It Was a Peaceful Day

I did not watch the news this week. I did watch the historic inauguration on Wednesday and I will admit that I was impressed. This, by the way, was not news it was an actual happening. No one was putting a twist on this event as it was happening. The inauguration speech was worthy of a president of the USA. The oaths were sworn with dignity and with seriousness of purpose. I can’t say the musical choices (aside from the National Anthem) or the performers were exactly my cup of tea, as it were, but the appeal to many was obvious. Even the replacement of the crowd with flags was moving. And most impressive of all was that there was no violence, thank God. Let me back-track, the most impressive of all in my humble opinion was the young poet laureate Amanda Gorman. What an outstanding young lady she is. Her emphatic reading of her poetic work was an important part of the ceremony. It was remarkably well done considering she has struggled to overcome a speech impediment. Her mother is a teacher in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Amanda has announced her intention to run for president of the United States in 2036, the first year she will be eligible to do that. The memorial event the night before in memory of the 400,000 who died of COVID-19 was touching. It has taken the leadership of this nation a long time to admit to this overwhelming tragedy. Now it has been done, and the healing can begin, I hope and pray. A peaceful snow has fallen almost all day and continues into the night. It will stop and then begin again just gently coating the world with white. It’s a beautiful sight especially through the living room window while sitting near the fireplace.

Sophia, resident cat and ruler of the house, rather enjoys her time before the fire. She is fascinated by the flames. She will watch them leap for a time and then decide that a nap is called for. Interestingly enough, she finds that most things call for a nap. Her most active time is in the morning waiting for me to emerge from the shower and “play her game.” It is just amazing how some brightly colored tinsel on a string can entertain her for as long as I am willing to play. She never gets tired and walks away. I have other things to do, thus I am the one who makes and end of it. I wish for peace for four friends suffering from various afflictions, cancer, hereditary disease, COVID-19 and complications, and depression. Looking at the gently falling snow my wish is that their troubles could be resolved as easily as those flakes float down. I am also deeply grieved at learning of the death of another my former students at the too young age of 37. My chemotherapy week went well. The first day, always the longest, seemed interminable this week. I have to have blood drawn first so the lab can process it, and send the doctor the report before I see him so that takes an hour. The doctor is sometimes late because of patient overload or late

reports. Then it is off to the infusion center for the first of five days. This time around it was announced that the shipment of my medication had not arrived so a courier had been dispatched to fetch some from the other large hospital system. Then I was told it had arrived and needed to be prepared and finally the robot delivered it to the nurses’ station and the IV was started. The blood draw usually takes 10 -15 minutes. The doctor’s appointment never is more than 15 minutes (this particular day was less than 10). The infusion itself is 30 minutes. I was there four hours! Waiting is so frustrating. Then, on Wednesday, when I arrived they announced that my medicine had been delivered in the morning! So for the last three days I was in and out in an hour. I hope your week has gone well. I thank you for reading. I’m grateful for your thoughts and prayers. I am feeling well and thankful for you.