the minister of the church I attended and the other grandfather was very active in that church as well. The connection with Andover-Newton rang a bell also. My first job was with a family-owned steel company in nearby Cambridge Ma and the family had close ties with Andover-Newton.

The picture of Sandy that appeared in the Boston Globe obituary reminded my of her grandmother (my neighbor) whom I knew very well. Fond memories.

This postcard has several inscriptions “My fancy greets in the silent streets Each old familiar face—-

“Sweet memories throng as I stroll along By each time-worn dwelling place”

The card was published by Wyer’s Art Store, Nantucket Island, Mass

This is in answer to a question posed to me by my cousin living on the East Coast. She is 2 years younger than me.

A typical day in the Terrace. The Terrace is what they call the Memory Section of the care home where my husband and I are living in Seattle. There are 2 floors in the Terrace consisting of about 20 studio apartments on each floor. There is a toilet in each unit but most are without a shower. There is also a dining room for the residents on each floor. Most of the apartments are single occupancy but married couples can occupy one unit even though it is only one of the pair who has a severe memory problem. Presently we are one of three couples occupying the Terrace. (There are several other couples but one of the pair lives in another part of the campus or off campus.) All 3 meals are served in the dining rooms, with room service available on request..

A typical day for me – The day starts early with breakfast at 7:30 served in the dining room. After a leisurely breakfast I usually work on a number of things – writing my blog and working on my genealogy. Lunch is at 11:30. After lunch it’s a long stretch to dinner at 5:30. I can read, work on my current jigsaw puzzle, participate in one of the many activities provided in the Terrace or the main part of this care home. My activities depend very much on how much help is needed by my husband. Professional help is provided by the care home – I am sort of the back-up unprofessional fill-in. Needless to say I am more than that – we’ve been married 54+ years.

In the evening we tend to watch television.