WIPING THE TEARS

Sept 4. I left home with Annie and kids at 6:30 AM. Returned at 10 PM. A long day of ceremony, feasting and fellowship. It was a small gathering and Lila was painfully disappointed but it was such a perfect blend of relationships and personalities that I found the balance exciting. It went well and I think the purpose Lila envisioned for the ceremony and beyond was off to a good start.

Discovered that I had lost my debit card, EBT card, $20 and photo of Brandon. Yipes!

Sept 5. Ann M Called from Ely. She had been to the wedding of Dar's daughter. She, Roberto and Kitty would stop when they reached Deer River. Hooray! Sunday visitors! Before they arrived Pearl called and invited me down for cake and coffee. I put a note on my door directing Ann to apt 4 and left. When the wedding trio knocked on Pearl's door I was quick to let them in and introduce everyone. We had a nice visit then the 4 of us went to the Sportsman Cafe for supper. We had another lovely time and shared much laughter. They returned me to the manor. Both Pearl and Evelyn hope they will come again. "You have such nice and interesting friends," they told me.

Roberto hadn't seen the flat before and gave my abode his approval. I really appreciated his good opinion as he has an artistic eye for color and design. He also looked at my photos and declared my father to be "very handsome".

Reported loss of cards.

Sept 6. Oh, what a beautiful dream and everyone was with me but I didn't know that at first. It began that I was alone in a huge kitchen. Great quantities of food covered every surface. I felt I was in a hurry as I prepared a large bowl of cole slaw. In a wink Ann M was with me and said, "I'll finish that. They're waiting for you in the garden." so i walked out into an incredible garden that seemed to go on and on. It was silent and the people had their backs to me. The first person outside the door was a man with rather long hair. He wore a white suit and no shoes. I thought it was John Lennon. So I said, "Hello, John." The man turned. It was John Trudell. He held a small bell in one hand and few flowers in the other. He put his hands together and bowed to me. then he rang the chime and everyone became vocal and animated. I saw Aina W. She smiled sweetly and held her arms out to indicate the people with her. I knew they were her loved ones. They stood together as for a family portrait and all of them greeted me with loving smiles. Just then Beth W tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "Cash is inside and she needs help." So I went back into the house. Cash was trying to fit into a frock that was just too big for her. Quickly I cut it into pieces and sewed it back together. It was perfect. Cash gave me a big smile and hurried to the garden. I was aware of smell of food and turned to find myself in the kitchen again. Ruth Austin was at the stove cooking. I was surprised to see her. "I didn't know you could cook," I said stupidly. "I have prize winning recipes and blue ribbons for my food preparation," she told me. When I woke up I could smell Gloria's breakfast in the next flat.

I wish you could have seen that beautiful garden filled with joyful people. We must do this again some day in a dream come true.

Sept 7. First day of school! The wind is moving at 25 MPH. Cedar came at 6:10 AM. She had two pieces of toast and laid down on the settee for more sleep. The trees are pleased to have such a nice wind for dancing. But I suppose the rice is falling. I saw a monarch yesterday. The hazel nuts are all packed away by the thrifty squirrels. The high bush cranberries are ripe but I can't get out to pick as my car is still lame.

It rained all night with thunder and a light show. The storm moved across the sky at a crawl, growling and grumbling all the while.

Sept 8. After spending much time trying to figure myself out of my financial dilemma I went to bed prepared for bad dreams. Then I dreamed I was washing dishes in my tiny kitchen when my Aunt Gerry breezed in, got a towel and began drying the dishes in the rack. She was young with short curly hair. She wore black slacks and a leopard print sweater (she always liked dots on her clothes). After a moment she announced, "I finally graduated. I have my doctorate." I was quite surprised as as she had never seemed interested in higher education. "In what field?" I asked. She stared at me with a deep intensity and said, "Seeology." "Well, now I suppose you'll get a really good job," I offered. "No," she told me. "I want to stay home and raise my babies." Then she folded the towel until it was the size of a cracker and left. I was soon awake but spent some minutes thinking about my favorite aunt who had died suddenly leaving 3 small children behind.

Sept 9. When Cedar and I waited at the bus stop we saw our tall dark shadows together. So we danced and flapped our arms and laughed. Then she stood in my shadow and we became an enormous bug. I saw a lady hurrying along and invited her to join us. "Would you like to help us make a six legged bug?" I asked. she was quick to join her shadow with ours and soon we were creeping along like a real bug! We had a wonderful time being a bug.

Sept 10. As we waited for the bus today a medi-copter came over us. Cedar wanted to watch it land so she ran to the last car parked near the emergency door at the hospital. She was excited to see the big machine coming down. But soon the bus was at our stop and she was carried away.

Wallis and I went to the food shelf today.

Sept 11. Today I took four books to the bus stop and we sat on the curb reading. I had just completed book two when the bus arrived.

Today I had lunch with a spoon in one hand and a Robert Burns collection of poems and songs in the other. How it used to annoy my mother when I read at the table.

This morning I dreamed that Justice and Tommy D came. I let them in and they jumped into my bed! I got upset and demanded that they get their dirty selves out of my bed at once. Justice leaped out and stood at attention. Tommy refused to obey so I grabbed his arm, jerked him off the bed and slammed him to the floor. "Okay! Let's eat," Annie called. As we entered the kitchen the curtains caught on fire. Annie pulled them down with a fork. Then the wall caught on fire. Now she was crying and pulling her hair. I told her to throw water on it but she didn't want to make a mess. So I got water and put the fire out. Then the table burst into flames and I put that out, too. I woke up before anymore fires got started!