Starting a new journey

Today is DAY TWO of a new journey that will take us to Bartlett, IL, Columbia, MO, Boulder, CO, and Alpine WY and back, about five weeks in all. At the heart of this journey will be our visit with Betsey, my daughter, in Boulder. Betsey has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and will be starting radiation therapy and chemo-therapy soon. The type of cancer - glioblastoma - does not have a good prognosis, but she is in the very best of medical hands, is being a real warrior, marshalling all her internal and external resources, and we are hopeful. It will be very special to be with her at this time and we will be stopping in Boulder for a few days both going out and coming back.

Last night (DAY ONE) we were in Swarthmore, PA and stayed with Wallace Ayers, as usual, and stayed up pretty late talking, as usual. Then when we left today, we forgot the little cold pack in which we keep our perishable food for the trip, which was out of sight in the frig. So we went back and got it, and lost some time there. But we had a smooth trip from Swarthmore to Oberlin, along the PA Turnpike and I-80, and along the way I read aloud from Mary Gordan's The Liar's Wife, a very compelling novella titled Thomas Mann in Gary, Indiana. The main character is a 90-year-old man looking back to his teen years growing up in Gary, and boy, did I resonate with his experiences. Not entirely, but enough to make it very thought-provoking for me. I also used time in the car to work on my annual holiday letter - folding, addressing, stamping, etc. Ready to mail tomorrow.

When we first got word of Betsey's tumor, I lit a candle for her and have found it very meaningful to keep a candle burning night and day ever since. I did not want that to end when we started our trip, so I've found a way to continue it:

Votive candle in the door of the car

I have a little glass votive candle jar with a tea-light tucked into the storage compartment in the door. It seems to work very well, and is safe. Right now it's burning here in our motel room.

Just before we left on our trip, we were part of two performances of Verdi's Requiem by the Brattleboro Concert Choir in the Latchis Theater. Both times the theater was full, and especially so for the Sunday matinee, and that was inspiring to see. We sang pretty well and family and friends afterward reported that it was a powerful experience. I took this photo from the riser just before the soloists came out:

Orchestra and audience awaiting the Verdi Requiem in the Latchis Theater

Tomorrow we'll drive to Bartlett, IL, to Maggie and Jerry's home. Nephew Daniel will be coming over tomorrow night to see us. The rest of the family will gather Saturday eve.