Random Notes from the Sandwich Life
1. Right after Judi passed I came downstairs, in tears, and told the boys. They looked very solemn and their eyes were huge. I was in a panic to get hold of Nancy right away so she could come practice by Judi. I had hoped to get her here before the end but things went too fast. So I stood there holding Judi's phone and my phone trying to figure out what to do. I asked Owen to hold Judi's pink phone for me and he did so reverently and then said, "it's a good thing we have this phone to remember her by." I laughed through my tears.
2. I came back into the kitchen later and Owen was on the computer and he said in a wonderfully cheerful voice, "Mom, this video is REALLY cheering me up, maybe you should watch it. Uh, thanks Owen.
3. A bit later Owen walked into the room where I was sitting and solemnly said, "I'm sorry about your sister Mom. She was a really great aunt." I thanked him and then Leo raced over and laid a prime folded potato chip on the arm of my chair because he knows I love the folded ones.... Could I have more wonderful boys?
4. Later in the day Leo and Owen went out to ride bikes. Owen also evidently decided it was his duty to inform key people of our news. He knocked on our neighbor Dave's door. Dave opened the door and cheerfully said, "hey Owen buddy, how ya doing?" or something like that. Reportedly, Owen looked up through his glasses and solemnly said, "you shouldn't really be happy right now." Dave got appropriately serious and then Owen gave him the news.
5. Leo is of course much quieter about it all but he's been particularly sweet and affectionate which does me no end of good.
6. Ernie had his MRI today and we saw our dear Dr. Sapiente. Ernie told me if I can avoid having an MRI then I should. I agreed. He said he felt like he was trapped in a combination of the soundtrack to Eraserhead and bad Kraftwerk outtakes..... Dr. Sapiente felt that it was still suspicious of bone metastasis but not definite so Ernie will have a biopsy on the 20th and we'll get the results the 27th.
7. The service will be at Japan House on Saturday at 1:00. I think it will be very nice. Kimiko Gunji will perform a dedication tea ceremony and then Nancy will lead, if that's the right word, the Sukhavati for Judi. Then we'll have some middle eastern food as that's what Judi loved with some tea and some prosecco.
8. We'll have people over to the house after that if they like. My dear friend Elizabeth offered to make food for people and I gratefully said yes. See? I have gotten much better at saying yes to offers of help.
9. We're still pretty exhausted but I must thank everyone wholeheatedly for every comment, every email, ever bit of food, every hug....everything. Much love to you all.