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| Terry, Jeff, Susan, and Frank in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2011 |
2009 had
been quite a year or so we thought then. I sprained my ankle;
Anthony got the flu and could not come; Frank added 3 hours to his 10-hour
journey by driving to the other Davis, WV; Todd had an inner ear affliction;
and my grandfather died.
The leaves were in fine
form. In the mist, rain, and fog, the color popped. Up on the ridge, we
couldn’t see very far and experienced the wettest trails ever. It was like
hiking in a river!
On Sunday morning, we
got messages that Frank’s mom had been rushed to the hospital. We learned later
that she’d had an aneurysm in the night and died before reaching the hospital.
An incredibly disciplined woman who crafted a highly satisfying life and home,
she had seriously and conscientiously invested in her health. She should not
have left us at 70.
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| West Virginia color |
That Sunday started the
grieving process as a family with absolutely no warning. We were heartened by
her ability to be an organ donor, giving her lung, kidney, and liver. Her 13+
years of volunteer service at the U.S. National Arboretum and U.S. Botanic
Gardens were honored and a flag was flown over the U.S. Capitol. We took walks
and reminisced over family photos. We continue to live with our new reality.
(Read more about Terry.)
Now two weeks later, I’ve just returned from a work trip in Phoenix & Tempe, AZ. A worthwhile professional trip and a restorative desert experience for the incognito explorer.
Now two weeks later, I’ve just returned from a work trip in Phoenix & Tempe, AZ. A worthwhile professional trip and a restorative desert experience for the incognito explorer.
