A HOST of GOLDEN DAFFODILS 04/08/01

Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - a host of golden daffodils
Date: 4/8/01 10:58:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Of all the mean, raw and miserable days we have had this spring, this morning made me feel like today was going to be the meanest, rawest and most miserable of them all.

As it turned out, the day was filled with brightness and light and happiness. The weather stayed the same as it was this morning - grey, with light rain and a chill that went to the bone - but then weather is not everything.

Elsa brought home a recording of today's Palm Sunday service. A male trio - Neil Simonetti, Greg Baker and Thane Glenn - did the singing honors and they sounded wonderful. I could have played, "Ride on, ride on in majesty..." over and over and over. Jeremy gave the service, which was filled with wonderful moments. A real donkey processed through the Society Room and people strewn palm fronds along the way. I especially liked when Jeremy had the children shout "Hosanna!"

Around mid-afternoon, Carole arrived for our discussion group (we are reading Your Best Year Yet!), which is always a treat for me.

We were supposed to write out our top accomplishments over the past twelve months and our top disappointments over the past twelve months. I have a hard time with that sort of thing.

It is hard for me to be introspective to that degree. It is easy to say generalities, but this is supposed to be more specific than, "I was more charitable."

It was wonderful to have Carole and Elsa there, because my difficulty lead to a discussion and both of them made me feel pretty good about myself. Also, Elsa suggested I look over the past few years rather than just one year, because it can be hard for me to remember what happened in 2000 - at my age the years can run together. Carole thought that was a good idea, so that is what I will do. When I write something down, I am going to ask myself, "Is this general or is it specific?" and if I get really stumped I will talk it over with Elsa or call Carole. This working in a group is really nice.

After Carole left, Elsa and I headed off for a drive so I could see the daffodils. It was still grey and clammy, but the daffodils and narcissus along the banks at Chris and Ellen Asplundh's were a warm gold and white. We checked out the "host of golden daffodils" at the edge of the Glencairn/Cairnwood great lawn. We drove past them going up Huntingdon Pike and then turned around and drove past them going down Huntingdon Pike. We did that several times and I still cannot tell which is my favorite view.

We drove throught the cathedral porte-cochere and admired the flowers. There is a little white flower that I thought was lily-of-the-valley, but I think it is too early for them. Elsa thought the flower had what seemed like a blue vein in the petals but I could not tell - my cataract surgery did a lot of good but spotting a slight vein of blue in a tiny flower's petals is stretching it. There were more daffodils and a blue flower with what looked like a white star in its center and bluebells and even a Christmas rose(!).

I almost forgot the hyacinths planted at the entry to Cathedral Road in different shades of purple.

We nipped around Cairncrest, past several pairs of people out walking. As we came up Quarry Road to Alnwick Road, we had a great view of the hosts of golden daffodils in that sort of triangle.

We finished up the drive by dipping down into Huntingdon Valley for a swing into the Bethayers Shopping Center and a vanilla custard ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen - "with a curl on top!"

It is a happy woman who is beginning to consider trekking up the wooden hill.

I dread tomorrow - Elsa heads back to work after five days of taking care of John and myself. I will miss her a lot, as will John. (She is not even going to be home at night - she will be representing both of us at the Caritas meeting.)

John remains on the mend Elsa does her best to "sit" on him when he feels better, because he tends to do too much. I am happy he is not coughing as much as he has been.

The Lord bless you and keep you throughout this blessed Easter Week - Kay