Visiting My Parents

Last week, I went to visit my parents in Chicago.

(BTW, in case you were wondering, this is a picture of the stuffed animals that greeted me in the guest room of my sister's house, where I stayed.)

I miss my parents.

It was strange this summer to go to New Hampshire and stay at the family cabin -- without them. For most of my lifetime, that was our family pattern.

This year it was different. My parents were unable to go.

I was used to seeing them often when I lived in New York. They lived only 30 miles away in Connecticut and it was easy to visit. Even after I was married, I travelled to New York monthly and could check in with them. In May, they moved to Chicago to be closer to my sister and her children and to live in an environment where they could receive more care.

So, it's been a process of letting go of old patterns and reaching forward to create new experiences. There is sadness and wistfulness associated with the letting go. But, I know that to ease that I can look forward, with excitement, to the new experiences that can be created when the old patterns go away.

My parents are living in an independent living facility, which is full of vibrant and caring people. They have already made friends. Both of my parents need care right now, and I'm happy to know that they are receiving a very high level of care and are safe. It's a HUGE relief.

My parents are in the process of recreating their lives. I've told them that they have a choice: either they can measure every new experience against what they've known and what feels familiar, or they can decide to be happy and look for reasons to support that state of mind. I recommend the second option.

I'm in...

..Tennessee!

Yes, if you guessed Tennessee, you were right.

This is Lake Watauga in the Appalachian Mountains. Created in 1948 by the TVA, it covers about 10 miles in a very rural part of the state. It's really beautiful.

And, remote. You can only get to it by taking winding mountain roads. We had to take a left by the Baptist church and drive through a Confederate cemetery to get to our friends' house on the shore.

I do find it a little creepy that underneath this lake, there are towns that were flooded when this lake was formed. Apparently they drain the lake every 20 years -- and you can see the towns that lay beneath.

Summer Roundup

It was a full summer...and a beautiful one in the Lowcountry.

I enjoyed the beach, as you can see.

Mostly though, it was a busy summer.

In June, I received my last load of furniture from up North. My parents were able to make the move from Chicago at the end of May and we split up the contents of the home. So, I spent time in June, trying to get moved in all over again.

July marked workshops. I facilitated another round of workshops, 16 to be exact, in the Lowcountry, in the four surrounding counties. This time it was different. The "official" unemployment rate in one of these counties is 22%, and you and I know that the "actual" rate is much higher. I bet it's over 30%. That's 1 in 3 people not working. We are hurting down here.

August was a relief. I had fun in New Hampshire with my sister and her children. It was kind of a poignant time actually. For the first time in 40 years, my parents weren't able to come and I stayed alone in the family cabin. I missed them. But, I sure had fun with Kathy, Emily and Luke. It was a precious time. We hiked, swam, walked, swam, ate, swam...you get the idea.

Sunrise on Beech Mountain

I thought you'd like to see the sunrise on Beech Mountain, right off our back porch. We are slightly below 5,000 feet. It's beautiful...

Another Rainbow!!

This picture was taken off of our back porch in North Carolina.

Another beautiful rainbow...

Poppa's Wicker

Check out this wicker!

These wicker chairs are from the 1920's and belonged to my grandfather, Poppa.

They were kind of old and grey. I spray painted them and had the material on the covers changed. They are SO beautiful. I've got these chairs on the porch off of my office and plan to host many teleseminars from this little nook.

Stay tuned...

Rainbows

It's been a wonderful summer for rainbows. Check out this one.

Seen at a parking lot...at Wal-Mart.

Don't ask... :o)