A whirlwind of a week!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4

Oh, wow!  What a whirlwind of a week I just had!  I was so busy I had absolutely no time to do any writing on my laptop – until now.

It was raining when I left Charlottesville, Virginia on Monday, September 26^th.  From the KOA I got on I-64 E to Richmond, VA, connected to Rt. 301 N and arrived at the home of Bobbie and Billy Boswell in Waldorf, MD.  Since they have a motorhome themselves, I took them up on their invitation to park on their driveway and hook up to their 30-amp electrical outlet.  Just as Navidad and I did at Pierre Pugin’s home in Quebec, we stayed just outside Bobbie/Billy’s house all day and night.

Bobbie and I hadn’t seen each other since I attended her retirement reception in 2007.  We’d been colleagues in the Peikoff Alumni House (“Ole Jim”) at Gallaudet University for nearly 20 years – she was the best secretary and assistant anyone could ask for.  Not only did we have a fantastic work relationship, we were close friends and I enjoyed being an active part of her family.  We had a lot of catching up to do and I was delighted when her daughter, Mary, later stopped by.  Earlier, I saw her son, Billy, and I also had the opportunity to see her granddaughter, Nikki, and her children.  Grandson Kenny is now in college but we exchanged greetings via Facetime.

Bobbie and Billy.

Bobbie and me.  Note their Persian, Bojangles, in the background.

The next morning (Tuesday 27^th), I followed Bobbie to the Beltway and then made my way to the Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD where I had reservations for a seven-night stay.  My whirlwind of a week then began – and it rained nearly all week, too!

Thank you, Barack and Michelle, for your eight years of service as

President and First Lady!

Thank you, Hillary, for your many years of service, nationally and globally - and good luck come November!

Wednesday 9/28 – I was saddened to learn on Monday morning that Helena Schmitt’s sister, who lived in New Jersey, had passed away that morning.  Needing to tend to her sister’s affairs, Helena will not be returning to Maryland to get together with me and act as my “chauffeur” as I make my rounds this week.  My condolences, dear Helena...

Prepared now to drive myself (and Navidad!) to my destinations, I decided to use the GPS on my iPhone – and I am so glad I did!  It’s been years since I’ve driven around here and much has changed.  This morning, I drove to the Costco parking lot in Frederick, MD and met up with Don and Agnes Padden.  Melinda, their daughter-in-law, was also there and I followed them to their local Panera Bread.  Son Bobby arrived a bit later.  Don and Agnes are Gallaudet alumni, Classes of 1945 and 1947 respectively, and they are two of many long-time volunteers I worked and associated with.  Don also served on the Gallaudet University Alumni Association Board of Directors, for which I was the Executive Director.  It was a lovely visit and so good to see them!

Don, me, and Agnes.

Bobby, Agnes, Don, and Melinda.

From that Panera Bread, I drove to the other one in Frederick where I found Linda Tom and Jane Kuzoian, my classmates and good friends, waiting for me.  We had a nice lunch and a great visit.  We were missing Helena, who is our classmate as well.  After a couple of hours, Linda left and Jane took me for a tour of her lovely condo.  Just as I left for the drive back to College Park, it started to rain and then the rain became a fast and furious downpour!  I can’t remember when I last drove in such a downpour!  The rain let up a bit and we made it back to the RV Park.

Linda, me, and Jane.

Later that evening, around 7:30 p.m., coming directly from her job, my first visitor to the camper arrived – Meriam Schroeder.  I walked over to the Registration Office to greet her and we then drove in her car to my camper.  We sat at the dining table inside – warm, comfy, and dry!  The last time we saw each other was when she was in California in 2009 and visited me at my newly-purchased condo in Palm Springs.  We’ve been good friends over the years and I’m especially fond of her mother, Nelly (gonna visit her tomorrow!).

Meriam and me.

Thursday 9/29 – I told myself that, although this entire Washington, D.C. region is truly beautiful on a clear and sunny day, this persistent rain is probably a good thing.  With the sun out of commission and not beating down on the camper, I’m assured of cool temperatures for Navidad.  If he needs warmth, he burrows under the sleeping bag.  If he’s hot, he’s basically stuck.  So, no complaints from me!

I headed out this morning to Gaithersburg, MD for my visit with Nelly Schroeder, Meriam’s dear, sweet Mom.  In her 80s now, she lives with Meriam and Kathy and their dogs and cats.  Since Kathy was off work that day I got to see and chat with her as well.  Being that Nelly’s other daughter lives in California, an hour or so from Palm Springs, I’ve been fortunate to be able to see Nelly several times during her visits with her daughter.  Today’s visit was nice and relaxing.  Nelly showed me pictures of her great-granddaughter, the granddaughter of her [now deceased] son, Carl.  A beautiful baby girl, indeed!

My visit with Nelly was longer than initially planned.  My afternoon visit, with Jack and Rosalyn Gannon at their farm, was cancelled due to a mishap Jack had last Monday – he fell and broke his hip.  I’ve been in touch with Rosalyn and we will work out a rescheduled visit later.  I returned to the camper for a soggy afternoon and evening with Navidad.  He was happy!

Nelly and me.

Kathy and me.

Friday 9/30 – Today is an historic day at Gallaudet University – the Installation of Roberta “Bobbi” Cordano as Gallaudet’s 11th, and first Deaf woman, President.  Since parking my truck camper on campus was likely to be difficult, if not impossible, I opted to take the Metro to the campus.  The Cherry Hill Park has a bus stop – a wonderful amenity for the hordes of RVers here who want to visit Washington, D.C. – and I took the bus to the College Park Metro Station.  Thanks to the inevitable result of progress and new technology, it took me some ten minutes to figure out the new fare card system.  Soon I was on a Green Line train and then a Red Line train to the NoMA-Gallaudet Metro Station.  Following the exit arrow to Florida Avenue, I stepped outside and immediately had no idea where I was.  I was surrounded by buildings that weren’t there before!  One of those was a hotel so I went inside, asked which way to Gallaudet, and about five or six blocks later, I was on the campus.  I had time to walk around before the Installation ceremony began at 3:30 p.m.  As expected, there were many people I knew and the pre and post ceremony hugs and greetings were warm and heartfelt.  It was a wonderful ceremony and shortly after it ended I walked over to College Hall and found Bobbie, Mary, and Kenny in Mary’s office.  After chatting for awhile, Bobbie and Mary drove me back to my camper.  A very, very good day – congratulations to you, President Cordano!

Well, hello Tom and Alice!  Long time no see!

The Peikoff Alumni House (“Ole Jim”), where I worked from 1982-2002.

In the Field House with Daphne Cox and Norma Buemi, just before the ceremony began.

Gallaudet’s new president.

Saturday 10/1 – Noting that it was still raining, I was glad Navidad and I weren’t going anywhere today.  I was expecting two visitors, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.  My afternoon visitor cancelled due to illness so my morning visitor – Lisa Sealey – stayed all day.  Lisa was a young 20-something bundle of energy when I first met her at an alumni event in Utah, her beloved home state.  In her 50s now, she’s still got a lot of spunk!  She’s a sweet gal, someone I helped settle in a bit when her job transferred her to D.C. in the late ‘90s.  We had a great visit and I’m glad she’s doing so well.

Lisa and me.

Sunday 10/2 – I had two scheduled visitations today.  My morning visitors in my camper were Shellie Chambers and Julie, her partner.  I’d never met Julie but Shellie and I go way back to the late ‘70s.  She was one of about ten women in the sign language class I taught at the D.C. Women’s Center.  She was living in Virginia at the time but we became close and decided to rent (and later buy) a colonial house in Cheverly, MD.  We lived there for eight years with a house full of cats, her Moses and my Fred, Sam, and Jack.  Moving on with our respective lives I’m blessed that we’ve stayed in touch over the years.  During their visit with me, the sun broke through!  Thank you ladies!

Me, Shellie, and Julie.

For my afternoon visitation, I drove to the Kettering-Largo (MD) area.  I had a townhouse there, in Mitchellville, and decided to swing by and see it.  It looked exactly the same and I was happy to see that the neighborhood looked good, too.  A few minutes later, I pulled up to the home of Mike and Susie Kaika.  Mike and I became Alumni Office colleagues when I joined that office in 1978.  We worked together in the basement of College Hall, then moved up to Crow’s Nest in Chapel Hall, then moved in to “Ole Jim” after it was renovated.  Mike eventually joined the Public Relations Office but we enjoyed many years of joint work commitments and a wonderful friendship.  Their two children, Eric and JJ, were very young when Susie became ill but Susie was always there for them, being the best mother she could be.  I lived close enough to visit often and watch their children grow up.  Eric spotted me at Gallaudet last Friday and introduced me to his adorable one-year-old daughter.  JJ and I had a few minutes on Facetime while I was visiting Mike and Susie.  So very proud of them, their parents are!  So very good to see them both!

Mike, Susie, and me.

Monday 10/3 – Bobbie is such a sweetheart!  Last Friday, she offered, I accepted, and at 10:30 a.m. this morning she was right there to pick me up and drive me to Frederick.  We stopped for lunch first at the same Panera Bread where I had lunch last Wednesday with Linda and Jane.  Then we drove to the nearby rehab center and found both Jack and Rosalyn Gannon in his room.  Oh, what a joy to see them both!  Jack had had his hip surgery a few days prior and was, despite the occasional pain, feeling a lot better.  He had a few visitors while Bobbie and I were there – his nurse, a doctor, a social worker – and, with his characteristic good humor, he joked around with them.  Jack and Rosalyn are an endearingly special couple and an important part of my life.  Jack hired me for the Coordinator of Alumni Programs position in 1978 and, as my boss, he mentored me and taught me practically everything I know about writing, planning/organizing, and how to relate to all sorts of people, alumni and others, with respect and sensitivity.  Rosalyn was one of our staunchest alumni volunteers and she was involved with many of our fund-raising and advocacy activities.  I was so lucky the day that Jack decided to hire me!  As our visit drew to a close, their daughter, Christy, came in.  It was wonderful to see her once again also.  The Gannons were the last of my pool of people to visit.  Well, next to last, I should say.  I got to see YOU, three times, Bobbie!  Thank you for taking good care of me!

Jack and me.  He cracked a joke earlier about how similar our haircuts were!

Bobbie, Jack, me, and Rosalyn.

Oh, I made one more visit on this day (Tuesday, 10/4) -- with Mom and Dad at the Arlington National Cemetery.  With my personal pass on the dashboard, the guard welcomed me in, truck camper and all, and within a few minutes I was parked on Arnold, near Section 66.  It took me a tad longer to find their tombstone – there were that many more since I was last there.  I hung around for about 15 minutes, taking pictures and looking around.  Mom was buried there in 1993, and since I didn’t leave the area until 2002, I visited her very often.  I noticed today, and I’m not sure if I noticed before, how alive this revered and solemn place really is, especially on a weekday.  I spotted a frisky squirrel here and there and maybe a bird or two.  But that’s not it.  In addition to the tourists walking over to see the Kennedy brothers’ graves and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there were workers scattered about tending to their duties – maintaining the landscape, doing some sort of repair over there, and, perhaps most poignant of all, digging a hole for a new arrival.  This is a vast place and everybody in the ground there has a story.  My parents do, too.  I’m glad, honored really, that they are buried there.  It’s the perfect place to be, to rest…

Dad….

Mom…

I had used my GPS to find my way from College Park to the cemetery.  It was quite a route through the crazy narrow streets of NW D.C., past Watergate and the Kennedy Center and over the Potomac River.  On my way out, heading for New York Avenue/Rt. 50, I decided to resort to memory.  At one point I veered right instead of left and ended up taking the 6^th Street exit.  That turned out to be perfect anyway because when I stopped at a red light, I was looking directly at Mr. Henry’s.  Oh, Lordy, the memories -- and the stories those walls could tell!  I also saw a bit of the ongoing improvement of H Street and many of the beautifully renovated rowhouses in that general area.  There was Gallaudet, but I had to move on, taking Rt. 50 E over the Bay Bridge (hello, Chesapeake Bay!) to the Eastern Shore.

It was about 3:30 p.m. when I backed-in to my site at the Janes Island State Park in Crisfield, MD.  I have a view of the Daugherty Creek Canal and a couple of white egrets on the other side.  After such a busy week in the heavily populated D.C. area, being near water is calming.  This state park is the first of my planned “beach stops” as I go south to the Outer Banks (NC).

But, there’s a hurricane churning in the Caribbean…and his name is Matthew…      

Sunset at my site at the Janes Island State Park.