I’ve been staying with Aunt V these past few days. She’s not steady enough on her feet to be alone. But today I had jury duty, and had to be in “business attire” at the court by 8:30 in the morning. I didn’t think I could get ready at her apartment without disturbing her routine, so my husband stayed with her last night, and I got to hug Katie at home all night. I’m not sure Katie really appreciated that, but she will when she’s older!
This morning as Katie and I emerged, trying to get her jobs done before I had to leave the sky was alive with fluffy clouds, the undersides of them gray, the tops tinged with pink as the sun came up. I was sad that I was going to spend it in a jury room. But I was also glad for the bit of freedom I had from the overly heated apartment I’ve been cooped up in since Sunday. It’s funny how a tiny hour of freedom has so much more value when you’ve had none for a few days.
I have to give credit to those of you out there that are care givers full time, and have been for years, or face years of it in the future. It’s a hard job. Not to mention terribly boring! I’m reading a good book, “Seven Types of Ambiguity” by Elliot Perlman, recommended by another blogger, but it takes some concentration, and it seems just when I’m getting my head back into the plot the Aunt needs something. And of course she comes first.
She reminds me that it’s heck getting older. Years ago when I lived in the Upper Peninsula I sometimes drove down to visit my own grandmother who was in her 90’s. She’d outlived most of her friends and quite a bit of her family. The last time I saw her she was walking with a walker and still living in her own home on the family farm. She told me not to live to be her age and I wondered, in all the wisdom of a 20 something young person, what she was talking about. Now I see it again with our Aunt. Though she’s smart as a tack she too has outlived her friends and much of her family. Yesterday she started listing people, counting on her fingers over and over again, people she cared about who are gone now. I had no appropriate response. And it’s sad to witness.
Today’s jury duty went well. All the cases before the two judges were settled, so they let us all go! And today is going to be a beautiful day, high in the 80’s with sunshine. I think perhaps Katie girl and I will have to go for a walk in the park before I head back over to the apartment to relieve my husband. We did get some play in already, Katie and I, out in the yard. She had a wonderful time. Me too.
And on a totally unrelated topic, I found a baby turtle in the driveway just a bit ago and took it over to the edge of the pond.
He is about the size of a nickle and was warm in my palm as I carried him over to the pond. I set him on a leaf just at the edge of the water. I hope he makes it.
Newborn and elderly, all in the same day, with a bit of sunshine thrown in. It’s a new day
Today is my last day here in this tiny piece of northern bliss. As I was talking to my sister, watching the turquoise and navy lake bounce along in the sunshine the bald eagle made his second appearance of my stay. He casually sailed south down the beach, out just beyond the ridge. I got to watch him for a good long moment, so happy to see him once again before I leave.
And even more interesting old barns.
