Saturday Photo Hunting - Books - September 21, 1013

There were many traumas associated with San Franciso's massive cuts to
the Department of Public Health in early 2009.  My 21-year forensic nursing
position came to a crashing halt and, at 64, I retired.  My pension and 
social security weren't nearly adequate enough to stay in my home of 14
years.  I finally thought, "I'll live part of my time in India so I can see old friends
and live less expensively than in the Bay area.  It killed me, though, to part 
with so many belongings ( my boys always called my treasures "junk" but
they were precious to me.  I had hundreds of books - and 500 cookbooks.
I had to go through everything before I sent it off to Goodwill or gave it
away, hence, twice I rebooked my India flight, with a penalty.

Here are just some of the books that are no longer in my possession.
Hardest of all was discarding all my forensic books, conference notes,
and the like.  I just couldn't ( and still don't ) accept that my, profession of
almost fifty years, was over.

These boxes are merely a fraction to which I bade farewell.  The few I kept have

been in a foggy storage unit and are probably not worth keeping now.  

I am participating in Gattina's

Saturday Photo Hunting: Books

Join us!!!

Farewell, My Family and Friends - Next Stop, India

Still much to do, dear ones - but I have to return my AT&T Uverse paraphanalia
today so I'll be cut off from the internet.  I fly out tomorrow about 11AM - next
stop INDIA.  I'll be online there as soon as it's possible.

Thanks for all your support and good wishes.  I can't wait to get on that airplane,
to relax, eat Korean food and sip a nice martini.

Jeremy, my 6'4" baby can now relax, too and I know he's glad to be getting rid of
me - I couldn't be heading out if it weren't for him.  I enjoyed having Alex down on
Sunday. 

Namaste!!!

Carmen

Friday Flash 55 - Not Gone, But Forgotten - November 11, 2011

I'm stilll around,

Not posting much,

A couple days a week or such.

It's been just hell,

Sorting through my life,

Discarding much has caused such strife.

I'm nearly done,

The end's in sight,

December 1st, I'll board my flight.

I'll have four months,

To get to know,

An exotic country that I love so.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) 2011 Carmen Henesy

All Rights Reserved

I still have a bit more to do to finally vacate my home of

thirteen years but I am definitely on my way to India on

December 1st!

I am participating in Mr. KnowItAll's Flash Fifty Five -

check out the site and join in the fun!

India Delayed - Wednesday,October 19, 2011

Sometimes, I feel that my sojourn in India is just not meant to be.  My

plans always meet with delay and this trip is no exception.  I was due to

leave San Francisco on October 23rd and to touch down in Mumbai two

days later.  Alas, my departure had to be postponed.  First of all, a

subpoena from the superior court of San Francisco arrived for a trial

starting on October 12th "to completion" for a case I did some years

back - with the ominous threat of arrest for contempt of court if I

failed to appear when summoned. 

Reluctantly, I switched my outbound "free" flight to Korean Airlines

from L.A. since nothing was available on Air France, the carrier I'd

been booked on previously.  That frequent flyer ticket cost me $179

in taxes, etc...not too bad for an India round trip ticket.  For the

Korean Airlines flight, I had to buy mileage, for an additional $345.

Of course, I'll also have to buy a round trip ticket to LAX, making

my "free" ticket amount to more than $500! 

The only nice thing about this is that I am allowed stopover in Seoul

with this ticket.  Since I've never been to Korea, I'm staying two

full days - though it will be really cold and my suitcases will be

packed for the hotter climate of India.  I do love Korean food

( well, if truth be told, I love most food! )!  I plan to ask my good

friends who own American Sushi House up the street what I

should see and do during my two days ( they have a Japanese

restaurant but they are both Korean! ).

I hope I can do most of the final packing and rent a truck to haul

all the debris so that Jeremy can get back from his two week vacation in

Mexico to find almost everything done.  That poor guy worked almost

singlehandedly to demolish much of my old furniture and garage

shelving and haul it to the dump.  He was amazing!  He'd just resignedd

from his two year position at Maxim Intergrated Producsts and was

immediately hired at Genintech for an amazing salary and wanted to

squeeze in a vacation before that job started.

I have been trying to let go of a lot of my belongings in anticipation

of moving to MUCH smaller quarters on my return from India.  It

will certainly take some adjustment.  I just wish the San Francisco

area had nice affordable duplexes like the lovely two bedroom one

my mother rented in Columbus, Georgia for about $600/month.

She lived in hers for 18 years.

I'm sad that my stay in India will now be much shorter.  I arrive on

Saturday, November 19th and return to Los Angeles on Thursday,

March 29th - that's 37 days less in my beloved India than I'd planned.

I will just have to win the lottery so this will not be my last trip!





	Flight	Departs	Arrives
	Korean Air KE12	Los Angeles (LAX) Mon, Nov 14 11:50 pm	Seoul, Korea (ROK) (ICN) Wed, Nov 16 6:15 am
	Confirm  code: EITRTQ
	Korean Air KE655 Airbus A330-300	Seoul, Korea (ROK) (ICN) Fri, Nov 18 8:20 pm	Mumbai, India (BOM) Sat, Nov 19 1:55 am
	Confirm code: EITRTQ
	Korean Air KE656 Airbus A330-200	Mumbai, India (BOM) Thu, Mar 29 4:15 am	Seoul, Korea (ROK) (ICN) Thu, Mar 29 3:00 pm
	Confirmation code: EITRTQ
	Korean Air KE11	Seoul, Korea (ROK) (ICN) Thu, Mar 29 8:00 pm	Los Angeles (LAX) Thu, Mar 29 3:00 pm
	Confirmation code: EITRTQ



Alphabe Thursday - "S" is for Sad and Scared - February 17, 2011

"S" Is for Sad and Scared

I try to keep a smiling face,

To paint my eyes so merrily,

So people miss the pain inside,

And the fear that's haunting me.

For two years now, I'd hoped,

There might be some reprieve,

But the time has finally come,

It's been only me that I deceive.

I must give up my home,

Packing boxes lay about,

I'm glad it's just a rental,

Or I'd really scream and shout.

First you lose your job,

Then your home of thirteen years,

Then you're overwhelmed,

With a million different fears.

It's time I sorted things,

There is much to throw away,

What my sons consider "junk",

Means more than I can say.

Some are special treasures,

From friends beloved by me,

Others are parts of distant lands,

That I was blessed to see.

I know not where I'm going,

Only that I'll be alone,

My life will be far different,

Than I have every known.

I used to be adventurous,

And could easily switch gears,

But now that I am sixty-six,

I'm overwhelmed and full of fears.

I have so many aches and pains,

And, though I know it isn't true,

I feel like such a failure,

In all I tried to do.

I loved my work and did well,

And raised three sons alone,

But, there are times of late,

I feel I'm in a combat zone.

I've lost my "joie de vivre",

I hope it can be found,

I'm afraid I look as gloomy as,

A long eared basset hound!

I guess I will get through it,

It's just a bit more strife,

That's sent to prove my mettle,

And where I go in an after life! 

Carmen Henesy

Copyright (c) Carmen Henesy

February 17, 2011

I am participting in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday - check out the site and join in the fun!