Celebrating the Day

 

Thursday, May 31, 2012 – Celebrating the Day

We don’t have to wait another century or even another year to celebrate.  Each day’s simple pleasures are reason enough to rejoice.  I went outside before 7 this morning and discovered that our clematis has finally graced us with a lovely blossom.  The humidity has departed, giving way to air that smelled fresh and sweet.  Birds were twittering and singing with such vigor that I decided to open the windows (allergies be damned!) so we could enjoy their serenade as we ate our breakfast. 

Speaking of breakfast, I’ve recently become fascinated by coffee, much as I was fascinated by wine earlier in the year.  Elliott sticks to his tried-and-true French roast, but I like to experiment with different roasts and origins.  Every time I run out of coffee, I buy a new kind.  The problem is that I like them all!  Or perhaps that’s not really a problem. 

It’s such a luxury to have the time to sit and scratch out a few words on a scrap of paper while thoughts are swirling in my head.  I’m thinking about how I’ll spend the next hour – eating my oatmeal and drinking green tea, looking at the newspaper (after living in the birthday bubble for the past week, I have no idea what’s going on in the rest of the world), getting ready to go to the gym.  I just realized I’m smiling. 

Bye, bye, birthday

 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 – Bye, Bye, Birthday

It’s official:  Elliott is 100 years old – plus a few days.  We both survived his celebration of a century (full report – with photos – to follow later this week), and we’re making the transition back to “normal” activities.  We’re down to two houseguests, Joel and Marshall, who are wonderful company and very low-maintenance.  The return to the familiar rhythm of daily activities feels so comforting after the hectic pace of the past week.  When I heard my alarm go off at 6:30 this morning, I made myself a bowl of oatmeal and changed into exercise clothes for our regular workout at the gym.  It was Elliott's first workout as an official centenarian.

 After finding volunteers to take the remaining cake, cupcakes, and crudités, there’s space in our refrigerators once again.  For our post-workout snack, Elliott finished off the last piece of cake.  Bye, bye, birthday, until next year.  

Crunch Time

 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 – Crunch Time

With three days remaining, crunch time is here.  Sure, there are momentary flare-ups when the pressure gets to us, but overall, I’m determined to maintain the right perspective and to keep some balance in my life.  I’ve even scheduled in some time for myself today: a morning workout, Indian buffet lunch at Woodlands, and the finale of Glee tonight.  After our workout yesterday morning, we spent four hours at Wegman’s, finalizing the order for Saturday and Sunday (and sampling the cupcakes).  Also, I managed to enlarge and print out the family tree charts of Elliott’s ancestors and descendants.  Thank you to Elisa for creating these. 

At home, it’s hard to control my compulsion to straighten up and put things away.  Now, if only the garden would look as good as the inside of the house, I’d be happy.  Hopefully today’s rain will make it easier to pull weeds from the flowerbeds tomorrow.  There’s no chance of growing grass, so maybe I should just spray paint the front yard green.  The forecast says the rain should stop by the weekend – so several activities can take place out of doors. RSVPs are still rolling in.  Barack and Michelle won’t be able to come to the party, but they sent Elliott a lovely birthday greeting.   

Teamwork

 

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – Teamwork

In honor of today’s picnic-perfect weather, we ate our lunch in front of opened windows in the family room.  It's much better than sitting outside and contending with gnats, ants, and mosquitoes.  Elliott has a strange way of eating strawberries.  He dips them in a mound of powdered sugar.  Of course, the sugar gets all over the table and his clothes, but he’s been eating them this way since childhood, or so he claims.  Does anyone else eat strawberries this way?  Personally, I prefer them au naturel, or with plain yogurt and chopped nuts. 

In preparation for the party, the de-cluttering continues inside the house.  Actually, it’s quite liberating, to be freed from the stuff that used to fill the space we inhabit.  There’s more breathing room, even with all the art on the walls.  Speaking of which, the gallery installation is complete, and the gallery guide is written.  It just needs to be copied.  We’re moving ahead with remaining party planning tasks, too.  Elliott and I make a great team.  And Elisa and I have come up with a solution to the cupcake dilemma, which was previously a major source of stress.  Matt will be helping us pick up beverages at Costco on Sunday morning.  By the way, if anyone is interested in coming over to wash windows and outdoor furniture at the end of the week, just let me know.  You, too, can be part of the team. 

Is It Birthday Time Yet?

 

Friday, May 18, 2012 – Is it Birthday Time Yet?

One week until B-Day:  one more week to prepare for the party; one more week to get our house in order; one more week to go over all the lists; and one more week of exhaustion.  This non-stop pace has been getting to me.  Additionally, I’m under attack by my seasonal allergies.  Wednesday was art-hanging and disc-burning day.  After nearly 4 hours at the Apple Store, I finished working on the movie.  On Thursday morning, my throat felt so scratchy and my brain felt so fuzzy that I decided to declare a sick day.  First of all, I skipped the gym.  Then at noon, instead of concentrating on more party-related tasks, I got some mental diversion from a very interesting lecture at the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center.  The subject was the three waves of Jewish immigration to China, a topic of special interest to me because my maternal grandmother participated in the second wave of immigration when she left her home in Lithuania and immigrated to Harbin, China early in the 20^th century.  The rest of the afternoon was occupied with another trip down to Greenspring related to Katie’s upcoming move.  By the time we returned home, I didn’t have much mental or physical energy, but I was able to set up some more art for the Thompson Gallery.

Elliott and I both took some time off from party-prep on Friday to go into DC.  The weather was delightful – just warm enough, sunny, dry – and perfect for walking.  We ate outside at Le Pain Quotidien in Dupont Circle and then saw an excellent play, The Whipping Man, by Matthew Lopez, at Theatre J.  The drama is set in the South in the days immediately following Lee’s surrender to Grant in April, 1865.  The three characters are the Jewish son of a plantation owner and two newly-emancipated slaves who worked for the family.  

It was still early when we got back home, and I didn’t want to stay inside, so I set out to do some errands on foot.  I came back an hour or so later with 3 dozen blueberry cereal bars from Trader Joe’s, a map of Tucson from the AAA store, and half a dozen mosquito bites.  Fortunately, neighbors Pam and Bud had just convened the weekly happy hour on their front lawn.   Otherwise, it would have been Cheerios and Pinot Noir for dinner.   

Working Hard

 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 – Working Hard

Today I discovered why museums have such high ceilings.  In order to hang a painting, you need sufficient room between the top of the painting and the ceiling.  I made this discovery when we were trying to hang some of Elliott’s art on the walls in the living room (which does NOT have high ceilings).   Also, I learned how difficult it is to hang a large painting close to the corner of a room.  Logistical considerations have already eliminated certain paintings from the exhibition.  There’s just no wall space large enough to accommodate an 8-foot by 6-foot painting.  If you want to see some of Elliott’s monumental work, you’ll have to go out to the garage.  

I didn’t realize how much effort would be involved setting up this exhibition.  We’re constantly moving furniture out of the way, climbing up the ladder, hammering into the walls, etc.  In case you’re wondering, Elliott insisted on going up the ladder himself.  He also insisted that he could move the piano.  Since Elliott is quite meticulous when it comes to the placement of the paintings, we did with a lot of measuring and marking on the walls.  As a result, we only managed to hang four paintings.  However, we also accomplished some other important tasks.  First of all, Elliott got another epidural injection at the pain clinic this morning.  Later in the day, we drove to Greenspring to sign some more paperwork for my mother’s move to assisted living.  By dinnertime, we were both exhausted.  I think it’s going to be like this everyday until the end of the month. 

Metamorphosis

 

Monday, May 14, 2012 – Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis, or change, is the theme for the past few days.  Over the weekend, the idea of metamorphosis was inescapable.  On Saturday, I went into DC with my friend, Cindy, to see a play entitled Metamorphosis, presented by the Constellation Theatre Company.   The drama, written by Mary Zimmerman, was previously a big success on the New York stage where it was directed by the playwright.  Constellation did a superb job of conveying the essence of Ovid’s mythic tales about the transformative nature of love.  The theatre itself is a cozy black box, and the action took place in and around a pool of water, which occupied most of the stage.  Throughout the 90-minute drama, water as a natural element played an important role, with the various characters immersing themselves in the pool, disappearing under the waters, and emerging from the pool, linking the restorative powers of water to the transformative powers of love.   As usual, Constellation Theatre provided an exciting, imaginative, and thoroughly satisfying theatrical experience.    

The idea of metamorphosis, in the guise of gentrification, was also apparent on 14^th Street NW, where the theatre is located.  Until quite recently, 14^th Street had been a fairly edgy neighborhood, known for its second hand furniture stores, unique gift shops, innovative design studios, ethnic restaurants, wine bars, and affordable housing.  Granted, some of the buildings were fairly decrepit, but the street swarmed with young people in the evenings and on the weekends.  Unfortunately, developers decided it was time to take advantage of the growing popularity of this area.  They are now in the process of demolishing whole blocks and replacing the older structures with newer, more modern and more luxurious (i.e. more expensive) buildings.  Some of my favorite establishments, including Miss Pixie’s, which sold used furniture and miscellaneous stuff, were forced out of business by the wrecking crews. 

I hope Busboys and Poets, the restaurant at the corner of 14^th Street and V Street, where we stopped for lunch, will survive.  Judging from the crowd waiting for tables at noon on Saturday, their business is thriving.  The restaurant offers plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans as well as more traditional eaters.  In addition, there is an independent bookstore on the premises.  The restaurant owner, Andy Shallal, organizes programs in the evenings to foster inter-cultural dialogue and understanding.  If you’re in DC, you’d certainly enjoy spending some time on 14^th Street.  I just hope that the area can retain some of its original character, which made it such an appealing destination in the first place. 

The idea of metamorphosis continued into Sunday, which was Mother’s Day.  This was a bittersweet time for me, as I reflected on the slow, subtle, inexorable process of change that my mother is going through.  In response to her cognitive decline, I’m forced to go through a change as well.  Our relationship will never again be one of equals.  I mourn the loss of a mothering figure in my life as I assume more and more the role of her caretaker.  So much of what made her the unique, vibrant, energetic person we all knew has been lost.  But I cling to what remains:  her ability to express her love for her family, her enjoyment of exercise and good food, her devotion to her religious faith, her cheerful outlook on life.  I’ve learned so many valuable life lessons from her – not through explicit instruction, but by observing how she lived, and continues to live, her life.  I never really thought about it until recently, but I’m sure it’s because of Katie that I smile a lot.  I always saw her smiling, and I couldn’t help noticing how other people, even strangers, responded.  It was a way of reaching out to others, of making them more favorably disposed to her.  My smiling is probably automatic by now.  It makes me feel good to look out at the world with a smile on my face, and it makes me feel even better when it leads to a positive connection to someone else. 

On Sunday, Katie smiled all through our time together at Whole Foods, where we met Matt for lunch.  I’m firmly convinced that Whole Foods is the best place for us to eat out as a family.  Elliott was thrilled to get a juicy slice of prime rib, a heaping mound of mashed potatoes and a big portion of macaroni and cheese for his midday meal.  Matt considered the barbequed brisket before eventually settling on his long-time standby, cheese pizza.  My mother and I were a bit more adventurous.  We split a slice of roasted mushroom and shallot pizza and loaded up a plate with about seven or eight different salads, including a summery mango-edamame-corn mixture.  Of course, we all had to try some desserts.  The good thing about dining out in a group is that we can taste a lot of different items without having to eat large quantities of anything.  I got an assortment of small cookies (the raspberry-chocolate chip shortbread was the best) to accompany our gelato selections and coffee.  As soon as we finished eating, Katie was eager to get back to Greenspring, where she feels safest.  However, I am satisfied that she clearly enjoyed her time with us. 

The metamorphosis idea recurred at the Sunday afternoon concert I attended on the local community college campus.  The Virginia Chamber Orchestra presented two Debussy works inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphosis.  Both compositions are part of an opera, Diane au Bois, related to the tale of Eros and Diana.  Debussy began composing the opera when he was in his late teens, but it remained unfinished at the time of his death.  The VCO presented the world premiere of the Diane overture and the American premiere of an operatic scene featuring soprano and tenor soloists. 

Metamorphosis has also been going on at home as we continue transforming our house into a showcase for Elliott’s art.  (Generously, he has allocated some wall space for my art as well.)  Over the weekend, we finished selecting the works to display, and on Monday, we began the process of hanging pieces on the walls.  Since most of Elliott’s paintings are large-scale works, the installation process is both time-consuming and physically challenging.  It will take several more days before we’re finished.  Then I’ll write up a gallery guide to accompany the exhibition. 

And to conclude the metamorphosis theme for now, Elliott’s pain has subsided enough so that we were able to go to the gym for our workouts this morning. 

Making Progress

 

Friday, May 11, 2012 – Making Progress

I’m so glad this day is ending on a positive note.  A little more than 24 hours ago, we were rushing to Urgent Care to seek help for Elliott.  This was right after spending a three hours at Greenspring, where we selected a room in the assisted living unit for my mother. While Elliott was sitting in the car with the window open, something flew into his eye.  The pain was intense, so we immediately sought medical attention.  By the time Elliott saw the doctor at our local Urgent Care office, the pain had subsided.  The doctor assured Elliott that he wasn’t in any serious danger, but she recommended a visit to his ophthalmologist as soon as possible.  All the while, Elliott was still dealing with the pains in his lower back that were shooting down the backs of his thighs.  We were able to reach the pain doctor by phone this morning.  Elliott will have to wait until next Tuesday for another injection.  However, in the short-term, the pain doctor advised him to take his pain medication more frequently.  In addition, he added an oral steroid for the next few days. 

This morning, instead of going to the gym, I took Elliott to see his ophthalmologist.  It turned out that nothing was in his eye, but he has a condition called “ectropion.”  In laymen’s terms, this is baggy lower eyelids.  It makes it easy for foreign objects to get into his eyes and also leads to drying of the eye and excessive tearing.  It can be corrected by a simple surgical procedure to tighten up the lower lids so we’ll check into that after the big celebration. 

By this afternoon, Elliott’s pain had abated enough so that he was able to take Ruby out for a test drive.  Note:  Ruby is one of the walkers in Elliott’s fleet.  A few weeks ago, while she was in the trunk of the car, one of her wheels became detached and some of the parts seemed to be missing.  Elliott (aka Mr. Do-It-Yourself) spent countless hours working on walker repair.  Once he had the wheel reattached, he was eager to try it out, so after lunch, we took a walk up the street with Ruby.  At first, the wheel seemed a bit wobbly, but all went well and Elliott was elated.  I was just delighted that Elliott’s pain had lessened enough to allow him to get out and walk. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the garage, sorting through Elliott’s paintings.  It’s a shame that so many have been wrapped up and stored away since 1983 (just prior to our move to France).  Many of them are simply too large to display in the house.  But we managed to select about a dozen to hang on the walls for the birthday celebration.  That will be a project for the coming week.    

I got my exercise today by moving paintings and furniture.  Special thanks to next-door neighbors Anne and Nick who responded to our call for assistance and helped us move Elisa’s sofa from downstairs to the family room in preparation for the open house.  Today’s great weather (bright sun, 70s, no humidity) was perfect for the Convento Clan to gather for a happy hour on the Traynors’ front lawn.  After two glasses of Russian River Chardonnay, I’m feeling much more relaxed.  Popcorn, hummus, crudités and artichoke dip make a great dinner.   

Woodlands, Wegman's and Whatever

 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – Woodlands, Wegman’s, and Whatever

I prepped for today’s lunch at Woodlands, my favorite Indian restaurant, by doing a super workout at the gym this morning.  It was supposed to be Elliott’s turn to work with our trainer.  However, Elliott has been tormented by some pesky new pains for several days, and they’re getting worse.  It’s probably time for another pain injection, but Elliott is hesitant to get treatment before his pain becomes severe.  He’s still concerned about the addictive properties of the painkillers he’s using although our family doctor convinced him yesterday that he should continue taking them.  Elliott would rather avoid medication, so he tried a massage at the chiropractor’s office yesterday.  Unfortunately, instead of giving helping relieve the pain, it just made it worse.  This morning, he was hobbling around the house like a 90-year old whose broken body wasn’t glued back together right.  It was a pathetic sight. 

Poor Elliott spent a miserable morning lying down on the sofa in the family room.  Meanwhile, Kota gave me some new exercises to add to my current regimen.  They’re designed to increase the flexibility in my hips and to strengthen my abs.  This kind of workout makes me feel so empowered!   Also, I finished a wonderful book on my Kindle this morning while I was ellipticizing.  (It’s One More River by Mary Glickman, and it’s a beautifully written novel that deals with race relations and Jewish culture in the American South from the 1920s through the 1960s.)

I’d been looking forward to my lunch at Woodlands with my friend Kathy for days.  Of all the Indian restaurants in this area (and there are plenty), Woodlands is my favorite, partly because it features a strictly vegetarian menu.  The location of the restaurant, adjacent to a K-Mart in a nondescript shopping center in Fairfax City, isn’t especially promising.  But once you walk inside Woodlands, you’re transported to southern India.  The lunch buffet is an amazing bargain at $6.95 per person during the week.  My usual favorites were all there – the chats, saag paneer, dhal makhni – plus some new dishes, such as turnip poriyal with coconut and mustard seed, that proved to be equally delicious.  I also took a few nibbles of the tangy mango pickles for the first time.  And those masala dosas were the best I’ve ever eaten.  The crispy thin crepe and the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of the exquisitely seasoned potatoes sent us both into swoons.  Kathy and I agreed that they are the ultimate comfort food, at least if we’re talking about South Indian cuisine. 

In an Indian-food induced state of bliss, I made a lightning-fast dash into Wegman’s and then drove to the mall for my appointment at the Apple Store.  It was a very productive two hours of movie-making, and I’m now ready to do some serious disc-burning at next week’s next session.  Before I headed home, I meandered through Macy’s and concluded my annual Mother’s Day mini-shopping spree.  Yes, I’m not ashamed to admit that I buy my own gifts for this holiday.  It saves my loved ones the anxiety of trying to figure out what I want.  It’s saves them the time they’d need for shopping.  And it’s good for the environment since no gift-wrapping is required.  I started this project a couple of weeks ago in Occoquan when I purchased a bracelet.  Last Sunday, I added some new sunglasses from Target.  And today I finished up this year’s support-the-economy project with earrings and a couple of T-shirts at Macy’s.  And it all came out to less than $100 – so Happy Mother’s Day to me!!!! 

Of course, I had to drop a few not so subtle hints to Matt via email about planning a Mother’s Day get-together.  Regardless, I can boast with maternal pride that when we were eating dinner together last night (at a local Thai restaurant), he suggested a repeat of last year’s very successful Mother’s Day plans:  brunch at the Whole Foods in Fair Lakes, which boasts such a tremendous range of food choices that everyone can construct a satisfying and eclectic meal.  Thoughts of spinach pizza, grilled tofu, couscous salad, sushi, hazelnut gelato, and more are dancing through my head.

Come Walk with Me

 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 – Come Walk with Me

Elliott and I have developed a comfortable exercise routine, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy some variety on occasion.  Today, for example, I had a mid-morning doctor’s appointment, so instead of rushing through a work out at the gym, I decided to take a walk in the neighborhood right after breakfast.  I knew it wouldn’t produce that sweat-soaked euphoria that concludes my sessions at the gym, but it would offer other benefits.  Namely, it would fulfill my desire to get an up-close view of the irises that I’d glimpsed on my recent drives. 

The sky seemed mostly overcast when I set out, but gray skies can be fascinating.  If you look carefully, you’ll notice an incredible mixture of different colors that change constantly with the light.  It’s a good thing I wasn’t counting on a quiet, solitary ramble.  I shared the road with trash trucks, dog walkers, and school buses.  It didn’t take long to find some irises.  In fact, in my next-door neighbor’s yard, a cluster of miniature irises poked their heads over the hostas.  When I continued around the corner, I found irises of an unusual hue, a reddish violet.  More surprises soon followed:  lush white peonies; roses the color of a raspberry popsicle; an overzealous clematis climbing up a utility wire and latching onto a red Japanese maple. 

Soon the sun was breaking through the clouds, drawing out the intensity of the colors.  Sounds swelled, as mothers, waiting with their children for the school bus, exchanged greetings over the mega-decibel symphony of lawn maintenance crews.  A lone crow called out for attention amidst the cacophony. 

I glanced up at a tall blue spruce as I continued on my way.  Pale new growth appeared at the tips of its branches, in stark contrast to the older needles.   And a little further down the street, a virtual grove of stately iris came into view – pale peach and buttery yellow, along with the more familiar blue violet.  Running right along the roadside, tiny wild strawberries wove their way through the tall grass.  And some bushes that looked like nandina sported bright red berries.  Is that possible?  If it is, I wonder what’s wrong with my nandina. 

The reality of rush hour reasserted itself on Prince William Drive.  Drivers routinely ignore the 25 miles per hour posted speed limit, so I was especially attentive as I walked along.  I stopped to inhale the sweet aroma of newly blooming honeysuckle, and to watch the barely trembling waters of the stream.  Then I noticed something truly wonderful – baby pinecones.  Yes, snuggled into their beds of slender needles, the baby pinecones are just emerging.   Not all of the pines, however, seemed to have pinecones.  Are there perhaps male and female pine trees? 

And then there was the yard I think of as our local Versailles.  The owners of this property take the opposite of my own minimalist approach to landscaping.  Statues, benches, columns, pedestals, terracing, stone walls, and patios abound.  And they’re not finished yet.  Bags of mulch, and piles of stone bricks and pavers attest to a new project about to get underway.  They must be determined to incorporate every possible landscape element into their garden. 

Back in my own front yard, I witnessed the fading and withering azalea blossoms yielding the spotlight to the younger, fresher beauties of the season.  And I must stop now if I want to get to that doctor’s appointment on time.  The walking route that normally takes me about 25 minutes ended up taking twice that long today because I stopped so often to scribble on an index card I’d stuck my pocket.  (I’m not one of those talented multi-taskers who can walk and write at the same time.)  Note to self:  stick two – no, make that three – index cards in pocket next time.

Confessions of a Sweataholic

 

Sunday, May 6, 2012 – Confessions of a Sweataholic

Another day, another workout.  Elliott and I just got back from the gym.  We didn’t even consider taking Sunday off.  By unspoken agreement, we got up and were ready to leave the house by 8:30 this morning.  A remarkable transformation that has taken place in my psyche.  Previously, prior to discovering the joys of exercise, I had a confirmed case of sweataphobia.  But what they say about the positive mental benefits of intense aerobic exercise must be true.  As soon as I get going on that elliptical machine and I pump up my heart rate, I revel in the tingling sensation of sweat rivulets pouring down my face, bathing my neck, dripping down my chest. When I have the time, I follow my cardio workout with five minutes or so in the steam room.  Within seconds, my body becomes one big slippery, sweaty puddle.  There’s nothing as sweet and tantalizing as the aroma of fresh sweat. (Notice I specified that the sweat must be fresh.)  If this sounds like I have serious case of sweataphilia, just blame it on the post-exercise endorphins in control of my brain. 

Starting a New Day

 

Friday, May 4, 2012 – Summery Spring Morning

Out at 7:00 to taste the new day.  It sure smells like a summery-spring morning.  The birds are singing at the top of their lungs.  (Yes, dear birds, I bought another bag of your favorite food for the bird feeder in the back yard.)  Remnants of clouds are veils of thin silk against the watercolor blue of the sky.  In all directions, I see green.  Even those tall oaks, who were shy about showing their colors, are completely cloaked in green now.  In my neglected flowerbed out front, mint is running rampant, a reminder to me to get some annuals plants – but probably not today.  There are too many other things on the list, starting with breakfast and a morning workout.  After that, I’ll switch into “good daughter” mode, doing paperwork for my mother and taking her out for lunch and a pedicure.  Sweet Katie may have lost a lot of her short-term memory but she hasn’t lost her cheerful smile and endearing personality.  Well, I’d better get that oatmeal started. 

Catching Up

 

Thursday – May 3, 2012 – Catching Up

How has an entire week gone by since my last post?  Simple – the past seven days have been so busy that I’ve barely had time to scribble a few notes to myself on scraps of paper when thoughts came into my mind.  As for sustained writing time, there wasn’t any possibility of that unless I gave up sleep.  But now, I’ve declared a temporary halt to all other activities for the rest of the day so I can catch up a bit. 

Several days ago, I started thinking about ideas for Elliott’s next career.  As some of you may know, he has already had several.  After he retired from budgeting work for the federal government, he became an artist and a teacher (at the Corcoran School of Art).  And years ago, he even worked as a movie extra (in Red River with John Wayne).  So when I heard a segment on the news recently about the demand for older models, I thought to myself, “Elliott could do that.”  Not only is he blessed with good looks, but he’s extremely photogenic.  Can’t you see him as the poster child for Lifetime Fitness, or in an ad for Cialis?  He could be on the Wheaties (or Cheerios) box, or endorse his favorite brand of ice cream.  How about starting a line of athletic wear for seniors?  Maybe he could be a motivational speaker:  how to re-invent yourself, how to get the best out of life at any age, how to stay young, etc.  Yeah, he could write a guide to aging well.  And then he might finally let me publish that biography of him that I wrote a few years ago.  So, Elliott, get ready to get to work.  You’re not going to spend your days in a rocking chair just because you’re turning 100!

Last weekend we welcomed guests from Oregon – Barbara and Glenn – who arrived on Friday morning.  The first surprise of the day occurred on our way out to Dulles Airport.  We passed a large grassy area that was completely blanketed with brilliant red poppies.  My first thought was of the South of France, where scenes like this wouldn’t be uncommon, but in the suburbs of northern Virginia, adjacent to the on-ramp from Route 50 to Route 28?  It’s a shame that we couldn’t stop to admire them.  How in the world did they appear there?  What would happen if I sprinkled poppy seeds in my front yard?

Anyway, we had anticipated a full schedule of activities with our guests, but our plans quickly had to be readjusted.  As we were driving back from an outing to Occoquan late Friday afternoon, we received news of a sudden death in Glenn’s family in Florida.  Between multiple phone calls to Florida and making travel arrangements for Glenn, we managed to take in the Air and Space Museum in DC on Saturday.  After Glenn flew off early Sunday morning, Barbara and I went into DC again to meet up with some of her relatives from the Maryland suburbs.  We also had a chance to see an excellent show of Picasso’s drawings (graphite, charcoal, conte, pastel) at the National Gallery of Art.  Barbara departed on Monday morning.

While the weekend was emotionally draining for all of us, I’m glad we had a chance to be together.  And I’ll look back fondly at some very pleasant moments:  strolling through Occoquan and eating pie on the porch of Mom’s Apple Pie Bakery on a sunny afternoon; looking up at Lindbergh’s plane in the Air and Space Museum and learning that he couldn’t see out the window because the fuel tanks were in the way (so he had to use a periscope); marveling at the range of Picasso’s immense talent and the genius of his imagination; sharing Vietnamese food from Four Sisters in Falls Church – mmm, those rice noodles have such a silky texture and a smoky flavor.

Elliott and I were back in the gym on Monday morning.  The physical activity helped alleviate the stress of the previous days.   And the leftover green papaya salad from Sunday’s Vietnamese dinner made a great mid-morning snack right out of the refrigerator – spicy and chilled.  I got back to work on the movie for Elliott’s party, now officially dubbed “Celebration of a Century.”  I had to get to sleep early Monday night since Tuesday was field trip day.  I used to roll out of bed regularly at 5:00 in the morning, but this past Tuesday morning, it was a struggle to rouse myself at 6:30!  Fortunately, the rain stopped shortly after the sun came up.  We filled two school buses at Annandale High with about 80 ESOL students, 10 chaperones, boxes of cafeteria-packed lunches and assorted snacks and got underway around 9:30 a.m. 

For many of the students, this was their first outing to an art museum.  For several, it was also their first trip into DC.  Visiting a museum with a group of 80 students is not exactly conducive to reflection and contemplation.  Mostly, it’s an exercise in crowd control.  Of course, we issued constant reminders about not touching the art, the walls, or anything else in the museum, but that wasn’t enough to keep one inquisitive young man from running his finger over the surface of a Seurat.  Surprisingly, alarms did not sound, but all of the teachers pounced on him and a guard instantly materialized.  I was secretly hoping he would haul off the offender, but he just gave him another warning. 

We ended our excursion with lunch in the NGA Sculpture Garden.  Looking back, the field trip went extremely smoothly.  I’m glad we had a chance to expose the students to Renaissance works by da Vince and Raphael, and to several later Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings.  The students took lots of photos, mostly of each other standing beside various works of art.  Some of girls will probably remember the shirtless runner they saw making his way along 14^th Street long after they’ve forgotten the bronze statue of Mercury in the museum rotunda.  By the time we got back to AHS at 1:30, I had fallen prey to that familiar feeling of post-school day exhaustion.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait until the final bell before I headed home for some rest.

After the field trip, I needed to restore my energy because I had my session with Kota, our trainer, early on Wednesday morning.  I now have my very own strengthening routine, which I will try to do 2-3 times a week.  And then there was Date Night.  Elliott and I already spend much of our time together, but I like to plan a day or evening out for a special activity.  In this case, I had ordered tickets several weeks earlier to see the HD broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s recent performance of La Traviata.  It was an unusual production (very modern, minimalist staging), but it featured spectacular singing and acting.  And since the screening was at Tysons Corner Center, we ate dinner first at Seasons 52.   

The never-ending list of things to do for the big celebration seems to grow by the minute.  When I originally thought about celebrating Elliott’s birthday with a gathering for family and friends, Elliott was opposed to the idea.  He said it wasn’t necessary, and that an open house would be too much work for me.  I foolishly assured him that all I’d have to do was order some food from Wegman’s, sit back, and relax.  Ha!  But all this work is for a good cause.  You can’t imagine how excited we are about the upcoming festivities.