Rainy Day for Travel

Sept 13, 2014 10:00 P.M.

I am so glad I decided to break the trip to Watertown up. The first day, Friday was for the most part overcast, sun breaking through in spots and then more sunshine as I turned at Buffalo and headed east. It was cool but nice enough for Nancy and I to take a walk, wearing sweaters, after I arrived at her place in Newark. 

Saturday was the opposite; it rained all the way, never stopped until after I got to Lucy’s about 4:00. But since I had done more than half the trip the day before, it was not too bad. I doubt I would have been able to do it all in one day in the rain. It was slower going and I had to pay much more attention to driving and I could not drive without my glasses as the visibility out was not good. But I arrived safely and not too tired.

Lucy’s apple trees in the back yard are just loaded with apples and there are already many lying on the ground. Last year when I was here I picked up many, many apples, some were rotten and worm-eaten, but many were still good, Some even good enough to eat out of hand and others wonderful for applesauce. Just thinking about the wonderful applesauce that we made from apples last year makes my mouth water.

Tomorrow is the big party day. We gals have been checking out wardrobes and discussing what we will wear. All of the food has to be carried in so lists are being made lest something is forgotten. 

This is not the usual 50th wedding celebration. My brother resides in the dementia ward at a Watertown Hospital and we are taking the party to him. Lucy has faithfully stood by Phil as his condition worsened from forgetfulness to something that resembled Alzheimers and then was re-diagnosed to a much more complex form of dementia. He knows familiar faces when he sees us, cannot always come up with our names, but is happy to have visitors. We will have music as he loves to dance. And of course, pictures and lots of laughter. A small party of relatives and members of the original wedding party have been invited.

Hopefully all the rain is over; it is supposed to be cool but sunny tomorrow. The weather has turned cold quickly. It was 46º when I left Newark this morning and is unseasonably cold, even for this north country. Maybe we will get some “Indian summer” days yet. The leaves are not turning color much but if it stays this cold, it won’t take long before they do.

I discovered today that even though I had to wear my glasses all day today due to the rainy weather, my eye never got “scratchy” so that is a pretty good indication that it is too much close work with glasses that causes that discomfort. My eye feels really good tonight. There is hardly any difference in the feeling one eye from the other.

Since I do not have wi-fi here at Lucy’s I have dated this when I have written It. I will try and get to a wi-fi connection when I am in the city tomorrow. But that might not happen. At least when you get it, you’ll know I am thinking of you all. Be seeing you... sometime.