Home Again

We had a nice long weekend in Connecticut with David’s family; we always have a fun trip. Ben and Ellen are fabulous hosts. It always makes me feel extra special because after the MS diagnosis and with my mobility problems that have gotten worse in the past couple years, I can’t make it up the stairs in their gorgeous historic house. When we’ve gotten in last year and this, one of the twin bed’s from JP‘s room has been set up in the corner of the great room with a set of guest towels and a lamp. It’s a very welcoming guest space and it’s in JP’s play area by her 1950s play kitchen. It looks like a play studio apartment and not at all like it was set-up as a handicap accessible sleeping space. It was three nights on an incredibly comfy mattress and no stairs; I always feel spoiled when we visit!

While we were there we saw our nephew, Ben’s last of his preseason hockey tournament before his senior year and last high school varsity hockey season starts. Our older niece, a sophomore, had her first varsity girls’ hockey game last night, we had to miss it because we had to get home, but they won and she got a goal! Way to go, Emma!

We also took some family time out to visit with our friend Hilary who lives a short distance from Ben and Ellen. Hilary has a wonderful view through the huge window in her living room! She took us in and called it “the reason I bought this condo.” We had lunch and played with the cats and talked. It was wonderful to catch up! Facebook is wonderful for keeping in touch, but it will never replace actually seeing and physically hugging your people!

My way cool souvenir that I got me, well, okay, David picked up, was a brick of Café Caribe coffee. Ben made us espresso on Saturday morning and it to die for! I grew up with espresso from Italy, even a splash of espresso on a little bit of ice cream as a kid so we could have coffee with the grownups. The Café Caribe is as robust a flavor but smoother than any espresso roast I’ve tasted; fantastic!


Okay, now I’m going to do yesterday’s Monday Quiz About Me, hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic. The Linky is up for 5 days, so since it’s my first day back, I’ll just pretend it’s Monday!

1. What is your favorite charity to donate to?

I am as much the charity as I am a supporter. The MS Society; I encourage, with a huge thank you, anyone who wants to, is able to, to donate to that charity and wear an orange ribbon for MS Awareness!

Ongoing MS research enables me to take a pill instead of shots to manage my symptoms. It enables me to understand the plethora of symptoms the deterioration of the myelin sheath that protects the nerves in the brain and spine do so I am able to seek the right help when a symptom is not MS and needs attention. The MS Society helps patients learn about their disease and helps them cope through getting the right supplies to manage everyday living, financial aid and planning and working with the insurance and Medicare system.

David and I are also passionate supporters locally of the Paws and Whiskers cat shelter, where Carla came to us from.


2. When was the last time you danced?

David and I danced at my brother’s wedding as far as conventional dancing goes. I still dance often with the kitchen counter for support.


3. How do you show someone you care about them?

So many ways. I listen, I support, I try to be there in person…and I bake them cookies!


4. Do you send holiday cards?

Holiday cards are so important to me. We order 75 each of our cards and train cards and write a special note about what’s gone on for the year. I design the cards and David writes the letter capitalizing on both of our strongest creative areas. When I send a card, even to an old friend I haven’t seen in years and really only communicate with that one time a year via exchanging greeting cards, it says I don’t forget and still acknowledge the important part of my world they influenced and that the influence is part of forming who I am today. People change and grow all the time and in my opinion, everyone who has touched my life in the past will always be part of my future. Christmas cards are how I say “I still know you’re part of who I am; thank you!”


Now my question 5, even though there may not be a lot of answers this week since I’m late.

5. Do you wrap gifts for someone all in one paper or in lots of different ones?

I used to hang a sign on the door of my living room at Mom and Pop’s that said “Elfen Sweatshop.” The Elfen Sweatshop is where everyone dropped in to wrap gifts and have a cup of coffee and a snack. The big Sweatshop event was when Grandma and Mom and I wrapped the gifts for under the tree and in stockings. The life of an Elfen Sweatshop roll of paper started as something for large gifts and boxes and moved down the line to smaller gifts and then teeny tiny stocking gifts. No paper was discarded. The scraps were rolled into an empty tube to be put away with the rest of the remaining paper for next year. That was not only frugal and ecological but the abundance of papers and designs makes the tree look so good! They were the ornaments at the bottom.

I still maintain that use of paper, in fact the paper carrier came with me from Michigan and there were gifts David and Rina opened in their stockings last year that were wrapped in paper my Mom bought; and Mom’s been and angel longer than 18-year-old Rina’s been an elf!