Rosewood Tree

We've only known Rosewood Tree for about four months.  He is married to Bubbling Stream.

He and Bubbling Stream allowed me to stay at their home for about ten days.  I found Rosewood Tree to be a very giving, but busy person.  He works full time in the beauty industry as a consultant, he has invested in a remodeling project, and he coaches/plays soccer.  This is in addition to taking care of their home and often entertaining family and friends.  They live on a beautiful acre of land off a lake in a very pretty four bedroom, wood stained cottage. 

Rosewood Tree was first concerned with my being able to understand his English.  Originally, his home was in Costa Rica, but he had just earned his United States citizenship.  Everyone is very proud of him! 

Rosewood Tree is a natural born story teller.  One story was of his younger days.  There was a class project to be helping care for bees.  One day the bees became angry and swarmed around the small group of students.  The kids made it to the safety of a small screened shed, but the teacher fell behind the group.  As it happened, the kids out of fear of the bees wouldn't take responsibility for the teacher.  Rosewood Tree tried to explain the logic of their decision, but he was much teased by Bubbling Stream for not seeing the the teacher's dilema.  We all laughed as it became more evident that neither side could win!

Many evenings were spent on their front porch drinking wine coolers and the mornings were spent around their cozy kitchen table.  Once I came into the kitchen to find the happy couple dancing to embracing Latin music.  In their marriage, they had long since developed means to evenly splitting life's responsibilities.  One could imagine that this left much time for merriment!   

Clear Sky

Clear Sky has a wide smile, friendly laughter, and warm giving hugs!  She is also the friend I will share a beer with!

Clear Sky works with us at the Center and we've known her for four years.  She has a few jobs.  She does the substituting when a DSP (Direct Support Person) is gone, she drives the Center's Van for outings and errands, she helps the regular cleaning lady keep up with the bigger tasks, and she does practical things like replacing flourescent lights, cutting the grass, and painting the shed.  After she finishes her work, she goes to her second job where she is a park program coach for folks with developmental disabilities. 

Clear Sky's home was originally Guatemala.  She came to the United States when she was 17.  She lived with her brother and began to work.  She fell in love a couple of times and had her family.  She has a 19 year old daughter who is in her second year of college, and she has a six year old daughter who is starting the first grade. 

Clear Sky doesn't think her English is so good, but we seem to understand each other.  She teases me for sitting around in my office on the computer all day.  She says, "You gotta get up and do things!"  Clear Sky, can be a tough taskmaster, but she's better at teasing and coaxing.  She wants the individuals she works with to learn useful things.  She also thinks that people should all be treated fairly.

Clear Sky is very dedicated to the people she loves.  She likes to worry over us and tells us when we should be making life more simple.  Sometimes we are at her house for a real dinner, conversation, and a beer.  Then, we will go to the porch and be joined by her mother and husband in watching the kids play out front.  We don't understand the Spanish, but words are not always important.  Clear Sky shows us how to relax and enjoy the bounty.

River Bank

River Bank is next!  The best way to experience River Bank yourself is to view a small piece of his charm, wisdom, and deep abilities to love.  He wrote this passage to us after a moment's thought.  The passage reads like poetry to us...

"Try this, you're being swept down the fast moving river of life.  If you look to the river bank, you'll see me running adjacent to you.  I cannot swim, nor can I speak to tell you what to do.  But the river is not deep, your feet touch the bottom, you cannot go under.  Ahead, round the next bend, or the next, somewhere, there will be a deep quiet pool.  It is there I shall be waiting to take hold of your hand.  I cannot lift you free of the water because I am too weak, and because your burden is great, but I shall hold onto you ever so tightly, never allowing you to go under, til the waters recede, and you are able to stand, safely.  Near as I can tell, from this distance, you're doin' fine, dear heart!"

We met River Bank almost two months ago at a picnic table near where some of our on-line grief group had gathered.  We had lost our parent figures and River Bank had lost his wife, may she rest in peace.  We figured that River Bank was missing her terribly. 

As he expressed himself, we couldn't help but notice his fullness of life, his depth of sensitivity, and his inspired intelligence.  Just awestruck we were!  Hehehe ... I think it took him a few moments to notice us.  As each of the others faded away, he slowed down to realize we were the one still listening as if glued.  <Grin>  He can really talk!  But, his exuberance propels naturally from his heart. 

River Bank lives hundreds and hundreds of miles away, but we feel each new day as if the the outstreched hand from the river's bank is never far of reach ... certainly no more than a few carefully placed keystrokes ... Where Gentle Brook ends our day, River Bank begins the next!  

Gentle Brook

Gentle Brook called us last night right before we were going to tuck in for the night.  We were so happy to hear the sound of her voice!  It has been four days now.  She's doing well and prospering!

Gentle Brook is on a very big adventure!  She and her sister have moved about 24 hours drive by car south from where they had lived.  They moved from a quiet town of about 2,000 to a city that is about 400,000.  It is a very big change.  Gentle Brook's sister had had a job transfer to a much better position.  Gentle Brook was ready to go!

Gentle Brook sounded excited and happy.  She says the new apartment is wonderful and it is about three times bigger than the last one.  And, it has air conditioning!  This is a huge advancement!  There are other amenities as well.  They have their own washer/dryer, dishwasher, and separate bathrooms.  They also have a pool and recreation facilities.  Best thing (I believe) is that there is a good state college only 4 miles away.  Gentle Brook has been working a couple of jobs, but previously she was working on her education.  She is very smart and able with people, computer, and in culinary arts.

We initially met Gentle Brook a couple of years ago in an abuse survivors chat room, but our friendship has really developed over the last eight months.  We both spend a lot of time on the computer and she keeps us good company.  We each have a web cam so sometimes we follow each other's day.  It gives us a great sense of comfort to have her near.  

Although I'm old enough to be Gentle Brooks mother, and we sometimes worry over her like the daughter we never had, most often we are more equal in interests and abilities.  I love her dearly and have missed being in touch.  Soon though, her computer will be up and running and we'll begin to hear how her new life is unfolding.  Just such a terrific young woman...  Shoot, now again the tears.

The Names of Our External Loved Ones

For anyone who has already been to our site, we apologize.  We've made some changes to our basic structure.  A kind friend has pursuaded us to not give out quite so much identifying information.  When we started, we hadn't expected so many journal visitors, but so far the meter reads 700.

Initially we were afraid of losing our loved one's identities with name changes, but with literary license in hand and hopes of being better safe than sorry, we have chosen to comply.  It actually was great fun to rename the people in our life.  We did something that we hadn't seen before.  Six of the names, that of our dearest friends, were changed to reflect their characterstics along nature's sight.  It might seem strange at first, but we think it may help to transplant our mind(s) set.  We thought too that if the people's names we mention were ambiguous, the names would more easily be adapted to represent the characteristics of some of your loved ones.  We also changed the color format to be more reflective of the nature we so love to see, hear, and touch.   

To give a small lesson on "characters," the doctors M, W, & L will maintain these initials.  Dr. M. is our current psychiatrist, Dr. W. is our former psychiatrist, and Dr. L. is our former professor.  Macadam is our oldest son (22), Lee is his wife (22), Abby is their daughter (2 1/2), Tanner is our middle son (21), AJ is his son (3), Jacob is our youngest son (19), and his best friend is Aldan (18).  Sr. Tess is our boss (70's), and our friends are now Forest Path (50 male), Bubbly Stream (43 female), Rosewood Tree (30 male), River Bank (62 male), Clear Sky (44 female), and last, but not least, Gentle Brook (20 female).  Kitties stay the same, Missy and Chief! 

We also changed the name of our core person not only because she was the one holding our given name at birth, but also to reflect a change of feelings the system is beginning to have toward her.  From this point on ... she will be called, "Dear Heart."

Thanks for understanding...

Something Scary Happened

Yesterday, something scary happened to us that is still on our mind(s).  Sometime a little after 1 pm, we had our first hypoglycemic episode (from our diabetes).  It was terrible.  We were real dizzy and warm, our hands went numb, our vision blurred, and we started to shake.  

Hmm, looking now on another Internet search ...  It says that if the hypoglycemia is ignored it could result in seizures, coma, or long range brain damage.  None of those things happened of course, but we're trying now to alert everyone in our system how serious this is.

At first we didn't know what was happening.  We'd been concentrating on our writing and tried to put off that we were feeling different.  Then it occured to us that this wasn't going away, but was getting worse.  We keep our glucose monitor right by the computer.  We figured we should test our blood sugar.  We'd never had a reading below 68.  Normal level is between 70-120.  But, this time it read 43!  We figured we had to eat something sweet, but the glucose tablets that we bought for this situation were down in the car.  We don't have much in our fridge right now, but what came to mind was the strawberry jelly on the door.  Must have been a good decision, because in short order, the symptoms started to disappear. 

It was totally our fault.  We'd skipped a couple of meals, plus we'd exercised at the pool.  So we ate the lunch that we had neglected.  The next reading was 89.  Just we hadn't thought this would happen to us.  Very faulty thinking.

New system resolutions:  1) no more skipping meals,  2) glucose tablets and monitor stay in purse which needs to be where we are.  Always have orange juice on hand at home, work and purse, 4) we proceed to getting the cell phone for emergencies.  No exceptions!

A Visit With My Son Macadam and Family

Last night we had the honor of being invited over to Macadam and Lee's house for dinner, talking, and a movie.  <Grin> These are the folks who have brought our Granddaughter, Abby, into the world.  Abby is 2 1/2 years old now, and, she is simply the most lovely child one could ever imagine! 

We had the most wonderful time!  Many things were talked about.  Macadam and Lee are very knowledgeable.  Macadam is a stock broker and Lee is a graphic designer.  Abby?  Well, she's just working as hard at being a 2 1/2 year old as you could think!  Abby is taken care of during the day by her other Gramma who is doing a wonderful job! 

Abby was a little shy when she first woke up and discovered that we were there.  She hid in her mama's arms like a tiny little cacoon.  But, that didn't last long.  She soon spotted the animal crackers that we brought for her.  She seemed very happy and is now able to say, "Thank you Gramma!"  Tears are coming to my eyes as I recall the memory.  Abby showed us that she is learning to put on her shoes and she can now take her baby and stroller out to the balcony.  She then played with binoculars, bubbles, and rain drops on the wrought iron railings.  After that she had out her small stove and a whole basket of dishes, pans, and utencils.  We cooked up a few blocks.  I think she was most happy though taking apart the stove and putting it back together again.  After a while, Abby said that she wanted to watch a movie.  So we all watched, "Cats and Dogs."  She can concentrate very hard.  It warmed my heart to see her snuggled up to her mama with thumb, juice, and blankey in hand. 

Sometimes we regress a little around them.  The Casies came out to watch the movie.  Macadam was very patient in explaining things to them.  Macadam seemed to remember us well though, he reminded us that it was near our bedtime and the movie might make us tired.  There was kisses and hugs and Abby said, "I love you!" Just a bucket of blessings they all are!