I have 3 women on my regular meals on wheels route that I think are pretty cool and have gotten to know quite well over the last few years. They are all very different and in all honesty my very favorite is, and always will be, Josephine.
Josephine is soon to be 95 and from Poland, though she lived for many, many years in Chicago. Pauline is from the Bronx, New York and is 88...she is kind and quick to laugh. Betty is a California native, is also 88 and is a tiny, tiny thing with a warm smile and an ultra mean bite. She's a spitfire.
I decided that every once in awhile, these ladies needed to get together for lunch. I provide lunch (not meals on wheels, but real lunch) and the wheels and basically transport the two most portable to whomever is the least portable's house.
Make sense?
Yesterday, I picked up Betty and Pauline...quite literally as it was a challenge getting them in the car, and then listened to Betty comment on everything from my car (too dirty), to my skirt (too black), to the roads (too noisy), to the sun (too bright), and to the wind (too breezy).
We travelled 5 blocks to Josephine's.
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Once there, they talked and laughed and smiled and listened and gave advice. It's so easy to forget that the person behind that walker was once me, with a husband and kids and laundry and bills to pay and a home and a garden. And that they are still amazing, vibrant, strong women who have survived so much and have so much to share.
So yesterday, with my basket of cucumbers from my garden, I had 3 women with walkers teaching me to make pickles. They chopped and sliced and boiled and in the end, I have a dozen jars of pickles that I am not sure I ever want to open...because while canning them I listened to stories of wars and hunger and even concentration camps, and stories of family picnics and canning parties and Sunday suppers. No complaining...except that life is too short.
Strong, amazing women...even Betty, whose bite is far less when surrounded by the other two.
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My boys both had good 1st days. Alex likes most of his classes, but especially 6th period basketball. It was confirmed that on game days he needs to wear dress pants, shirt AND a tie...and that there are ususally 2 games a week. He's thrilled.
Brian could not understand why the teacher had to talk so much.
Enough said.
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I came home from lunch to a big box of skirts from my favorite store. All on sale...even better!
This morning I met Katharine for breakfast and a trip to Barnes and Noble. M is out of town this weekend so it will be a quiet one around here with no real plans, which is kind of strange....except Alex wants tuna casserole for supper.
And pickles.
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Well, you better clean your car this weekend for Betty. See if she notices!
ReplyDeleteYou should write all the stories down so you don't forget them.
ReplyDelete