Some Kind of Busy

 

Chelsea's bouquet

      My sister is visiting for two weeks and it has made a nice change to the routine. One of the things which we do best together is laugh. Everyone knows how siblings have subtle, uncanny commonalities that mainly go unnoticed by outsiders. We weren't best friends as children, we didn't share the same friends or clothes or anything like that. But, we do share a sense of humor. We react to things the same way, reply with the same inflections in our voices, and enjoy the same foods. Tonight we laughed until we were breathless at episodes of the Carol Burnett show. It goes without saying that my mom has enjoyed having both of us by her side and I've enjoyed having a 'partner in crime' in caring for mom.
     Steve-the-best-husband-ever drove five hours on Saturday to pick up my sister for us. He did this after flying home from Florida just the day before. Two days later, during dinner on Tuesday night, he was called back to Florida. He was on a plane again by noon Wednesday. We've ended up having a girls' week!
     For entertainment, we took a drive up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. The weather was glorious all week and afforded us beautiful views. We had a light picnic lunch at the Peaks of Otter and Mom pointed out the window a lot. She didn't say anything about what she was pointing to, she just pointed at things. The next morning Candy and I joined friends at the coffee shop, then we went to the country store to buy pumpkins and gourds. We kept the fall theme going by making a batch of caramel apples per Tess' request. (We all just ate one while watching the Carol Burnett Show.) Yesterday, Audrey was off work and joined us for lunch at the White Oak Tea tavern. You can't beat that place for its cozy ambiance. Their Chicken Almondine Salad is always a favorite.
     I had business to attend today at the Federal Building downtown. My destination was the Virginia Department of Veteran's Affairs. While waiting my turn in the waiting room, another client, an older man, approached me and asked my connection to the military. I told him my dad was a paratrooper in WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He gave me a fist bump (the new handshake these days) and he choked up and started to cry. I was taken aback and didn't know quite how to respond. The next fist bump he tried to give me, I covered his hand with mine and patted his arm. He thanked me for my father's service and he said it's a shame how our veterans are treated and they deserve better. As he left the office, he stopped at the door, turned back to me and said I made his day. I thanked him and said it was mutual. Finally, I was called up and the lady who assisted me was also very kind. She was retired from the Navy. One thing I always take away from anyone I meet from our armed forces is their respectful demeanor and exceptional manners. Maybe it stands out compared to the norm these days. I think it makes a positive difference in relationships, whether business or casual.
     Amid all this busyness, our second daughter quietly remarried this week on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. The photos she sent were beautiful and my heart is full of love for her and her new husband. We all eagerly await their visit at Thanksgiving. I'm already getting things ready : )