Time Flies And Life Goes On

Don and I went to MI to visit his frail parents as they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Helena is the mother I never had. We have a special relationship. She is the mother of 3 sons, all married to girls with full time Moms. I was the only one with a mom deficit and Helena was looking for some female hormones to relate to. It has been wonderful.

Seeing her at 75 pounds, shaking with Parkinson's, and bent over with osteoporosis made me want to scoop her up into my arms and take her home for some TLC. I actually thought that would be a good idea. Roy has caregiver burnout. Archie Bunker on steroids with full blown hearing loss is the best way to describe him. Bless his heart, he tries to do and be all. He has been taken care of his whole life, and now the tables are turned and he is experiencing the numbing fatigue of the endlessness of caring for a home and the people in it. Heartbreaking.

Dinner on Sunday to celebrate the endurance of a marathon nearing the finish line was made sweet by the gathering of all 3 sons and daughter-in-laws. George and Mae Wilbert are cousins and also have a 60th anniversary in November. They are not just related, but best friends. Rounding out and bookending the old, were Jeff and Rachael. Grand kids and soon to be parents themselves. The good news of the next generation in the womb meant 4 generations were in the room!

It was a tender time. We also enjoyed seeing Karen and Fred in Detroit as they prepared to head to Chicago to celebrate the engagement of their middle daughter Laura. This whole visit was so circular. Really like floating above the family as it goes through the incarnations of life in all its stages. So easy to remember first pregnancy nuances, and impossible to envision our own future frailty. John and Roxanne were our perfect hosts.

No visit to Detroit is complete (for a knitter) without a visit to City Knits. The shop is in one of Detroit's finest architectural gems, The Fisher Building. They had a decent sale going and I had to add to my stash. Roxanne endured the shopping and was rewarded with her choice of pattern and yarn. I got knitting in every morning with my coffee as I watched the freighters navigate the Detroit River under the Ambassador Bridge towards Canada. We were treated to some exciting cruises aboard the cabin cruiser Tahiti. Captain John was impressive. Retirement suits you. Beginnings and endings. I finished a book on the plane. I finished a handbag on the boat. I began a shawl and another purse on the flight back. Rachael begins a new generation and Helena prepares to finish her journey on earth. Somehow it is all knit together...