I’m back from my trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
It was so good to see my family and to be part of what’s going on with my sister and her upcoming surgery to remove the desmoplastic ameloblastoma in her upper jaw.
There was a lot to do while I was there, and I ended up creating a flyer for the all-day benefit concert for Carrie that will take place on May 30.
A huge garage sale, scheduled for next weekend, is also being planned – again, the proceeds to help defray the huge medical costs involved with her procedures. There are also constant reminders about how difficult the aftermath of this surgery will be: visits to the one and only doctor in New Mexico who makes prosthetic palates (called “obturators”), appointments to speech therapists (surprising how much a palate and a jaw contribute to clear speech and how unclear it becomes without ‘em!), etc. Thanks to the help of her many dear friends, and one in particular who is spearheading the concert and providing immense support, spirits are high and Carrie is ready.
But there were fun moments too. We all went to a local rest home where the Highland Harmonizers sang to the residents with great gusto and fun. My mother is singing here (she wears the largest flowery Easter hat).
Speaking of my mother, she celebrated her 80th birthday – a week later, for my benefit, since I couldn’t be there for her real birthdate.
My sister cooked a fantastic meal and we had a great time with about a dozen friends who came to be part of the fun.
I had fun photographing this birthday balloon just as the sun set and the last rays hit the room. That light in the balloon is the sun just as it went down. You can see the reflected light on the balloon below the orange one, sort of like a sliver moon.
It was also fun to see a member of the newest generation arrive on the scene.
One of Carrie’s friends was babysitting her very first grandchild, and she brought the baby over to show us.
Carrie’s little Maltese, named Maizy, found the baby irresistible too. This was the first time Maizy had ever encountered an infant, and she was very curious – and extremely gentle, sniffing and 
licking the baby’s face in greeting.
And after all this activity, it’s nice to know that there is time to relax and recover (here she is under my covers, sticking her head out and very sleepy). That is what Maizy does best, and she’s an inspiration to take time out and nurture one’s self, don’t you think?
