Constance Ore is a retired Teacher, Choir Director, and Organist. And a formidable cook.

March 6, 2006

Filed under: — Constance at 3:03 pm on Monday, March 6, 2006

The grand sounds of spring came to Sanctuary yesterday. There were meadow larks at dawn, and chains of wild geese flying overhead all morning calling out instructions to each other as they passed. In the afternoon, the red winged blackbirds came back to claim their territories from the tree tops while the cardinals have already been very actively singing out their spaces for several days now. I read that birds can share trees with other species because they live at different levels, but they must let others of their kind know what is theirs, hence all that marvelous song.

Today, as we cross the meadow on a walk, I am leaning heavily on Charles’ arm and we are moving very slowly. “What a life!” I say sadly. “Yes” he says firmly, “and it IS a life. . . with options, including long-range ones”. After a bit, I say, “I would suppose that they have wheel-chairs in Russia” and he immediately replies, “Of course they do. . . at the very least, those big wooden ones with the high backs.” We are both smiling as we conjure up our own mental pictures of the possibilities.

2 Comments

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Comment by Chuck Dull

March 6, 2006 @ 5:07 pm

Dear Connie…

Here we are in Chicago as we look after the grandkids and celebrate my mother’s birthday with my brother and his family. Tim and Tara headed to Mexico for a break–belated 15th/Tim’s 40th.

I loved your words–all of them as I just read all of your journals. I could just see you walking with Charles today–feeling both the reality and hope in your words and spirit.

Jo has been staying in touch and I realize I’m always asking her “how is Connie doing”
and I’m now kicking myself in the ass for not getting the info first hand and directly. This epistle is a step in the right direction.

I was in Asia for nearly a couple of weeks. I met Jo in LA upon my return. We met at LAX with Jo coming from the midwest and me coming in from Hong Kong. Interestingly, as I was leaving, the Gary and Julie were leaving LAX that same hour but our paths did not cross–only our phone calls via these blasted and sometimes blessed cellphones.

While in LA we spent a day and half with Jim and Tracy Nelesen. It is very, very tough. They are in the midst of a very final intervention which will be completed very soon. They were seeing some hope in December but the cancer has rushing past all the interventions in the last two months so this experimental drug is it. Prayers and hope…

Jim and I had some alone time a big chunk of one day while Jo and Tracy got out of their home.

Jo just called and asked me to come down for an early dinner–the boys and mom eat fairly early.

I will call tonight!

Love you, love to Charles,

Chuck

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Comment by Janna

March 7, 2006 @ 1:19 pm

I don’t see you in a wheel chair, Mom. A sedan chair, perhaps. With four beefy guys carrying you around…

Love love love!

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