How nice to come across a new meme ( to me, anyway ), hosted by Louis la Vache, a Francophile American, living in the San Francisco Bay Area. I love his Golden Gate Bridge logo for the meme. Only sixteen days and I'll be able to see that bridge again for myself - after nearly 24 hours of flying from Mumbai, via Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam - only a three hour stopover this time so I won't have too much time to peruse the gay holiday decorations and sales. Just recently, I went over to Worli and got to see the Bandra-Worli Sea Link Bridge up close and personal. This cable-stayed bridge links Bandra in the Western suburbs of Mumbai with Worli in south Mumbai and is officially called the Rajiv Ghandi Sea Link. All eight lanes were opened March 24, 2010 - four lanes were completed and open almost a year earlier. Peak travel times has been reduced from 60 - 90 minutes to 20 - 30 minutes a true blessing in seriously overcrowded Mumbia.
Well, back home in the cool San Francisco Bay area, it's Thursday night, 11:15PM. I'm
in a state of perpetual confusion, living between India and the Golden Gate Bridge. I
enjoyed my brief two and a half months at home though I never could seem to get warm.
After the 25 pound weight loss during my last India visit, I seemed to feel the cool
temperatures much more. Since all my clothes were packed to the ceiling in storage, I
couldn't even access them. I, finally, ordered a couple of pairs of sweats and bought a
heating pad so I could sleep comfortably! Also, even with wining and dining ( oh, it
was so wonderful to have good wine again ) with family and friends, I managed to keep
off the weight! Hopefully, I'll lose a bit more this go round and return to delight my
orthopedist even more.
My flight to India this time was much longer than last. I went from Oakland to Seattle on
Alaska Airlines, then from Seattle to Seoul on Korean Airlines. After a three hour layover,
I continued on Korean Airlines to Mumbai. It was my first flight ever on Korean Airlines
and the service was superb - as were the meals. I chose Korean food both flights -
yummy - and even got kimchi the second meal. Once, when I accidentally hit the call
light, a flight attendant appeared instantaneously.
Street vendors in Patiala, Punjab, India
I am excited about being able to spend a month in Jaipur which will be on the radar
of more Americans since the release of "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". I saw the
movie twice in one week. I have already arranged for my friend and taxi driver, Lala,
to pick me up at the airport. We have stayed in touch ( that wonderful Skype! ) since
I left India and he had warned me that Jaipur is very HOT right now. The monsoons
are supposed to come with my arrival and people are longing for the rains.
I will try to post often but the picture situation is another story. I had forgotten how
problematic uploads are with my Tata Photon Plus. It is incredibly slow and takes
hours to upload a few photographs. I will have to research something better or a
locale that has high speed internet for my use.
Namaste, everyone....hot but happy in the country of my heart!
I remember so well that day when, at eighteen, I first saw those golden spires ( well,
I think the color is actually international orange ) rise through the fog and, just a
short distance later, San Francisco gleamed in sunlight, in whites and pastels, in front
of me. It was such a thrill and the bridge always gives me a thrill as it has every single
time in the last 35 years. Sh is beautiful. One must always have a camera on hand
because, if not, you're sure to miss an extraordinary picture. Some days, this regal
bridge will be in complete sunlight, others, she is shrouded in fog. Sometimes, she is
eerily wrapped halfway in fog, half in sunlight. It's always a surprise as to what you
are going to see.
I have loved doing three cruises either to and from San Francisco and sailing beneath
the bridge. I feel such a sense of nostalgia and pride as this beautiful sight either bids
me farewell or welcomes me home.
HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY, GOLDEN GATE!!!!
For this grand occasion, I'm including two famous songs about the city that is
home to the Golden Gate Bridge - "On a San Francisco High" which is sung by
the lovely Sony Holland and written by her husband, Jerry Holland ( who
accompanies her on the guitar ).
Of course, everyone knows, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" sung by the
master, Tony Bennett.
'
I have always loved this picture of my youngest son, Alex and Jeremy,
who are now 29 and 27, with a foggy bridge in the background
Of course, everyone knows how much I love India, the country of my
heart....however, it is nice to be home in the USA for awhile, especially
in my part of it, the northern California coast, near San Francisco. I was
just released from my three day hospital stint yesterday and I'm back
at the home of my dear friend, Silvia, where I'm renting a room until I
decide what to do ( probably, I'll head back to India after visiting family
and friends in the South ).
This morning, I had my coffee on the living room couch, looking out
Silvia's window which, of course, reminded me why I love this area so
much. In spite of a few man made obstacles, it is still beautiful.
Electrical lines cannot obscure the beauty of Ocean Beach in the distance, just a
few miles away. On some days, you cannot even see beyond the plate glass
window because of the fog but today was exceptional and gave me much joy.
Over the rooftops, the Pacific gleams blue in the sunlight. It is usually a very
cold 55 degrees so people, brave enough to swim ( most beaches have
warning signs about dangerous undertows ) or surf, usually wear wet suits.
Ships, seen from here, have already sailed under the Golden Gate, out of San
Francisco Bay and are in the open ocean.
If you look off in the distance, you can see the spires of our beautiful Golden
Gate Bridge which celebrates its 75th anniversary in May. Seeing it always
feels me with such a sense of delight and awe. I've felt the same every time I've
seen it for the past 49 years since my first time at the age of 18.
Just looking down, I see part of Silvia's pretty back yard. She spends a good deal
of time there, painting, planting, pruning with wonderful results. Being here with
her is so therapeutic for me! Years ago, we worked together ( she was a therapist &
social worker ) when I was a nurse at the San Francisco Rape Treatment Center )
and it is wonderful for us to have this time together in retirement.
Alphabe-Thursday, A is for Antidepressant - September 23, 2010
Well, I must admit, I have had the blues these days. Things are going from bad to worse.
I have depleted all my savings now, supplementing my half time pension and social
security since my job loss eighteen months ago. The pension, after taxes, is twenty five
dollars less than my rent and my social security doesn't even cover food, utilities, my
car payment and other bills. My lease is up, though, the end of November so I will be
moving out of the home I have rented for the past ten years. I have begun the tedious
and sad process of clearing things out and disposing of much of my life. I had never
anticipated this is how things would end up for me toward the end of my life.
This past weekend, I threw away most of my forensic nursing life. I discarded books,
notes, conference materials, and the like, since it looks like I won't work in the field
again. What a painful experience that was. Forensic nursing absorbed the past
twenty-one years and was the passion of my nursing career. I identified with this new
field for nurses and was thrilled to have been part of the meeting that founded the
International Association of Forensic Nurses. I attended every single scientific assembly
for the first ten years. Now, I am debating as to whether I will even renew my
membership in the organization as that is money I could better spend elsewhere. I may
even, after45 years, let my nursing license go inactive. All of this is too sad for words.
I've tried to tell myself that I am better off than so many people in this world and I know
that I am. I have been a world traveler so I know the poverty and pain I've witnessed in
places I've visited. At least, I'm getting a half time pension and social security. That is,
I'll get social security again. I've just gotten a notice that my payments are suspended
from September until December because they inadvently paid me for February 2009
when I, in fact, worked that month. So, instead of the $2300 pension and $1300 social
secuity, I'll only have my $2300 pension which doesn't even quite cover my rent. I do
have an appointment October 5th to try to challenge this or to beg for some sort of
payment option so that I don't have all my social security check attached each month.
I am not on antidepressants. I wouldn't take them. At least, I did have a wonderful
antidepressant this past week in the form of a visit from one of my dearest friends,
Sherry Arndt, the forensic nurse who used to live in Santa Cruz and taught me how to
be a sexual assault nurse examiner. Our entire nursing group from the San Francisco
Rape Treatment Center went to Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz for our SART ( sexual
assault response team ) training in April of 1990. Sherry was not only my instructor,
she became a mentor, a great friend, and a traveling companion, with whom I shared
many wonderful adventures about the world.
Sherry and her cousin, Nancy, made an overnight stop at my house, during a road
trip which started at Sherry's home in Minnesota. That visit did so much to lift my
dragging spirits. We had the most incredible San Francisco weather - blue skies, no
fog, and warm temperatures and we made the most of it.
We started out with lunch at American Sushi House near my home in Daly City,
complete with a wonderful sake and bento boxes with assorted dishes. Then we
drove into San Francisco for sightseeing. It was especially nice since the tourist
crowds had departed with the start of school, parking was easy and the weather
continued beautiful.
Bright and sunny at the Golden Gate Bridge
Sherry & Nancy with San Francisco in the distance
A stop at the Palace of Fine Arts
Afternoon break at the Cafe Divine in North Beach
Cheers from the Champagne girl
Champagne AND espresso with vanilla ice cream for me
Nancy and her dessert
Yummy!
Nancy & Sherry in front of Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square
With Robert and Nancy, dinner at Nick's in Pacifica
Waiting for our crab sandwiches!
Dungeness crab sandwich with tomato, red onion and avocado - eggplant fries
A beautiful end to a perfect day
After dinner, we came back to the house and finished our night with a bottle of
champagne, talk, and lots of laughter. Sherry's visit, all too brief, made me realize that,
no matter how dire the circumstances may become, friends are what get us through the
hard times and give meaning to our lives. When it comes to that, I am, indeed, wealthy.
I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday - join us!!
-Check out the link for info on my blogaversary giveaway:
http://rnsane.blogspot.com/2010/09/flash-55-friday-happy-anniversary-to-me.html#links
