the hills are alive

My uncle Jim was an artist in every sense of the word and when he was out of school for the summer he did what any other guy would do...produce local community theater musicals. There were plenty to choose from in those years but I remember Oklahoma! well because my best friend Sisa was in it along with my good buddy for life JoelP. Prior to that was South Pacific and The Sound of Music. I never acted in them but totally loved it! When he wasn't busy doing that he was redoing some house or another. That family moved so many times I can't remember all of the homes. The one that sticks out, though, is the "new" old house on Main St. in Newbern. It was chock full of awesome antique pieces one of which I still have. There were also quilts but I didn't get one. My mother surprised me that Christmas with the very pink depression glass bowl I had lusted over. She has always been clever like that leaving notes for a scavenger hunt to something special or attaching a handwritten piece of her lovely prose to make a gift that much more meaningful. Now she tells you in her quivery little voice with the cute laugh that you are special and she's still your mama and you'd better listen. I told her we'll celebrate her 80th birthday the next two weeks on daddy's dime. That made her giggle even though he was mad as a wet hen because we were daring to not be glued to the teevee. It's a game now to see how long we can outlast him. Sad, but true.

The last gift that she specifically chose for me was a framed piece of embroidery from my friend Sue's antique shop and tearoom. I gushed when I saw it and she quietly talked to Denise behind my back and had it reserved just for me. Sue has since left the business and come out of semi-retirement to work again as a tech. We've been through some tough times together where both of us were just drama ridden but we've never stopped laughing together. She's one of those who will give you big girl panties whether you want them or not.

I've learned so much from the people I work with that I can't begin to say who was the biggest influence. That's a lot of years of people come and gone and sometimes we sit around the break room table and play "remember that one...". When I started work there my Gaga was an ER ward clerk on 2nd shift and the ER was about 1/4 the size it is now. Built in 1957 the facility would be added to over the years with each purchase.

During my time there it became financially attractive to offer substance abuse treatment. Most programs were paid through two weeks by insurance. If you've ever seen addiction up close and personal you know that two weeks is barely enough time to detox much less work on your "issues" with daily life and or the past. I am a firm believer in psychotherapy because it has saved my sanity on more than one occasion. Thanks Big E! BTW, that's one of the perks of the AHCA. Just saying.

Meanwhile back on the hill, it's Saturday morning and I'm in for the day, emergencies notwithstanding. The Cadi is parked lest we push our luck on the cops pulling it over. It's covered with gold leaves from the maple out back. Pretty!

Keeping the faith here ^j^