A Miscellany

Odds and ends of what's on my mind. This morning I called my ninety-five-year-old aunt in Toronto. She doesn't seem to know who I am and has hung up on me a couple of times, which always worries me. Her grandson assures me she's fine and goes out to dinner cheerfully. He suggests that I might be waking her up in the morning--I'd thought to call before she left her room to join in community activities in the nursing home. This morning she asked who it was, and I said "Judy." After I repeated that three times, she said, "I don't know who you are." Finally, as though it were magic, I said, "I'm in Texas," and she said, "Oh, Judy dear, it's so good to hear from you." She went from lethargic and mumbling to bright in two seconds, though her conversation wasn't much. Sometimes when I call she asks if I'm still practicing medicine (my father, her brother, was a doctor) and other times she asks how many children I have, which momentarily scares me--has something happened to one of them? It all makes me very sad. I have a cousin in a nursing home in Toronto who is bipolar and whose finances I try to manage, but I can't talk to her either--her voice is high and squeaky and her speech so scattered, I can't understand her. Those two and a distant cousin in Florida are the only blood relatives I have, except my brother, to whom I am blessedly more close than we were most of our lifetimes. I look at my children and grandchildren and wonder if they, too, will drift apart. Lord, I hope not!
Thinking of things drifting away, tonight I read a blog by a woman who'd gone to a high school reunion and had dinner with her first love. He told her of his three marriages, etc., and she thought of how disparate their lives had been. It made me think of my first love and wonder if he's still alive. A few years ago, I knew that he was, and I knew that he's married, lives in Florida, has been a successful physician. I'll never see him again and that's probably good--neither of us would live up to the memory.
But on to the present, which is always good. I went to Central Market today (our boutique grocery) and bought weird vegetables, like brocciflower and an orange-colored cauliflower (can't remember what they called it). I'm going to marinate vegetables because the Frisco Alters, the Austin family, and the Burtons are coming for Fathers Day brunch, and the Frisco girls love marinated vegetables. Tomorrow we'll celebrate Jacob's first birthday at the Burtons' house with forty people and fifteen children--talk about parties. Jordan told me she spent an astounding amount at the local Costco, so I called her today to tell her it was peanuts. I stood behind a woman in Central Market who spent $747! I told the clerk I'd never seen anyone spend that much in the grocery, and she said she hadn't either. I wished I looked closer at the basket, but what alerted me was a bottle of wine in a faux alligator-covered box. And I did see what looked like several designer cheeses. But $747? I can't imagine it. My bill was $28, and I got two turkey breasts for Sunday plus all those vegetables and an expensive half loaf of sourdough.
As always I'm looking forward to the kids' visit. The Frisco Alters will stay with me, and I have more fresh fruit in the house than anyone could eat. Plus fresh tomatoes that Melinda in my office brought me--Edie loves tomatoes! I even have Diet DP and 7-UP. Megan and her famiy will stay with Jordan but I'll see them Saturday afternoon at the party and they'll all be here Sunday for brunch. What nice anticipation.