Coming up next month!

     I am on my way to bed after spending an entire day alone and in silence - sort of a circumstance imposed retreat.  I woke up with complete laryngitis and Chris flew to South Dakota, so I stayed quiet - working in the yard and enjoying our home.  I was gone for almost three weeks this month and there's nothing like coming home to a new kitchen to make a girl want to nest.  Chris and our friend Kevin Johnson transformed our space by painting, tiling the countertops, building oak bars, creating new floor-to-ceiling shelves...I need to go away more often.  I got to do the "Design on a Dime" thing - walk in with my eyes closed and squeal with disbelief and delight. 
     Not all has been delightful this month.  My mom had some serious surgery and needed help for several weeks, so my sisters, brother and sister-in-law and I have been tag teaming to stay with my parents and help them with the day to day tasks that can wear you down.  The "gift in the fist" has been getting to spend concentrated time with my folks, something we don't get enough of.  We watched a couple of movies, I cooked for them (too bad Chris wasn't there because he's the real chef), and I got to help them with crossword puzzle clues that involved music.  The first day I was there Dad needed a 6 letter folk singer that only uses one name.  Odetta!  I felt so smart, in my own limited niche kind of way. 
     Gwen's dad Alpha passed away while I was with my parents, making the loss even more profound.  I guess that we are all at that age; I am surrounded by friends who are helping their parents through those challenging years, or having to let go of them.  I know it's a rite of passage, but one of the more difficult ones. 
     As Chris says, "call your loved ones" - and I say don't be afraid to put some things on hold to be with them. 

     Christine

     I'm going to make a quick trip to South Dakota tomorrow to wish a final farewell to an old friend and former father-in-law, Alpha Braunesreither.  An amazing man and an incredible grandfather to my boys, every Christmas would bring a new trinket that he had hand crafted out of wood or bone or feathers or leather...each one came with a poem (and usually a 50 dollar bill).  He spent the last years of his life chronicling his family tree from immigration from Romania to the Black Hills of South Dakota. 
    I stayed in touch with Al even after separating from his daughter many years ago, and always enjoyed the conversation.  He had a habit of sending mass emails, usually of a political nature, and not usually to my tastes.  More often than not I would read and delete this kind of email, but right before the last election he pushed my buttons and I got in his face.  I'm glad I did - we ended up in the most spirited debate we'd ever had, and my life would be poorer if I'd not responded.  Gwen remarked the other day that he would push and push to see if you were strong enough to push back!  Rest in peace, Al, I'll come up and sing you one last song. 

     Call your loved ones, and don't be afraid to push back. 
     See you at the gig!

     Chris