Wednesday Wanderings

Yesterday was a good day. I had plans to visit three very special persons. At 10:30 I met my friend Wini for my first walk with her after my knee injury. I asked her to start slow as we started off from her condo near the Art Center. It was hard for me to notice my surroundings because she started in French; my brain was shocked into a higher gear and I just did the best I could. We can talk on any subject and we seem to understand and appreciate each other’s ideas. Wini believes that only people who take care of themselves, love themselves, and are truly happy with themselves can reach out and love others. I’ll do some more reflecting on that.

Next I got to have a picnic cook-out lunch with my 99-year-old friend from Grace Gladys at Wesley Acres. She had her hair styled in a chic straight style reminiscent of a silver Coco Chanel. Crisp white pants with a white and blue short-sleeved top that appeared to have a classic blue vest made her look her usual beautiful self. Expressive, round brown eyes, and her eternally smooth skin. A bit stooped with her small rounded back, her usual straight and tall energetic self that used to “zip around” (her words) – this time moved at a slower pace. Still sharp as a tack, my friend and I would walk, she pushing her walker, through the under-construction labyrinth that is Wesley Acres these days.

Our lunch went well as we sat at a picnic table under a tiny tree for shade. A breeze delighted both of us and we could see it moving the leaves on the talk trees to the south. She knows all staff members and received lots of cheerful hellos and hugs from folks who said she is the sweetest person in the world. We chatted and enjoyed our meal. But leaving – and getting her walker over the grass in the sunshine proved too much for her. She just couldn’t get her hand to grab the walker handle. She lost focus and was frozen there. Then she started to go a bit limp, so I asked for help from the young staff member at the nearest table. I was holding on to her so she wouldn’t fall. A chair, a cool cloth around her neck, an young intern fanning her with a paper plate, eventually a CNA and a nurse, and finally: a wheelchair to allow Gladys to get out of the sun and back into the air conditioned complex. (It seemed like an eternity for us out there in the sun.)

But once we got inside, she perked up! The young and competent CNA rolled her the mile and a half and into the two elevators to her room. The nurse checked her vitals and made sure she was okay with more water and a cooler setting on her AC. (The nurse would ask the doc to check her out on Thursday morning.) I hung out with her and encouraged her to drink more water, suck on a peppermint, and recline. She revived and laughed with me. Then she asked me to wind her 1847 grandfather clock (which wasn’t easy, but she gave be explicit and very patient directions.) That assured me that she was back to herself. I left about 2:00 and I and she knew that she was in n good hands there. Still, I asked a staff member to check in her again! Whew!

Driving 90 minutes to Griswold to visit my very special brother allowed me a bit of time to calm down. Mostly I prayed for Gladys and hoped she would have s good nap and be okay. I know she enjoyed our time together, but somehow I felt responsible.

3:30 I pick up Charly at the Griswold Rehabilitation Center. We drive to Atlantic snd walk in the shade of a small park with flags before we walk down to its lovely shaded downtown. Charly likes to walk snd kept saying “We’re getting a good walk today.” Charly chooses to eat at McDonald’s, so we leave beautiful downtown and drive the strip east to find that McDonald’s was torn down and a new one is being built. Then he chooses Hardee’s, do we drive back west to it. We get to the door and learn they the lobby is closed. Subway is Charly’s 3rd choice snd it is open but empty of customers and only filled with uncommunicative workers. We have our boring meal there while a lovely Mexican restaurant downtown (my choice) welcomes diners with hospitality and bright colors and hot, interesting & delicious food! Oh well. It’s not about me.

Our next destination is the Atlas Cinema where we watch Thor after enduring at least 10 previews. We loved Thor! Critics don’t know what Charly and Tammy enjoy! Back to Griswold by about 8:20, and Charly kept asking, “I wonder what the rest of the day will be like?” I assured him that it would be good. And we both agreed that we had had a good visit once again. I am thankful for my three friend and my good day. I got back home to Johnston by 11:00.