Preparation for the celebration of Linda's life are in full swing. Menu planned. Shopping scheduled. Thanks, Marcy, for helping with food. Thanks, Jeff, for the photos. Thanks, Jesse, for the flowers. Thanks, Paula, for offering to arrange for the music. Thanks, Christine, for preparing the pamphlet -- it is beautiful. Thanks, Elinor and friends, for giving us the template for Mother from which to work. Thanks to all of you who have sent stories. I'll take them at any time.
So that's the focus -- getting ready for and getting through Sunday.
Tonight I got my hair cut by Delia. Janis recommended her several years ago as someone who knew how to cut the hair of cancer patients. Also, her own mother died 13 years ago of cancer, so she is compassionate as well as good. I had to tell her that Linda died last month. Not easy. Then I treated myself to a manicure, minor pedicure and small massage at a salon around the corner (as my NY treatments had gotten a bit ragged). The cut looks really nice, but I just don't like the feel of mousse in my hair. We'll see how it behaves tomorrow after a shower.
We were out of cantaloupe, so I stopped on the way home to pick some up. It always makes me laugh when I can't get the cut pieces into the bowl and on the floor quickly enough so Ketzl gets up on the counter, licking at the remainder of the melon. I got home early enough (and it's staying light late enough) so that Ketzl could go outside for just a bit.
Things that need order include some renovations for the yards. First is removal of critters. Net so far: one possum, one rat. Next will be termite riddance. Appointment on Monday. I dearly hope that some alternative to tenting and noxious fumes will work. Today I met with a landscape designer. Because he came to me from two channels, I felt it must be right. He did Fran's yard and we met him at her birthday party two years ago, and he knows Daphne from a class at Foothill College and she works with him on some installations and fruit tree management. Thems are high recommendations, and it means that Daphne will be able to work on the yards here. We'll get the overall plan and then implement it in phases. One thing that made me feel good was that Glenn felt that the overall shape of the front yard is nice. (I designed it.) But we agreed on eliminating the agapanthus (lily of the Nile) and camellias. The flowers are pretty but their overall value is slight (in my opnion). I am looking forward to his ideas.
Putting on the purple ribbon pin is getting more automatic and less hard. I can change the toilet paper roll so that it comes out from underneath if I want! I still need to remember to put things away more consistently, but I haven't lost my keys or cell phone recently. I need to finish up the acknowledgment cards, including some donations to the scholarship fund at the University of Akron School of Law. What a brilliant idea that is. (Thanks Adam and Suzanne)
Today was very warm, and it's supposed to get even warmer the next few days. Among other titles, Linda was "The Queen of Airflow," and I dutifully closed all window coverings and doors to spare rooms, and hte house stayed pretty bearable. I've learned! There is so much that I learned from Linda. There was so much more to learn. So now I just need to figure things out on my own. "What would Linda do?"
