It's a beautiful Memorial Day and I'm sitting...
May 29, 2006 by Meg in Lytton
It's a beautiful Memorial Day and I'm sitting on the patio by the pool, with a church carillon playing a hymn in the background and the birds singing their own hymns. The breeze is gentle and cool and the peonies, in various shades of pink, are in full bloom, resting their heads on the patio because of their sheer weight.
We had a warm and gratifying weekend-as close to perfect as they come. Last Friday, Dick, Julie (done early in the day because of no Organic Chemistry lab that day at her intense summer course at Bryn Mawr College), Mikayla and I rushed to finish last minute photo board glueing and packing to pick up Sue and Seraph at the airport. Callie took the train from Philadelphia and met Sue and Seraph while we picked up salads and sandwiches for dinner for us all.
Then we bustled westward in 2 cars to Boiling Springs, PA to pick up Callie's boyfriend Will. He started walking the Appalachian trail from Georgia in March. He made incredible time so he was able to join us for Dad's Memorial service. We spent the night in Donegal, just off the turnpike. At 9 Saturday AM,we met Betsy, her boyfriend Bob, and her sons Will and Patrick at the one restaurant in Normalville. We were delighted to find Otto Scherer, an old sailing buddy of Dad's, already there with his wife Carol. They had come from Washington, D.C. After breakfast,we all went straight up to the church for the Memorial service at 11.
Margie Gilfillan, my brother's widow, came from Pittsburgh and spoke beautifully about how Dad had been so kind to her and her brothers, including shooting off rockets with her brothers on weekends. Andy Horniak, Dad's good friend, sailing buddy and the inheriter of Trillied, came and spoke lovingly about sailing and arguing about everything from sailing to physics to astronomy with Dad. Dad's sister Lil's daughter Ann came from Illinois, as did Lil's son Allen and his lovely wife Jeannie, who drove up from Washington, D.C. And, very wonderfully, Meade Gougeon, Dad's dear friend, the designer and builder of Trillied and the inventor of West Epoxy (which Dad used on everything!), drove from Bay City, Michigan-- and spoke wonderfully about the first time he met Bill and Edna at a sailing regatta on Long Island. The minister did a wonderful job and adapted the service to our requests. Margie, Betsy, my daughter Julie, Andy, Meade, Sue and I and a man from Normalville spoke warmly, kindly and with heart-felt feelings. I hope I can do as much, and do as much good, as Dad did in the world...
Afterward, we had a sumptious repast prepared by the ladies of the church, then an impromptu burial of Dad's ashes, with nearly all in attendance, on the hill overlooking the broad, blue, misty valley. THe closest friends, tho from the farthest away, spend the afternoon down at the house talking. Mead and Ann and the Scherers had to continue their journeys during the afternoon but Andy and Margie were able to stay to dinner before heading home. Our crew returned to Donegal but left Seraph to spend the night at the house in Normalville with Betsy's family.
Sunday, we all had breakfast in Donegal before Betsy's group headed back to Ohio. We took Will back to Boiling Springs, were delayed by a Memorial Day parade but had a delicious lunch in a grassy park by the Yellow Breeches creek. He was anxious to be off toward Reading, PA, where Callie will pick hime up next weekend to bring him back to Phila for his birthday weekend.
Now we're home, left with pictures to refile and organize, some of Dad's books that Betsy gave us and warm memories. I hope I can continue Dad's tradition of fully and intelligently diving into the task at hand, continued curiosity and interest in new things and new learning, and generosity and steadfastness in my endeavors. The World was definitely a better place for his time spent here....
All my love,
Meg
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Hi all,
Another late night entry when I shou...
May 05, 2006 by Meg in Lytton
Hi all,
Another late night entry when I should really be authorizing prescription refills....
The wedding in Normal was delightful! I arrived at Midway at 9:30PM Friday. I finished seeing patients at 3 PM, then was fairly panicked by the # of phone calls, knew I had to be home by 5:30 to leave for the airport and I hadn't packed yet! Happily, Dick got me to the gate on time and Sue met me at the other end. My heart sunk briefly when she said we were staying in Normal that night, as I was pretty exhausted, but we zipped out of Chicago and had little traffic for the 2 1/2 hr drive.
Saturday was rainy and I woke early, on East Coast time, worked on my New England Journal of Medicine exam until Sue and I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy wedding presents.
We called Ann to learn that they needed help to implement "plan C" (wedding and reception inside) because of the weather and wind. We happened to run into cousin Alan and his wife Jeannie at Wendy's as we were driving to the wedding and had lunch together. Small world department!!
The wedding was warm and intimate, fusion American and Indian/Hindu, followed by Indian food in the quickly-converted garage. As Ann and I exhaustedly sprawled on the sofa later, we had a great review of fusion vs nuclear vs other power sources by a young physicist guest, Kevin. A good time was had by all. Deepti, her artistic sister and her French boyfriend, and their parents were all lovely. There is a 3rd wedding planned for this couple in India in the fall. That one will be for 500 or so guests!
The wind was howling off the plains Sunday AM and I knew travel would be problematic. We could scarcely close the hotel door against the wind. I was impressed by the rich blackish Illinois soil (seabed iron ore and limestone) as we drove to Chicago.
The plane was delayed 4 hrs in Chicago but everyone was in good spirits and applauded and cheered any time a plane was able to board and take off. The giggly male Southwest ticket agent kept us all in a cheery mood.
Dick picked me up and I was able to finish my exam in time for the mail Monday AM. Over the weekend, the hot water tank started to leak. We came home Monday PM to 4 inches of warm water on the basement floor. Not too much damage. We now have a new hot water heater and we vacuumed, mopped and waxed the basement floor! All's well that ends well!
Dad's urn arrived yesterday, looks very nice. I'm going to pack his clothes in suitcases this weekend so we'll have room for graduation guests.I'll bring them to the memorial service to distribute.
Meg
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