My Week

This past week I went to visit my sister, Kathy, in Palm Springs.  It was her wish to see her sisters but I didn't want to go by myself.  Fortunately, Patty came up with a reasonable plan to fly out of Minneapolis.  I drove up to see her on Sunday after our Catholic War Veterans Memorial Mass and then the following morning we caught a plane out of Minneapolis.  I want to give Patty this big public thank you for finding the way.  I want to thank Norm for taking care of my sister.

It was nice to see Kathy and Norm meet us at the Palm Springs airport.  Kathy likes giraffes and her friend Peg in NY sent her this meaningful trinket of a giraffe with a message to "stand tall". It gave me a lump in my throat.

She doesn't drive while on palliative care.  Patty drove her car as Kathy pointed out interesting sites.  There's like 38 miles of road in their gated community.

She showed us the recreation buildings and this is one of them.

Here we are at the putting green where we later played around trying to make some holes with Norm's expertise.  I must admit I was afraid of loosing Norm's ball in that pond.  I felt nervous but experienced some beginner's luck too.

I saw the Shields Date Farm.  Notice the clouds...none.  But we had a wind.

Here's the overview video that showed in the theater. 

I picked up some pitted dates, and date sugar.  It will be interesting to see if date sugar will dissolve like other sugar.  Either way, it will be sweet.

Afterward, the 3 sisters went for a pedicure ~ another first for me.  I never done that before.  I usually don't color my toe nails.   I wasn't into red toes so I choose this semi clear silver.  Yes, I'd probably do it again but I'd always remember my first with my sisters.

In the evening we met Kathy's closest friends here, Rick and Judy.  My sister Gloria came also.  So here's a picture of 4 out of 5 sisters in my family along with Kathy's husband, Norm.

I learned that Kathy has type 0+, Patty is 0- and I'm B+.  I thought we'd be more the same since my children had  the B from me and the negative from their dad.  I also learned that I'm the only sister without a thyroid problem.

Thursday morning we went to water aerobics.  I'd never done that before.  After lunch we went putting, another thing I didn't do before.  I was afraid of loosing Norm's $6 ball in the pond.  Generally I didn't do too bad for a beginner.  Does that mean I'll take up golfing?  Probably not.

We had dinner at the Manhattan in the Desert.  I tried something I hadn't had in years....beef tong.  Norm wouldn't let us pay for it.
We played dominoes and had a photo by their back yard Jacuzzi.

 

Wind got my hair in my face on the photo that came from her camera.

Norm is very proud of his art.  This Pascal is one of the many favorites at the front door.

As we left early that Friday morning, I sat on Kathy's bed since Norm was up talking with Patty in the living room. Eventually Kathy woke up.  I gave her my blessing with the belief I may never see her again.  You never know.  Things can change fast too.

We got up early to make an 8am flight from Palm Springs to San Francisco but there was a fog delay in SF.

On the way home I saw an Apple Maps van with all those cameras as I entered Boscobel.  It got off at the park by the river. 

I got back at 8PM Saturday and brought Sophie home.  Who can beat a reunion? That was $105 and she had lots of playmates.
Sunday I wore red to Mass for Pentecost Sunday.  The church had a beautiful mobile that replicated the tongs of fire.

My next door neighbors have their house for sale and had an afternoon showing so their dog was dropped off at my house.  I went to a 50th anniversary party for Ron and Katja from our American Legion.  It was supposed to be a surprise party for Ron but Katja told him last week when they learned his time would be cut short with Leukemia and has about 4 months to live.  The 50th anniversary party was bitter sweet.

I leave you with this song: 

Doris Day - Que Sera Sera