Birthday Surprise!

I'm notorious for forgetting birthdays of friends and remembering family only after the date arrives.  Don't know what it is about my brain, but those dates slip through my little gray cells as the detective Perot calls them.  I've tried writing the dates on calendars, but I lose the calendars.  I've tried electronic card services, but I end up dropping the service and lose the carefully entered reminders.  I think you get the idea.  I'm a space cadet at times.

Luckily, my daughter's birthday and my husband's are only days apart (July 31 and July 29), so I have a better chance of remembering their celebrations.  It took me several years to remember John's as it was only slightly different from an ex-husband's -- very embarrassing.  After 18 years though, someone should shoot me if I can't remember these dates!  This year I was determined not only to remember but to get perfect presents delivered on time.  After I sent Kathryn's present, I shopped, wrapped and hid John's in the guest bathroom a whole week before the day.  Surely, he had no reason to go in there when he returned from New York after being with his first grandchild.

It was with great joy I woke my guy up at 6:00 AM on July 29th with an off key, but hearty rendition of "Happy Birthday" as he snoozed on the couch (he'd fallen asleep there after an 11PM set of physical therapy exercises to strengthen the muscles around his arthritic left hip). He can't swagger anymore.  His gait is more of a hop, skip and drag on bad days.

"Thanks honey," he smiling weakly while he stretched and rubbed his eyes.
"Do you want to open your birthday present?  I got you something very special"  I chirped.
A smart man, he answered, "Sure.  Just let me get up."  He rose, pulled his hair back into its perpetual ponytail, snapped on the hair band and stood up.
"You'll have to help me carry them in," I declared as he followed me into the bathroom.
"Did you know I hid them here?"
"Yes, honey.  I thought you had gotten me over sized fire extinguishers or boat fenders."
"Well, that's not the case at all."  I sighed, beginning to feel a bit worried about my choice of present.

We took the two boxes wrapped in multi-colored birthday paper and big bows into the living and plopped them on the couch.  One weighed about 4 pounds and the other about eight or nine.  He opened the the smaller one.  The way he tore the paper back and yanked the ribbons indicated some enthusiasm.  The smile returned to my face.

"I never would have guessed," he laughed as he unrolled a thick gel mat, plopped it on the kitchen floor in front of the stove and stood on it.  He became pensive for a moment. Again,  I thought he was disappointed. I remembered the time, years ago when I was a kid, that Dad bought Mom a new set of tires for her birthday.

"Are you disappointed?" I whimpered, ready for the worst.
"No, this is great'" he bellowed. "It feels great on my hip.  I can cook forever with these mats."  He unwrapped the six foot long second mat and placed it in front of the sink and work counter.  He walked back and forth over the mats.  He smiled.  He was pleased, gave me a big hug and poured the coffee.

Lesson learned: You know you're getting old when your husband actually appreciates a practical gift like gel mats.  I'm looking forward to my tires.

Pension Time

On October 5th in 1981, I resigned from AT&T complete with a vested pension.  I couldn't imagine myself getting to 65 to collect all promised $441.93 per month.  However, I've dragged the paperwork around for 30 years just in case.  Well, time has caught up with me.  On November 19th I will turn 65 so last month I hunted down the forms that are now brown around the edges.  Would I be able to hunt down the benefits department?  All the old phone numbers are defunct.  They didn't have my current address and the people who issued my paperwork are most likely retired as well. 

Thirty years is a long time.  In fact, it's so old that the "Application for Distribution on Termination of Service" form has key punch operator instructions for what should be on each of three cards. I found the website for retirees, but none of my information is electronically accessible.  This makes a girl feel really, really old.  However I persevered.  After multiple phone calls and listening patiently through multiple phone instructions, I reached a young man confirmed that my records were not available online but reassured me when he explained, "We tried to send you a retirement package in June, but it was returned." 

"Wow! I'm not lost!" I exclaimed. 
"No, ma'am.  You are not lost.  We have your information."
"Can I still get my pension?"
"Yes, of course.  Give me your current address and we'll send you the new paperwork."

I wait with great expectations for the new paperwork to arrive.  The next challenge is to decide what I might do with my monthly stipend.  Wrinkle cream?  Personal trainer?  Champagne?

John's a grandfather!

Bridget - 7 days old

He called Liz at her office in NYC Friday afternoon, "We're going sailing for the weekend, unless you think I should hang around."

"Oh no, Dad.  Don't worry.  I'm still 8 days away from the due date.  I'm feeling fine. Have a great sail.  I'll talk with you Monday," she chirped into the phone.

So we went to the boat.  The weather was perfect -- like late September...dry, bright and breezy.  My phone buzzed in the middle of the night.  I ignored it, thinking it was John's.  He ignored it, thinking it was mine.  He slept like a baby and I tossed and turned -- between his gurgling and my achy shoulders -- it's a tough sleep sometimes.

At 8:00AM we woke, and by rote, checked the phones. There was a voice mail from Liz. "Water broke at 1AM. Am off to the hospital. Come soon!"  John called Patricia, his oldest daughter, who had called and left multiple excited messages.  She'd left Harper's Ferry at 1:30AM and was now at the house in Queens taking care of the dogs before going to the hospital.  She laughed, "Dad!  What happened?  I drove up without you. I couldn't get you." 

Scurrying like mice, we gathered essentials and headed home.  We had John on a train to NYC by 10:30AM.  Before he arrived, little Bridget was born.  Tonight they are all together.  Liz is tired and sore after 12 hours of labor. And, little Bridget gave everyone a scare.  She started turning blue while Liz was holding her.  Fast action by the nurses resulted in oxygen and inflating one of her little lungs.  She's fine now, but will stay in neo-natal for a few days just to make sure.

After fetching John to the train at Union Station, I drove back to the boat.  I felt at loose ends, alone and unable to take Forte Vento out by myself. I pushed myself out of my doldrums by washing and waxing the boat in the balmy afternoon breeze and sun.  It's a good day -- new life and high hopes for a happy mother and child.

John loves kids.  He has a natural affinity. His heart is tender.  His openness and acceptance of them, no matter what they do or say is just amazing.  Goodnight.

Mid-summer heat

It's a hot summer on the Chesapeake.  Winds are getting lighter.  We consider three hours in 5-8 knot winds a sailing success.  Forte Vento continues to please us. 

We took a short four days on the water over the July 4th weekend.  No jelly fish yet so I went swimming off the back of the boat in Ledenham Creek in Little Owl Cove.  Second night brought us a storm with pounding rain and 25 knot winds.  We twirled on our anchor as the wind whipped us around.  But, the anchor held.  The morning brought sunshine. As we tried to leave the clutch on our windlass (power assist for raising the anchor). John hauled up his wrench and fixed the boy. (he's becoming quite handy mechanically on the boat).  Once out of Broad Creek, we sailed across the Choptank over to the eastern short village of Cambridge, the county seat for Dorchester County.  It's still struggling to rejuvenate itself after the death of the crabbing and oystering waterman industries.  It's a bit to far for commuting to DC or Baltimore.  A few smart restaurants and galleries dot the main street amongst weathered and broken store fronts that remain to be repaired.
Confused by the entry into the Cambridge Municipal Marina, we almost go a aground.  However, we persist to take a slip.  That night, we sit mesmerized by the  fireworks off our starboard side.  A perfect, unobstructed close-up view.

Unexpectedly, we were able to sail across the Choptank in light winds.  John climbed on deck to adjust the leach lines(outer edge of the sails)  on the sails to stop the flapping.  He's becoming quite confident and maneuvers well despite his arthritic hip.  By the time we approached the turn into the Bay, the wind died and we motored home, hot and sweaty, but happy to once again get into our on the water groove.