Cozy

Usually when I come home, Minkelina is to be found either on her pillows next to my chair, on her own towel-covered chair, on the cushions in my workroom, or on the floor facing the door.  But today I didn't spot her anywhere until I looked into the bedroom and found her curled up asleep on the bed, tucked into the pillow.  She really loves our new bed, but it's the first time I've seen her there on her own.  This shot caught her just waking up.

I was finally able to connect with Sharon last night, and she is doing pretty well with all the kids and grandkids there, as they were coming in for Thanksgiving anyway.  Sharon always throws a grand Thanksgiving party for about 40 people - I don't know what will happen with that.  Her feeling is that the reality of her loss won't really sink in until everyone's gone home and she's on her own.  I think that's true.  I wish I could go down there to be with her for a while once she's alone, but with my physical limitations that's just not realistic.  I've told her she can call me any time day or night, and starting today I will be sending her a photo every day with the  message "Thinking of you." When Sharon was getting toward her 75th birthday, I sent her an E-card every day for a month with quotations about aging and birthdays.  I'm hoping these also will make her feel supported.

Sharon's family and mine weren't close when we were growing up and I didn't get to know her until 1978 when I did my internship in San Francisco, which is just north of Los Gatos.  I didn't contact her when I got there because my mother said she wouldn't want to be bothered by me.  Sharon's mother told her I wouldn't want to be bothered by family, so she didn't contact me.  After I'd been there alone about nine months, I reached out anyway and she invited me to come for Passover.  We loved each other on sight and have been very close ever since.  I feel so sad.