Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Bring it on, Summer!
May is here and the anticipation of summer and all that summer brings is raging rampant! It will soon be Memorial Day Weekend – the ceremonial start of the summer season (even though summer doesn’t “officially” start until June 20th). Thoughts of flowers, picnics, the lake, lounging on the patio, and other summer fun fill my head. I am so looking forward to this summer – this area has so much to offer in the summer and I plan to enjoy it as much as I can!
Everywhere you look, people are getting ready for summer – sprucing up their lawns, opening up their pools, and setting out their lawn furniture. I am no exception. Sometime next week (if the weather forecasts hold), my yard will undergo a transformation – new flowering trees will be planted, old bushes will be removed, new beds will be prepped, and new plants will be strategically placed to give the yard a colorful look that will compliment the house and reflect my personality. Soon there will be weeping cherries, weeping crab apples, dogwoods, Bradford pears, azaleas, hydrangeas, peonies, rhododendrons, lilacs, roses, day lilies, and more – all in pinks, purples, reds, and yellows. Then, by Memorial Weekend, I’ll hit the local nurseries and pick out hanging baskets for the front porch and flats of beautiful annuals to plant in crocks around the patio. The wind chimes will be placed on shepherd hooks and decorative items will find just the right spots to add a little “something” to the landscape. This is the last of the big projects I have planned, for now, so once this is done I’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty and the fun of summer!
And then there is the lake! I talk a lot on here about how much I love Point Breeze, but there is a lot more to Lake Ontario to love! After all, it is one of the Great Lakes! Last week, I went to Newfane to the nursery that is doing the landscaping I’m having done. I went to pick out the trees and finalize the types of plants I wanted. Newfane is north of the Ridge towards the lake just inside Niagara County. If you take the road that goes through Newfane all the way to the lake, you run right into Olcott…and right into Lake Ontario, if you don’t stop when you’re supposed to. My Mom, my brother, and I used to go to Olcott a lot when I was little. It was so much fun – lots of rides and arcade games and hot dog stands and ice cream and, of course, the lake! So, when I was done at the nursery, I went on down to Olcott to look around. It was very quiet – not the busy place it tends to be in the summer season, but there were several crews hard at work getting things ready for the visitors that will soon be making their way down there. Building exteriors were being painted, streets were being cleaned, landscapers were sprucing up all around, and other odds and ends were being taken care of. It was a fairly warm day, but very windy and it had rained the night before, so the lake was rough and churned up – but it was still a joy to see.
I parked the car and wandered along the main streets – looking out over the lake, checking out the picnic park, admiring the lighthouse, and grinning ear to ear when I saw that the wonderful old carousel and arcade games are still there and would be opening Memorial Weekend! (Click here for info on Olcott Beach Carousel Park) One memory that stands out for me about Olcott Beach is the Skeeball machines — I loved playing them when I was a kid! You place your coin in the machine and get a set of wooden balls that you roll up the ramp to make them jump into one of several rings for your score…..and a PRIZE. It was so much fun! And, of course, since I absolutely adore carousels, the carousel brings fond memories, as well! I can not wait to go back and check it out once it opens up for the season!
Here are some photos from my afternoon adventure at Olcott Beach:
So come on, Summer……..bring it on!!!! I’m ready to put the top down on the pony and just go drive and see what I can find!!!!
Ring Them Bells
I love the sound of bells and chimes. I typically have several wind chimes out in the yard to sing with the breeze. I haven’t put them out here, yet – I’m waiting for the planned landscaping to be completed before I figure out the best place to put them, but I will be enjoying them soon enough. Before I left Sanford, I was shopping at the Artist Colony and bought a lovely set of chimes made by a local potter – I can’t wait to hang them on the front porch – they sound amazing! I was also happy to learn that my washer and dryer “chime” a little tune when they are done doing the laundry!
There are two chimes that bring me a lot of comfort and enjoyment:
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I have my Grandfather’s mantel clock – it sits on top of my Grandmother’s china closet. It had stopped working some time ago and I recently had it repaired. It now chimes the most beautiful Westminster tune and then chimes the hour at the top of every hour around the clock. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings and I love it!!!
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A sound that I attribute to the joy of small town living is the ringing of church bells several times every day. I can sit on my patio and hear them play for about 10-15 minutes at 7:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 6:00 pm. Every day. So beautiful.
The church bells and chimes that have become a part of my life are calming and joyful. I hope they never end!
Directionally Challenged
I readily admit it. I have a major problem. I am, to put it bluntly, directionally challenged. I can get lost in my own back yard if getting around it requires the ability to know what direction I’m headed. I am proud to say that I have gotten lost in major cities all over this great country of ours! So much so that it was a running joke with co-workers who traveled with me on business to not let me navigate cause I’ll get us lost! I not only don’t know where north, south, east, or west are, I often have to stop and think about my left and my right! Also, I do better with written directions because I have a difficult time figuring out where I am and where I’m going on a map. I know……I’m a mess! So, I am extremely grateful for the invention of the GPS device! I have a big one……..that talks to me (remember, I don’t do well with maps – just tell me where to turn, which way to turn, and when to turn – don’t make me have to follow a map – especially when I’m driving).
But, there is some good news here and yet another reason why I’m happy to be back home. There is only one place on the planet that I actually DO know where north, south, east, and west are! I can tell what direction I’m facing and if someone says “it is on the east side”, I know what side they mean! That one place is right here in Western NY. And I owe it all to Lake Ontario. No matter where I am, I almost always know where the lake is and that it is north. I can just look towards the lake and picture a compass in my head – I’ll be facing north and east is to my right and west is to my left and south is behind me!
So, there you have it……..if you need me to know what direction something is, you’d better either do it here in Western NY or ensure I have an actual compass or GPS in my hand!
Serenity
Serenity, peace, living the good life……call it what you will, but I have had three days in a row where I have enjoyed perfect serenity – a little piece of heaven – and I didn’t have to go far to find it! Right now, I am in the middle of several things that have made life a little hectic, so it was a welcomed gift to stumble upon these opportunities to just sit back and drink in some peaceful relaxation. Now that I’m retired, I can live a little easier when things get hectic – no need to squeeze “hectic” in with “work”. Still, I usually plan some relaxation time into most days. But, in the last three days, opportunities reached out and found me – I literally stumbled on each one without any effort to seek them out.
The first opportunity was on Thursday evening. After leaving from a visit at Mom’s, I decided to swing by Point Breeze to check out the new brick walkway at the lighthouse where the Oak Orchard River meets Lake Ontario. I read that the walkway was finished, but hadn’t had a chance to go see it, yet. I especially wanted to see it because Mom and I had bought several bricks for family members during the fundraising efforts. It was a warm day, but it is always much cooler at the lake, so I assumed it would be too chilly to hang around. I decided to just take a few minutes to check out the bricks and head home. As it turned out, it was a beautiful evening at the Point, too. I took a leisurely stroll along the walkway and found the bricks we purchased. Then, I walked along the shore line gazing at the calm waters of Lake Ontario and sat on a bench overlooking Oak Orchard River. The sky and water were so beautiful – such vivid colors and water as smooth as glass. I sat there for what seemed like hours (actually probably about 45 minutes or so) just listening to the sounds and feeling the warm breeze. It was amazing and so peaceful. After a little while, I got in my car, put the top down, and drove home with the wind blowing through my hair. Aahh – heaven!
The next opportunity was Friday evening. I just finished doing some things in the back yard and sat for just a minute on the wicker love seat on the patio. I was planning to call the girls in and go fix some supper. The girls had other plans. As soon as I sat down, Katie curled up on the love seat beside me and Amy curled up on the wicker chair across the patio from us. Megan was taking a stroll around the yard ensuring every blade of grass was where it was supposed to be. Since Katie and Amy joined me on the patio, I sat back, got comfortable, and seized another opportunity for some peaceful relaxation. We sat there for close to two hours just loving the warm, quiet evening on our backyard patio. It was such a lovely evening and the only sounds came from distant lawn mowers and a few birds chirping. I could have stayed there a couple more hours, but the girls must have realized it was past their supper time and wanted to go inside. It was an amazing end to a busy day.
The third opportunity came this afternoon. It was a cold, rainy Saturday, so I really didn’t feel much like going out and running errands or anything. I planned, pretty much, to just stay home and take care of some stuff around the house. Then, I remembered that there was a book signing scheduled for today at the Pullman Universalist Church in town. The book is a compilation of people and things that are legendary in Orleans County titled “Legendary Locals of Orleans County”. I heard about the book at a luncheon I went to with Mom a couple of months ago and wanted to get a copy when it was ready for sale. So, I decided to go to the book signing just to get a copy of the book and get back home where I could be warm and dry. I went to the church, bought the book, and spoke briefly with the authors while they signed it for me. I have always admired the Pullman church from the outside – it is a beautiful historic church that was built with Medina Sandstone in 1894 by George Pullman (of the Pullman railroad sleeper car fame) in memory of his parents, who resided in Albion in the 1840s. It looks like a castle and it is the first landmark I think of when I think of downtown Albion. But, I’ve never been inside it. Not sure why, just never have been – at least not that I remember. So, when I got my book signed, I decided to leave through the sanctuary to have a look around. It is a surprisingly small sanctuary – given the exterior appearance – but really quite lovely. To provide a musical background for the book signing and reception, there was a lady playing a harp in the sanctuary. The music was so beautiful and the sanctuary was so lovely, that I decided to sit in a pew and take a few minutes to listen to the music and thumb through the book. Other than an occassional person wandering through, I sat all alone with the harpist – as if I was in my own little world and she was making her heavenly sounds just for me. I stayed there about a half an hour or so and enjoyed every minute of it. I hated to leave and go back out into the cold drizzle. I wish I had taken some photos of the sanctuary and harpist……..but, all I have is this photo of the outside that I took a couple of years ago.
Moral of this story? Pay attention! Recognize when an opportunity to participate in something special comes up and take advantage of it. If I had ignored the signs and gone about my business, I would have missed out of three amazing moments of joy.
Just Thinkin’
Lots going on……..lots of thoughts clunking around in my head…….lots of projects and lists and stuff to consider and plan and do! It is April, already! Just two days ago marked FIVE MONTHS since I moved back home to Albion. WOW – can you believe it? On one hand, so much has been happening that I think I’ve had to have been here way longer than five months. But, then again, I feel like I just got here, I blinked, and bam – five months have flashed by in a nanosecond. After all, I still have stuff I haven’t settled, yet. Where’d the time go? Every day over the past couple of weeks, I planned on jotting down some thoughts and every day stuff starts taking up the time and I just say I’ll do it “tomorrow”. Well, I decided this evening to just sit here and do it! So, here you go. Just a bunch of random thoughts I wanna clear out of my head.
First thing…….did you notice I changed the theme on my page? I thought pink and flowers was very “Spring-like” and added a pop of color and a bit of cheer. What do you think?
It is “project” time……April showers may bring May flowers, but spring brings on projects! And I have several I am planning for the house that will all be completed this month! Lots going on to make for a busy month, for sure!
There is something in Albion that I’m having a hard time getting used to — Four-Way Stops!!! This is a very small village that has more 4-way stops than I’ve ever seen anywhere! I find myself sitting at the stop sign waiting for an oncoming car on the cross street to pass through and realizing I could have proceeded cause they are going to stop – especially intersections that I drove through for years when I lived here before and they were just normal intersections, then, but now are different! I also get confused when I come to a 4-way stop and the person who was first to the intersection (the one with the right of way) motions for me to go first. But, the most difficult part is when I have to stop at every block on a particular street, but the 4-ways vs. regular stop signs isn’t consistent. I’m driving along and stop at 2 or 3 consecutive 4-ways and know that I can proceed if there is oncoming traffic cause I am first to the intersection and they will be stopping – then, I come up on one that isn’t a 4-way and I have to deliberately think and remember that on THIS intersection I can’t go ahead and proceed cause the oncoming car doesn’t have a stop sign! It’s like learning to drive all over again – you have to go back to the basic ways of thinking things through as you drive because it messes with what you think you’ve known and done automatically for many, many years of driving!
I have put together a list of “day trips” I am planning for later this spring and into the summer. Most have to wait until after Memorial Day because they are seasonal and currently closed for the season. But, I can start doing some once the projects are done and I have more time to just go have a leisurely day of driving around. I hope to have some grand adventures to write about once I start whittling away at my list – everything from the quirky spots like the birth place and museum of Jell-O and the only remaining Kazoo factory and museum in North America (both in little towns near here), to fabulous lake destinations like Olcott Beach, to hitting up as many old country Amish shops as I can find, to the great wine trails throughout the Niagara and Finger Lakes regions, to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, to the glass museum in Corning, and much, much more! I have so much I want to reacquaint myself to that were old favorites and even more I want to discover for the first time. It is going to be a great year of finding out what is wonderfully the same and what is new or different about the fabulous area I grew up in! Bring on the warm weather and exciting adventures!
Well, that’s all I have time for, today………More thoughts to come – stay tuned!
And now I know…….
First, I have a comment on yesterday’s post before I start on todays topic! All that talk about Spring Fever and putting the patio set out and blah blah blah? Well, NEVERMIND!!! This morning – after two days of temperatures close to the 60s, my patio and steps down to the yard now looks like this – the result of an hour or two of big fluffy flakes falling pretty heavy and steady:
So now on with today’s topic – which is actually related to my comment about yesterday’s topic!
Since I first moved here in November, I have gotten a lot (I mean a LOT) of comments and questions from people about my car. Things like, “I hope you’re not planning on driving that thing in the winter up here”, “you gonna garage that pretty car for the winter, aren’t you?”, or “how does it do on ice and snow?”! My responses have been, “yes, it is my only car, I have to drive it or stay home”, “yep, I have a garage”, and “don’t know, yet!” I thought about getting a second vehicle for the winter – a “winter beater”, but so far, I’ve been lucky – mild winter that only had a few days I didn’t feel comfortable driving and no need to go out on those days – plus, the days that I did drive on a little slushy conditions, the old girl did just fine!!!! So, I just couldn’t see spending the money on another car, registration, insurance, etc. – especially since it would likely just be a winter car!
The days I did drive on slushy roads helped boost my confidence – I felt like I could handle driving in a little snow. After all, I drove in a WHOLE lot worse snow for many years when I lived here before! I remember using my car to plow through snow that was up over the bumper and just kept on going! But, I do know the Mustang is a different animal – they aren’t built for driving in the snow and I’m sure the tires aren’t meant for it, either – “high performance” (engine or tires) does not equal stable driving in wintry conditions! Even so, this morning I felt confident! The forecast was calling for 1-2 inches for the day and it looked like the snow that was falling on the streets was melting right away. So, I got ready to head out for an appointment. By the time I got ready, it was much worse – the snow was coming down harder, the yard already had at least 2 inches on the ground and the street was filling in, too! But, I thought I could handle it, so I got in the car and pulled out of my garage. There was quite a bit of snow on the street, but it is a short out-of-the-way street and I figured the ones that get more traffic would be better. I did OK getting out of my neighborhood, but started to run into trouble getting onto Main Street. I wasn’t breaking 10-15 mph and I still had a hard time stopping the car for the stop sign and then giving it some gas to move on just made the back wheels spin and fish tail while trying to gain some traction! Once I got moving, again, the back-end would fish tail every time I tried to give it just the slightest bit of gas! And…….it was snowing so hard that visibility was pretty close to zero! I knew I needed to just get back home and get off the streets, but the visibility was so bad I didn’t dare pull into a driveway to turn around – wasn’t sure if I’d see if I had room to back out onto the street or if an oncoming car would see me if I did try it! So – I drove much farther than I should have to get back home safe and sound. By the time I got home, the snow had let up (although, the tracks I made when I left were all filled in like no one had driven down the street or in my driveway), but I was so tense and stiff that every bone and muscle in my body hurt!!!
So, now I know the answer to the question: “how does it do on ice and snow?” The answer is: “not so good!” Since I know it is highly unlikely that I’ll be lucky enough to have TWO mild winters in a row and I can’t hibernate every winter the rest of my life, I think I’ll probably get that “winter beater” before next winter – something that will be good in the snow and maybe can be used for other things that the Mustang isn’t good for!
My confidence took a beating today, but I’ll survive!
Oh, and the forecast for the next couple of weeks (after tomorrow) looks like Spring will return with highs in the upper 50s, low 60s!!!! I think I’ll get myself back a little of that Spring Fever that flew out the window this morning!
Spring Fever
I definitely have Spring Fever! It is an illness I get about this time every year. It isn’t necessarily tied to the calendar, but sort of is. Mostly, it is tied to the point in time when the weather starts to break after the winter months. This year, though, I’m a little bit concerned that it is premature – a false sense of “springishness”. I’m not in NC, anymore – where the first signs of spring typically mean we’re in for a couple of weeks of really lovely weather before the summer heat starts to invade us! I’m in NY, now – where there is a chance of wintery weather through April and even possibly May! But, then again, it has been an unusually pleasant and mild winter, so who knows – maybe we are done with it, but I’m not counting those chickens quite yet!
The symptoms of Spring Fever: you start thinking about getting your spring/summer wardrobe ready, you get the itch to be outside more, you start thinking about what flowers you’ll plant and how you’ll decorate your patio for the summer, and you get a little more giddy-up in your go!!!
The causes of Spring Fever: turning the calendar page and seeing “First Day of Spring” on one of the days, first signs of warmer temperatures, and anticipation of switching to daylight savings time!!!
Yesterday was the first really nice, warm day of the season — we hit 60!!!! I loved just putting a sweater on to go out and run my errands. As soon as I turned the calendar to March and noticed the first day of spring marked on the 20th and started hearing that we’ll turn the clocks ahead this coming Sunday, I started searching the catalogs for new clothes for spring and bought some new tops! I thought about putting out my wicker patio set, but it was a little too windy, so decided to wait. And, I had a real strong urge to put the top down on the pony…….but, it isn’t THAT warm, yet!!!! I’m making a mental list of day trips and things I’d like to do once the weather is sure to stay nice – let the adventures begin!!!
The forecast shows a drop in temps tonight and a couple of days back in the 30s, but then it is supposed to go back up into the high 50s and low 60s for much of the next couple of weeks!!! YAY!!! Guess I need to go ahead and get that wicker patio set out on the patio and go shop for a patio table, chairs, and umbrella and a grill! It will soon be time to start spending quality time outside in the fresh air and sunshine…………………do they have that in Western NY before August? hehehehehe Of course they do and I am soooooooooo looking forward to it!!!!
Yep, I have Spring Fever, but I’m not looking for a cure any time soon!!!
The Wind
Wind. A word that can summon up a lot of emotion. It can feel good, make wind chimes ring out a beautiful melody, give clothes hanging outside a fluffy feel and fresh smell, air out a house, ruin a perfectly good hair-do, and power a sail boat. But, it can also wreak havoc and cause utter devastation. Almost a year after a series of massive tornadoes ripped across the south and mid-west – including my “other” home town, Sanford, NC – we are seeing them, yet again, ravaging a path of destruction across many of the same areas of the country. So, today I want to write about “WIND”.
I love a strong breeze – something very typical of the area I grew up in. Living so close to Lake Ontario, we seemed to always have a nice breeze and quite often a rather stiff one. I loved to go out in the middle of the yard, stretch my arms out, tilt my head back and just feel the breeze swirl around my body, kiss my cheeks, and run its fingers through my hair. I loved riding my motorcycle and feeling the wind on my face and the way it whipped the hair that hung out under my helmet and any loose clothing I may have been wearing. My grandparents had a cottage at the lake and I adored the calming sensation I got from sitting at the cliff top feeling the wind and listening to the waves blow up onto the shore. My Grandma and Mom used to say “go outside to play and let the wind blow the stink off you!” Yes, I loved the calming force of a good strong breeze. I missed that constant feel of the breeze when I lived in Sanford. There were times when there’d be a breeze strong enough to go out in the yard and feel the wind brush through my hair, but it was rare. I often found myself sitting in the still air wishing for a breeze and thinking about how much I missed the wind off of Lake Ontario. That is why I love my Mustang so much. Yes, it is a beautiful car, but the main joy is getting out with the top down and creating my own wind in my hair!
Yes, in Sanford the air was mostly still, but when it did get windy, it was VERY windy! Typically, a strong wind meant the tail end of a tropical storm or hurricane or even a random tornado – all of which can be very scary and unsettling – not the calming winds I was used to enjoying. I’ve had some up close and personal brushes with severe winds. When Hurricane Fran and Floyd came far enough inland to impact Sanford, I was living in a mobile home. Fran came through in 1996 – I sent Puddles to stay with her Daddy and I went to stay with a friend and her family. I barely closed my eyes all night as I tried to sleep in their guest room listening to the wind howl like a monster and the cracks and crashes of limbs and trees coming down. When we got up, there was a tree that had fallen in their yard and just missed my car and the window of the room I was staying in. There was a lot of debris and streets blocked by downed trees on the way from their house to mine. As I drove up my road, I slowed down and held my breath until I saw my home was still there and untouched by the storm. When Floyd came in 1999, I was not going to hang around and listen to it roar through again. I packed up my car with photos and valuables, including my precious dog, Puddles, and headed out-of-town. I drove to Fairmont, WVa – the (close to) half way point between Sanford and Albion and spent the night at the Red Roof Inn that I stayed at when I would drive home. I figured that it was far enough out of the storm’s path to be safe and I could decide my plans in the morning – if I called and found I had a home to go to, I’d drive back – if I called and found I didn’t have a home to go to, I was already half way to Mom’s, so I’d go there! Luckily, the news was that all was fine and I had a gorgeous, leisurely drive back home. There were other strong storms that I waited out in my mobile home – terrified! Once I bought my house, I was less terrified of storms……..that is, until April 16, 2011! Tornadoes had a tendency to bounce around Sanford, but this one boldly carved out a wide path of destruction from one corner of the county to the other – leaving behind devastation and heartbreak. I was one of the lucky ones – there wasn’t even a limb down in my yard. But, that is far from the story of many in our beautiful city that awful day.
Since I’ve moved back to Albion, it has been mostly too cold to enjoy the strong lake breezes I remember so fondly. But, also, there have been many days where the winds were so much stronger than I remember them being. Maybe it is just because it is winter, but there have been several occurrences where the winds remind me of the more scary winds that Sanford’s proximity to the outer bands of hurricanes and tropical storms brought. It has been very unsettling sitting in my new home listening to the winds howl and the house creak. Last night and today, for instance – the wind is blowing up to 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph! When the gusts come (which are so frequent, you could almost call them sustained), it creates a loud whistle around my sliding patio doors, roars past the windows, shakes and creaks the walls of the house, and lifts the hedges along the front of the house in ripples like a crowd doing the wave at a baseball game. Leaves, limbs, and debris are blowing rapidly across the yards and street. My front porch had green outdoor carpet glued down on the cement floor in two sections. A previous storm ripped up one of the sections and threw it out into the yard. The remaining section is holding on by just a small bit of glue on one end, so every time we get a wind storm (today included), it flops up and bangs against the house making a hell of a racket – I really need to get out there and loosen the last part and get it off of there!
On days like today, I sit in the house listening to the wind howl and it reminds me of that day – April 16, 2011 – when I was shut up in a small guest bathroom with three dogs and my iPhone waiting out the tornado in fear that at any moment my house would disappear around me. I remember the terror………………and the tears of joy when it passed and I went outside and found no damage……………and the heartbreak when I saw the damage that so many suffered!
The sound of the wind brings a much different feeling for me, now – after Fran and Floyd and April 16, 2011 and other brushes with monster storms. I still look forward to the constant gentle breezes that I remember from my prior years here in Albion, but I wish the strong winds would stay away. Bring on the gentle summer breezes and blue skies…………I long for those days and will truly enjoy them!!!
Miracles and Angels……they do exist!
Miracles and Angels…….two things people talk about in the abstract…….many believe in one or the other or both, some don’t believe in either, but you rarely hear of someone who has proof of either…….they are typically more of a “feeling” or a figure of speech to explain when something wonderful happens. I believe miracles can happen, but I’m not sure if you can consider them divine intervention. I don’t know, maybe I do. It is a difficult thing to get to the bottom of and, I’m sure, takes a lot of soul-searching. I absolutely believe in angels, but always think of them as an unseen presence that keeps you safe or helps guide you in the right direction – if you listen to them! But, within the last several months and the last couple of weeks, in particular, I do believe I’ve seen both miracles and angels working over time to bring two people together on one amazing day to put an end to a very, very long struggle and provide a happy ending………no, make that a happy beginning!
I’ll make a very long, agonizing story as short as possible because I want to get to my point, but the background is a critical part of that point:
A friend from Sanford that I think a lot of has a sister, Ashley, who has been very ill all of her life with Cystic Fibrosis. She went through and survived a life saving lung transplant, but the medications needed post transplant have destroyed her kidneys. So, she was faced with the realization that another life saving transplant was necessary – this time a kidney transplant. She is a vibrant, caring young woman who has a LOT more to give this world – giving up was not an option! But, there would be obstacles……..lots of obstacles! Her insurance carrier pretty much told her that her life expectancy, even after the transplant, would likely be short, so they refused to cover the costs of the operation. Even if the insurance carrier did cover the expenses, she would still need to raise about $50,000 to cover the uncovered expenses, so the thought of raising enough money to cover all the expenses was overwhelming. But, her family and friends kicked into high gear and the fund-raising began! The Kidney Cutie campaign was born and went viral! There were local fundraisers, t-shirts with the Kidney Cutie logo, blogs, a Facebook page, and so much more! Little by little the money came from near and far. Don’t let me give the impression this was easy……..it most certainly wasn’t! But, it was so heart warming to see so many people, some who never even met Ashley or her family, come to the fundraisers, donate money online, donate items for auctions, and send their love and prayers. To date, over $41,000 has been raised! An amazing feat, for sure. But, would it be enough? Well, it isn’t the $50,000 she’ll need if her insurance carrier were to provide coverage and certainly no where near enough if they continued to refuse coverage! So, the legal battle took off. Say what you will about Legal Aid Attorneys, but the ones Ashley had in her corner really kicked butt and came through for her………and the insurance carrier gave in! The transplant would be covered and the legal and (much of) the financial hurdles were overcome. But, there were more hurdles to overcome in the coming months, including raising the rest of the $50,000! They had what they needed for the procedure to be given the green light, but there are a lot of post-transplant expenses that will continue for some time, so the rest of the money still remains a hurdle.
The part I deliberately left out (because I wanted it to stand alone, even though it is an intricate part of the story) is that Ashley already had a donor! That’s right – she had someone willing to give her one of their kidneys so that she could live! And the most incredible part is that it wasn’t a family member, which you would normally assume. It was the husband of Ashley’s best friend in college – don’t get me wrong, he is not just someone who is married to her friend. They had become very close friends, as well, but the point here is that they might never have met if it wasn’t for Ashley’s friendship with his wife and in the grand scheme of things, they have only known each other for a relatively short time. In walks Jeremy with his own set of hurdles – lots and lots of tests, interviews, and counseling (both physical and psychological), he lives in Florida, so he and his wife, Kate, had to travel to NC for tests and the surgery and, of course, will need to stay in NC for the recovery process so they are close to the transplant team. And then when everything was a “go” and a date was set, they found out there was a chance that Ashley’s insurance carrier may not cover Jeremy’s portion of the costs! Waiting for that decision pushed the date out and gave everyone yet another wave of stress and anxiety – luckily, that worked out!
But, it all came together on Feb 21st! I was glued to Facebook all day, with the rest of the world (believe me, not that big of an exaggeration), watching for updates and crying with emotional relief when I read they were taken into surgery, when they were out of surgery, then when I read they were awake and alert, and when “Jash” (the name they gave the kidney – combo of Jeremy and Ashley) first made urine!!!! Both Ashley and Jeremy are now out of the hospital and doing well. I was in shock to learn that you can go through a kidney transplant (both the donor and the recipient) and get released from the hospital in less than a week! They both have a long, rough recovery to go through, so any prayers and well wishes they continue to get will be greatly appreciated.
I feel like I am trivializing their story by this brief summary, but that is absolutely not my intention. This is a story that has gone on for well over a year………and longer than that for Ashley! I am in awe of those closest to Ashley and Ashley, herself, for making it through it all and not giving up hope…………and for succeeding against all odds! It is an amazing story and one that is an inspiration for me and I’m sure many, many others.
So, now that you know the story……in a nutshell, so to speak……let’s get back to my point.
I am sure that a miracle (or probably “miracles“) happened here. Just the fact that doctors can take an organ out of one person and put it in another and both can go on to live healthy lives (knock on wood) is an absolute miracle!!!! How incredible is that? For so many people to come together in the effort of overcoming the mountainous financial and legal hurdles Ashley was facing is yet another miracle. For Ashley to have a friend who loves her so dearly to risk his own health for her’s is the biggest miracle of all!!! Miracles? Absolutely! But, divine intervention? Again, I don’t know – it is a difficult thing to wrestle with. On one hand, there were literally thousands of prayers going out from all over and from many different faiths. That has to count for something! But, on the other hand, there were a TON of people working very hard to knock down those hurdles – each one that came up, a team of family and friends and attorneys hacked away at it until they made it through. You can’t convince me that if they weren’t all so determined to get to the end goal that the prayers would have made it happen. But, then again, I’m sure the prayers helped keep them motivated and helped them see the light at the end of the tunnel (even when it seemed to be blown out). You know what they say……..”God helps those who help themselves”! So, I leave the divine intervention question to you to decide what you do or don’t believe in. I only know (and, frankly, it only matters) that the end result was a wonderful miracle and that a lovely young woman has a chance at the life she so very much deserves – no matter how it all happened!
Now for the angel part. That is much easier! Even though I’ve always believed in angels, I’ve never known a living, breathing one……..and, to be honest, I have never actually met this one, but I do know he exists. Jeremy is absolutely an angel on earth and I hope that some day I am lucky enough to meet him! Just to make the decision to look into being a live organ donor is, in itself, an incredible thing. But, once the decision was made and he started the long battle through hurdles and stress and anxiety, no one would have faulted him if he had suddenly realized “this is too overwhelming, I just can’t do it”, but he didn’t!!! He stayed the course……….he knew what he needed to do in his heart and he did it!!! At great personal risk, he gave a friend the precious gift of life and for that he deserves the title of “ANGEL”! I truly admire him and his determination to help a friend at all costs!
If you want to read Jeremy’s story, click here to go to his blog — you’ll want to go back to the first post in January and read backwards to get the best flow. Also, Ashley still needs your prayers and, if you’re so inclined, your donations – no donation is too small – they add up quickly and are so very much appreciated! If you’d like to find out how you can make a tax-deductible donation to the balance of Ashley’s fundraising goal, click here for more information.
And, finally, the picture that touched me most of all the photos posted on Facebook and the blogs……….this photo was taken when Ashley and Jeremy first reunited and saw each other after the surgeries – two hands linked in friendship……..two lives forever connected! My proof that miracles and angels do exist!!!
A Taste of the Past
Some things just reach out and grab you and send you head first, full speed into a time and place deep in the back of your mind. They summon up a memory so strong you feel as though you are right back there in the middle of it! It happens to me all the time – even more so now that I’ve moved back home. This week, I have enjoyed a strong memory associated with something I bought at the grocery store!
I was in the soda aisle (ooppss – there’s my Sanford side showing a little — I mean, I was in the “pop” aisle) in Tops looking for some root beer to get with my groceries. I like getting the glass bottle kind – usually Stewarts or one of those type of brands. I noticed a local brand I hadn’t seen before – Saranac. It is made by the brewery in Utica, NY. I used to love going to the Utica Club brewery, which I understand is now known as the Saranac Brewery. It always made a nice day trip to tour the brewery, smell the wonderful aroma of fermenters full of beer being created, and ending the tour with a big, frosty mug of beer in the old-time saloon on a hot summer day. So, I decided to try that brand of root beer this week. When I bent down to grab a six-pack of the root beer, I noticed another flavor called “Shirley Temple”! It had a pretty pink label with the name “Shirley Temple” and some cherries on it and it was filled with a dark pink – almost red – liquid inside. It instantly took me back to my childhood – not to memories of Shirley Temple movies, but to memories of a wonderful drink I used to LOVE as a child!
These memories take me to the historic Village Inn restaurant. I have a lot of fond memories of the Village Inn. It has a strong historic presence that started in the early 1800’s as an old stage-coach stop along the historic Ridge Road just a little north of Albion in Child’s, NY. My Mom worked there for several years as a waitress when we were little – just one of the multiple jobs she held as a single mother trying to make ends meet with two small children. My brother also worked there as a busboy when he was in high school. And, it was the restaurant I chose to hold my wedding reception at after the ceremony, which was held at the historic Cobblestone Church just across the street from the Village Inn. We would go to the Village Inn often – the Tillman’s were such nice people! But, the memory that the pretty pink pop summoned up was of a drink that Mr. Tillman would make for me! It was called a “Shirley Temple” and looked like a real adult cocktail — it was actually a “kiddie cocktail” served in a cocktail glass with 7-Up, a little grenadine, a maraschino cherry on a cocktail stick, and a swizzle stick that I could sip the drink through like a little miniature straw! Oo-la-la! It made me feel special and grown up! I found out later in life that most bars made them for kids, but at the time, I was convinced that Mr. Tillman only made them especially for me!!!! I would get all excited when I went, wondering if Mr. Tillman would make me a Shirley Temple! And they tasted so good!!! I’ve tried Cherry 7-Up and it just isn’t the same — Mr. Tillman’s Shirley Temples were so much better tasting and full of sweet cherry taste! Nothing compares!
So, when I saw the Shirley Temple pop in the grocery store, I just had to get some! I bought a six-pack and put them in the fridge to get them nice and cold. I looked for something to drink when I was reading today and decided to give one a try. It did not disappoint!!!! I was a little worried when I took the first swig from the bottle – it was a touch on the tart side. But, after another swig, my taste buds adjusted and it was so very good – a little too sweet to drink very often, but quite tasty! ALMOST – not quite – as good as those wonderful kiddie cocktails that Mr. Tillman made for me all those years ago. I should pour it out into a cocktail glass, add a maraschino cherry and a swizzle stick, and connect more directly with the memory!
What fun a drink and a memory can be! Oh, and the Saranac Root Beer is pretty darned good, too!
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