A trip to Shang-gri-La

Where does the time go?  This morning an hour was taken up just sorting out two weeks of medications, supplements and vitamins into our pill boxes.  Ken has been suffering with a cold or sinus infection for several days so I have increased the vit C.  He is better today and we plan to go on a Brookdale lunch outing.

Yesterday we drove to our previous dentist office about an hour away in Clear Lake for check-up.  Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching later I see I have come up short in the care-taking.  I have been taking for granted that when Ken went into shower or get ready for bed he was also brushing his teeth.  Wrong!  So more trips to the dentist and another care taking job for me...supervising his tooth brushing.  The dentist wants him to use a Water Pic but I don't think he can manage it by himself...I can see water flying all over the bathroom but what the hell!  As long as he doesn't slip and fall, right?  Our dentist and staff are so good with Ken but I hate the drive so I may take his treatment plan to the dentist out our front gate and see what she charges.

Last week was busy and fun!  Wednesday I drove to Clear Lake without Ken to go shopping with our oldest granddaughter.  She needed some stuff for departing Monday for boot camp with the National Guard and it was just delightful to spend the day and lunch with her...just the two of us.  She needed 3 black sports bras with no logo on them...we looked everywhere and all had a logo.  She called her recruiter who agreed she could take a black marker to the logos.  Mission accomplished.
Thursday it was back to Clear Lake to take Ken to the NASA Alumnae Luncheon where he got to get reacquainted with old friends.  I was so thrilled with the warm welcome he was given.  He needed to know he's been missed and I hope now that we are connected we can attend again.  It's affirming that everyone else has gotten old, too.

Friday was my day.  Dear friends of many years, Ann and Dennis Webb, were in town and picked us up for a trip to the MFAH to see the Rothko exhibit....so beautiful and exciting to see his earlier works.  Rothko so knows color and how to use it.  His earlier works are much more cheerful than his work in the Rothko Chapel.  We lunched at the Museum, saw the show and went back to the cafe for some more conversation over coffee.  It was such a glorious afternoon to be off of the Island of Blue Hairs talking art and politics.  Dennis's father had Alzheimer's so he knows just how to engage Ken much better than I can.  Dennis retired from NASA and gave us a copy of his latest book on Astronomy.  Ann and I have been artist buddies for many years and she is an Artist Way Sister...our group has been "together" for almost 20 years now.  I say "together" as often as we can get everyone in town at the same time. I so value our time together...an amazing group of women artists and writers.

And Saturday I had another wonderful day for just me.  A writing workshop with Max Marvelous Regon, my writing coach from Colorado at Spectrum Center.  All afternoon we discussed "Writing the Dangerous Memoir"....what are we afraid of in putting our our truth as we experienced it.  I have this idea of maybe at some point putting together this blog and the poetry I've written together in book form.

At 5:30 Tuesday morning I was awakened with Ken turning on all the lights.  He was up and in the bathroom.  Soon he came out and started dressing.  I asked what he was doing.  "I'm getting ready to go."  "Where?  We're not going anywhere today.  It is dark outside and 6:00 am.  Go to bed."  And so it goes.  I can't imagine what it must be like to be in his world...trying always to be on top of things while not being able to find words to express what he wants at times, getting confused about where we are and why.  The journey goes on.