Because I can

Is there ever a better reason for doing anything?
Nope, not that I can think of right off hand, so let me present...
The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Brilliance - and a pinch of Beatles!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omc9lkSjYjc

Que Dia

Oy and then some.

But first - let's have a look-see at that lovely Unitarian Church in Bedford that Charlie was so much involved with - and wife Peg was the organist! Wish I had interior shots - a lovely speciment if ever there was.
Have received word that Charlie Schwerin has passed this morning at aroubnd 5 AM. Rest easy, my friend.
My sister Charlotte begins her chemotherapy for an inoperable tumor in her left lung today too - she's happy with her doc and all that comes with this decision, I guess. This will be a week-long endurance run for her at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., sa she is getting blasted every day for a week. Her doctor says they'll get it. We like that attitude.

The decision was made on the possibility of opening her and finding that this tumor is too close to an aorta, which would result in closing her back up and then, due to the healing time involved, not be able to to any chemotherapy for two months.
Start the chemo.
My friend Gene goes in today for an ablazion on his kidney, this instead of letting them remove it and the tumor (enough tumor info - enough), with that resulting in a life dedicated to dialysis. He opted out of that, so, stick a needle in and blast the fucking thing to a crisp. Go Girl!
Emily, Katie's daughter (2nd of 3 daughters - NeuMia and Rebecca being the others) called and confirmed Charlie's passing - which had gotten reported openly and widely last Thursday to the Badger Balm crews - Not SO. Hit and miss. Grieve. Cease. Now, grieve. Yikes.
In an hour or so we, Emily and her soon-to-be husband, Mike, and I, will make the haj to Bedford for observances and whatever comes with this new territory.
What a day. I must read a good horoscope and see what the stars are saying.
And it ain't over yet.

Add this to the mix -- I picked up the phone simply becasue (I normally let whatever service employed get the message) and it is old buddy Bill Schuellein, on cell from the 95 near somewhere in Rhode Island. He's on his way to pick up a 1000 cc bike in Brooklyn and asked if I would like to go riding in his neck of the woods sometime soon.

I can do that.

Rebecca's beau purchased an old 200 cc bike this weekend for $300 - how could anyone say no to that? My first ride sans helmet on the east coast in many many moons and my first ride sans helmet since the California law went into effect around 1992. I don't like helmets. At high speed riding on endurance runs, absolutely. Bugs being the main criteria for that choice. I got several in my uncovered eyes in the short ride here Saturday.

Let's go get ready for today.

make it look nice.

the Archives

from the late sixties - this is whom I am with in Gilsum, New Hampshire. K. Schwerin.

Aye chihuahua!

Whew -- and I do mean Whew....
Friday - yesterday, June 8, I drove katie to witness the passing state of her dad, Charlie Schwerin. Along the way, we stop for my very first accunpuncture appointment ever.
Full plates are being served.
After this and arriving at 18 Hillside and dealing with that family and what is happening there -- do let me say that all seemed rather relaxed with his Atavan'd state of being -- gently sitting in bed with hands folded on his head - Dave Brubeck playing in the background -- I leave to go to dinner with my sister Charlotte.
Within a few moments of arrival on Carlisle Road, I get the bomb dropped. She is having one of her lungs removed next week - cancer. Okay. I had an idea that something was up with the trips to Emerson Hospital and whatever this all was leading to - with her husband getting the news for the first time just a little while ago also. I guess he and her children are flattened by this. Well, me too.
Next Thursday, her youngest grandson, Lori's boy, Mason, gets operated on too for some unkown growth on his chin.
It just keeps getting better.
Uh huh.
Today is graduation for the Waldorf 8th grade class of Katie's. I have been asked to be there at 3. I drove back to Gilsum last night alone in K & Bill's Subaru. Alone. Spinning in my own centrifugal chamber, spiral thought and holding the steering wheel - windows down for some cold air to keep me awake and refreshed.
I am here this morning alone. Writing some letters, getting rid of some baggage.
It is raining.

work work work

I feel the need, the need for PAINTING!
It'll happen. Yes? Yes! Soon? Yes! When? Dunno....
Work is being done on the cabin. Refridge - now 2 of them there -- all sorts of woody issues, thus, carpentry abounds.
In the meantime, katie's school and graduating 8th graders have been THE folcal point since I arrived, aside from her eye problem, which morphs into some kind of hormonal weirdness on occasion - not fun. I am sure it's a merry-go-round for her to be on, with or without the steroidal complexities adding to the mix.
I cooked lunch for the kids here at home on Wednesday - yesterday. Cacophony as they arrive, but that is the world of young teens. Wheeee. Cute kids - two of the boys came in and introduced themselves and thanked me personally for being helpful with papers and the like since I arrived on scene. Nice to get that. Kids - always a surprise, huh? Indeed.
More coming with great finality this Friday - tomorrow. I may be getting Peg Schwerin from Bedford out her for the graduation excercises - who knows.
I am doing my best to remain supple and bend with the winds of change.
Blow me.
Really - this could be fun.

First of June w/ Blue Moon thrown in for fun

Let's have some fun with Buddha.

What fun? What fun!
Really.
So it appears that I am not the chosen one for maiking lunches at Badger. Life goes on.
I await the cabin o'er there -- I can just about make it ouit through the brush and trees. It gets scrubbed this weekend and then - inhabitation. Then what?
I hate to say money is an issue, but 'tis. Without transportaion, what am I going to do?
And what with these bugs, especially the lovely and voracious No Seeums? Nasty.
Major Caterpillar construction stuff goes on within feet of me here, as road gets gone over and a field gets opened for crops for the first time in its history, I presume. A little late for planting most things, but....
Friday. June 1. 2007. Numbers and dates. Flip the calendar.
Can I wait much longer to finally take my clothes - my very only possessions - and place them someplace that is better than a suitcase, their home for the last three months? It's been a weird road, but I know it well.
Let me take you with me as I travel from Boston to Gilsum last Sunday night, with an electric rainstorm going full tilt - lost and proceeding into Vermont - Brattleboro. Again, gone too far. The roads were misamatic with ghostly fogs rising no more than a few feet above the roads - eerie and scary, as driving was bad enough on new terrain for me. After many hours, I made it back here -- all the while driving, I felt as if I was coming to where I belonged. Yes, A sense of "home" prevailed.
I hope and pray that it does do just that.
This week I got to enjoy the year-long works of K's students, if that was indeed a year's worth of work presented. I must have been the odd character at this event, as all seemed to be parents and the kids themselves, along with some teachers. It was enchanting.
Fog again this AM - cleared now and it looked like some high temps on my Yahoo page for Gilsum.
We'll see. Summer is not far away.