A FULL HEART

So many emotions and activities packed into not just one day but an entire birthday week. It definitely was a wild week of ups and downs which ended on a very sad note... 

I dedicate my birthday week to a dear friend, Marty, with whom our friendship grew these past 2 years. We will miss the man whose heart was so full it just gave out at 84 years young. We have so many nice memories spent around the table sharing stories, jokes and life due to his bride Karol who made their house alive again with company.    

This past Monday I brought milkshakes to the hospital only to find out the chest pain that had brought Marty in the wee hours of the morning unveiled a lot more going on... He wouldn't be polishing off the milkshake nor able to undergo any operation to alleviate the problems so the decision was made to go home on palliative care. From almost losing him that Monday night, each consecutive day he appeared stronger, more talkative, witty, hungry, and even independent. The man rallied and gave us all almost another week with him.

Besides short visits to their home,  I filled my week with attending a forum with our district's 3 candidates for the House of Representatives, viewing Mama Mia 2 with 10 of the Jazzercise gals (do note the Jazz hands), caught  4 more greedy mice in the garage,

made a new recipe of Zucchini Ravioli to share with Marty and his family, completed an overdue visit with my 91 year old friend, Jean, discussing everything from politics to family. That evening Natureman and I went to Moon Tunes to groove to MoTown favorites.



Natureman had a full day planned Friday for my birthday but one surprise he didn't expect was the joy of Natureman capturing of Raccoon #7. Unfortunately he also discovered our corn all gone... 
                                  Oh well, there was still
Jazzercise for me and a visit to see Marty sitting up having lunch, making my birthday lunch even lovelier on the patio of the Waterfront Restaurant and a birthday dessert of a delicious frozen chocolate mocha treat on lady fingers, followed by a Miata ride to Wabasha, MN for River Boat Days and then on to Elmaro Vineyards to end the birth day with a cheese tray and a birthday bottle of wine from buddy JoEllen,  Elmaro's  La Crescent wine while we fawned over the entertainment, Jo Ellen's husband David. :)

David dedicated Shangri-la to this bday girl...

 The birthday weekend continued on Saturday with services and another visit pleased to hear good news how Marty had eaten breakfast and  lunch in the kitchen no less. He was a bit restless and since he had other guests we headed over to the University Art Show. Glass artist friend Laurel bestowed upon me a lovely glass leaf necklace to match my dress. Sweeeet.


Sunday was a mixed bag as we received the call Marty had not awoken that morning... The early morning fog cleared and the skies were a beautiful blue. 
More music awaited us at nearby Branches Winery with locals Dan Sebranek and Mary Cortesi. 

 But what happened there is absolutely amazing as it concerns, Jordy, their dog.
 We had just sat down and gotten comfortable in our lawn chairs when this dog beelines straight to us and sits down inbetween Natureman and me waiting to be petted. Mary quips on the mike not to mind the dog as he's used to going with her to work, he's a therapy dog. Okay, somehow that dog sensed that we, of all the people there, needed to pet her as one, we had just lost Marty and two, our dog was put to sleep the week before.  It gives me shivers to think how intuitive Jordy was. Jordy didn't go to anybody else...

Sunday was one of those days we needed to be at more than one place so we headed to town.  Peoplefest was going on with 3 organizations we belong to as sponsors. 




The talent we saw was from China, Centro Latino, the Hmong Community and Congregation Sons of Abraham.

We ate our picnic dinner
and enjoyed the delightful presentations.



My birthday weekend wasn't quite over as Natureman had to leave for Tahara, the ritual bathing to prepare Marty for his burial. I, in turn worked on the condolence meal which will follow the burial.

What a birthday week to say the least and my heart is full.  

One never knows when it will be our last day so we have to do everything we can to make the most of each day... Marty, we will miss you.
   

MoTown, Memories and a Month of Music...

 I can't imagine life without music. Summertime keeps this addiction going with numerous fixes and boy have we had variety! You can never have enough music so even after a second visit to Arcadia for Ashley for the Arts on Saturday, we stopped in Galesville at the historic Arnold House where a celebration was taking place for its 140th Birthday and enjoyed some dessert with music. 

From new artists to legends, it's always comforting to know new lyrics and tunes are still being written and yet there's always  the classics. Tunes that transgress generational differences and no matter how many times these songs are remade, there's nothing like the originals... 

The legendary Beach Boys gave a fun concert in the small town of Arcadia  Friday night courtesy of Ashley for the Arts. The concert was advertised to last 45 minutes (much less time than our car trip there) and yet it lasted a good two hours. Perhaps another performer's cancellation enabled this schedule change but nobody complained.

Natureman even reminisced about cars that the concert screen and music evoked... Music does that... providing flashbacks of our past.

One of my best birthday treats, this past month, MoTown, the Broadway musical of MoTown's history, was another such 'feel good' musical experience and the audience couldn't have been more appreciative.  Doesn't the crowd and setting also make the experience?  Heck, yeah.  Although I admit I watched American Bandstand religiously, my  REAL favorite was dancing with the program 'Soul Train' in my younger days and wishing I could be on the show... 

Hey, I am still working on those moves.

Seniors filled the Arcadia seats with standing room only as seasoned talented folk musician John McCutcheon, 7 time grammy nominee, who entertained us with folk music Saturday afternoon as he played some keyboard, guitar, banjo, dulcimer, jaw's harps and double dulcimer. Gee I might have even forgotten one besides his terrific voice. So much musical talent and oh the story telling ... 

The stories will continue to be told with hopefully a lot of great lyrics and music accompanying them... and new memories will be made for another generation.