My Parents' Anniversary Peonies / Sibling Selfie

A tale of family, and travel, and love, and peonies.

It was a plan that we threw together on short order, but we pulled it off! A few months ago, my brother's wife went into assisted living in Sunbury. In early March, we put together a family visit that involved transporting cookies across central Pennsylvania, in several legs of travel. You may read that tale of the cookie transporters here.

Of late, my big brother Robin and my little sister Julie and I have been keeping the wires hot on Facebook. My dad (age 93, as of June 4) has been having some difficulties with his back that have translated into pain, and problems with mobility.

A doctor trip on Monday resulted in an X-ray, followed by three new meds for him. Apparently, our Dad needs to take it easier, which means: stop cutting down trees and chopping them up and removing them himself, among other things. Anyway, we were getting updates from Julie on Tuesday, when she suggested a Thursday visit to Sunbury to see Cindy.

There was not time for cookies on this trip, alas, but Thursday morning found my husband and myself in the car, heading to Sal's in McAlisterville for a very nice Italian hoagie for our lunch. This was followed by a quick stop at Julie's, where we piled into the famed "hot rod Lincoln" (hat tip to my dad!) and headed up the pike.

My brother and Cindy's older sister Jean (who is amazing!) were already there, and Cindy woke up so that Jean was able to feed Cindy her lunch, bite by bite. We made quite a roomful, we family visitors, and the hour plus that we spent was punctuated with stories, harassment of each other (hey, it's allowed, and also shows affection), and lots of love.

I am pleased to report that Cindy appeared to be in no pain, that she was able to understand that we were there and know who we were and even speak a little with us, and that she is receiving excellent, loving care from both medical professionals and family members.

Someone in Cindy's family had the great idea of placing one of those electronic photo frames on the wall that you can upload digital photos to, and then it cycles through the pictures. There were quite a few photos already, and after working out the tech issues, Julie uploaded a few more. Cindy's family is on the wall, in visual form; our love surrounds her, and lifts her up as best we can.

And then it was time to take our leave, and we hopped back in the car and headed for Julie's. We stopped to visit Joseph's grave along the way, and admire new flowers that had been placed there. At Julie's house, her husband and mine got out, and Julie and I went back to Mom & Dad's, where Robin joined us. (Julie, you will want to know that I am STILL regretting not getting that milkshake as we passed by the Creme Stop!)

Mom and Dad both needed haircuts, and that was just Julie's game. While she cut Dad's hair in the kitchen (like Dad and Uncle Jimmer used to do!), I walked around the yard taking pictures of the flowers in bloom. I arrived back indoors in time to help a little with Mom's hair washing, which was not as easy as it sounds; okay, I'll admit it, we soaked that poor little gal. Mea culpa.

Anyway, here is a picture of the peony bush that blooms every year for my parents' wedding anniversary. It is our custom to photograph them actually STANDING by the blooms, but both of them at this point are in a condition where it is difficult for them to walk. So here are the peonies, sans parents, who were indoors at the time. I celebrate their 73 years of wedded bliss, which will occur on June 17!

I seized the opportunity while I was visiting to take a quick sibling selfie, which you may see in the extras. I used to say that my parents had TWO families. First was Barb, Marilyn, and Pat. Then there was a gap of maybe eight years. Then Robin, me, and Julie. So here is a photo of the second family. You might think of us as the Three Musketeers. ;-) As I snapped it, my mother walked into the room and said, "I'm so glad all of you get along!" (And we do!)

We are in birth order in the photo from youngest to oldest. "We all have eyes of blue, which we came by honestly, for our parents have them too." (That's a quote from a poem about my family written by my big sister, Barb Colyer; you may read the full version on her gravestone.)

As the afternoon wore on and we got hungry, it was time to get our thoughts together about supper, and travel. We took our leave of our parents, and everybody scattered to their own business. As for my husband and I, we hit Sal's again, this time for a delectable chef salad that we'd called in from Mom & Dad's house. And then back home we went, for we had miles to go before we slept!

I have two photos for the day, and so I'm picking two soundtrack songs. The theme of the day is love, of course, so here are two love songs: Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart and Sting, with All for Love (the theme song from the film The Three Musketeers); and Don McLean and Nanci Griffith, with And I Love You So.

P.S. This family photo may help you keep track of the cast of characters.