REENIE'S REACH
by irene bean

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SOME OF MY FAVORITE BLOGS I'VE POSTED


2008
A Solid Foundation

Cheers

Sold!

Not Trying to be Corny

2007
This Little Light of Mine

We Were Once Young

Veni, Vedi, Vinca

U Tube Has a New Star

Packing a 3-Iron

Getting Personal

Welcome Again

Well... Come on in

Christmas Shopping

There's no Substitute

2006
Dressed for Success

Cancun Can-Can

Holy Guacamole

Life can be Crazy

The New Dog

Hurricane Reenie

He Delivers

No Spilt Milk

Naked Fingers

Blind

Have Ya Heard the One About?

The Great Caper

Push

Barney's P***S

My New Security System

The Beat is Up

The upbeat of my dance choreographs my days with many delights.

I've fretted a wee bit that lately my words have been too overshadowed with the disastrous news regarding my health the past four weeks.

Well, DUH.

So, I have several vignettes to share and then I'll get back to writing about the bad crap.


*****


My housekeepers, Joan & Johnny Ray, are indispensable. In recent months they've made themselves available 24/7, and though I haven't made any middle-of-the-night calls, they're more than willing and prepared. They're devoted to me with such goodness. I can't begin to describe how humbled I am.

Prior to Thanksgiving, they were especially helpful and spent many hours readying my home. I pay them a fair wage on the handsome side of the ledger.

Thanksgiving evening I called Joan and asked if they would be able to come to my home the next morning - that though my family had washed mountains of dishes and stored away foods and stacked linens in the laundry... there was additional cleaning and organizing.

Joan and Johnny Ray didn't hesitate.

I also pay Joan a modest stipend to pick up my mail, lug my trash, and do my grocery shopping. Navigating with the big E tanks of oxygen is difficult for me to do alone. It's become far more convenient to simply hand Joan a list. Also, Monteagle is so small she wields my credit card around town with nary a problem. It's wonderful.

Yesterday, Joan ran several errands for me. She has a craggily-scraggily-crusty voice from many years of smoking. (My voice has become craggily-scraggily-crusty from begging her to stop.) In her craggily-scraggily-crusty voice she said, "Reenie, there's something I need to tell you and it's gonna to make you mad."

I cringed. I thought, "What the donkey-nose did I do wrong?"

"Reenie, you know that check you done give me the day after Thanksgiving?"

I nodded that I knew.

"Well, I done torn it up in a hundred little pieces so nobody can put it back together and cash it. That was our Thanksgiving present to you."

Gulp.

Sigh.

What more could I possibly write? This is a woman my age with a husband 10 years older, and they work 6 days each week and just scrape by. I lament with everyone else about the mess our world is in. So much is so wrong in our world. So much. And then there are Joans and Johnny Rays.

Trust me you... my little planet, Reenie's Reach, continues to spin and spin. The gravity of my illness has amplified my gratitude as well as others in my orbit. The sheer physical gravity of Reenie's Reach continues to draw some of the finest people ever ever onto the sod of my hopes and dreams. And Joan and Johnny Ray are two of those people.


*****


Two months ago when I began the circuitous journey through Cleveland Clinic, my main contact became David Lowe in the Lung Transplant office.

He called the other morning. He hadn't been brought up to speed with Dr. Budev's prognosis. We talked a bit and he quipped that he would never forget the Red Box Lady. He laughed and laughed. You see, that silly red box ended up becoming a significant identifier whenever I called Cleveland Clinic. They knew instantly who was calling. But he said the best part of the red box was the group photo I'd included with me and my caregivers. They loved that, but had no idea which one I was. When I'd sent the photo, I'd intentionally omitted my identity, but that day I put a name on the face. I also told him a bit about my children - that they were grown and happy and successful - and because of all those elements, it was easier to say goodbye. I am one lucky woman.

In closing, David wished me the very best and said, "I'll be praying for you. You never know what might happen. Just keep on being strong."

Nice. So very, very nice.


*****

To continue with the upbeat, here are more photos from Thanksgiving.



The pilgrims to the mountain are staying in the beautiful home of my friend Sue Herrick. It's the PERFECT arrangement. It's spacious with an amazing floor plan, d?cor, and amenities to suit any crowd or event. And it's walking distance to my home! La photo 10533285_564940260272583_6325749234220826836_o.jpg


I rented this home for everyone. It was perfect! Sprawling with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms and leisure space for all 10 of them! I rented this beautiful home from my dear friend, Sue. It was walking distance to my home.




The Turkey Crew arrives photo 10835361_564985773601365_1818439290487036337_o.jpg


Michelle & Stephen & Olivia & David arrive at my home - the turkey crew



David & Olivia photo 1780035_564988723601070_2978240990593487396_o.jpg


David & Olivia



Stephen knows how to dress for any occasion photo 10830587_564986343601308_3716826798307554413_o.jpg


Stephen knows how to dress for any occasion. Olivia, my tenant, was gone for the weekend and let us use her kitchen for prep.




Julia and Irene photo 10680068_567304110036198_336589059850339892_o.jpg


Julia & Reenie



Brothers - a joy for this mother for Thanksgiving photo 10689963_564738473626095_662649473661361040_n.jpg


David & Chase




Busy in my kitchen photo 1962872_565089926924283_4992696344505005277_n.jpg


A Busy Kitchen




Cindy making champagne cocktails. Yum! photo 1618560_565089696924306_2321931281417496732_n.jpg


Cindy making Champagne Cocktails - Yum!




Thanksgiving Day with Olivia photo 10633487_565088960257713_4564382901118705668_o.jpg


Reenie & Olivia



Doesn't every Thanksgiving  table have little bowls of M&Ms? photo 10553753_565001260266483_6773044426897548474_o.jpg


Doesn't every Thanksgiving table have little bowls of M&Ms?




All set with Olivia & David's help photo 10474824_565001160266493_8992512952528917401_o.jpg


The table set for a feast




Me with Stephen. photo 10828114_564988656934410_6327306877070457568_o.jpg


Reenie & Stephen (a wonderful friend of the family)




Malcolm loves jigsaw puzzles, but who doesn't!  These puzzle pieces are wood and shaped like other objects. At completion, it will resemble a vintage Thanksgiving postcard. The puzzle box is to Malcolm's right. photo 1492429_564939600272649_3523544609338009220_o.jpg


Malcolm (my grandson) working on a puzzle with wood pieces - all cut into distinctive shapes.



WOW! Malcolm has already completed one of the most difficult jigsaw puzzles I've ever seen! Bravo! photo 10687146_564984786934797_5990250633061770718_n.jpg


He finished it (all 285 pieces) in record time! A proud family moment.



David, Malcolm in the Middle, Bert photo 10830902_564937666939509_3431396884030721185_o.jpg


David, Malcolm in the Middle, Bert




Time for a champagne cocktail refill' photo 10422074_565095910257018_9012211605705477577_n.jpg


Time for a champagne refill



Katie & David photo 10620127_567304096702866_8364395320539233067_o.jpg


Cousin Katie & David



Malcolm photo 10419546_567304153369527_8636438870771044357_n.jpg


Isn't this a fabulous photograph of Malcolm!



Yikes! There were five lawyers seated at our Thanksgiving table. photo 1497860_567304106702865_4139065037923808255_o.jpg


There were five lawyers at our Thanksgiving table. Yikes!



The group after a round of Tricky Turkey (Dirty Santa) photo 10265452_567304233369519_3749247845239894509_o.jpg

Thanks for stopping by. Love.


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