Seth’s Sightings

After a week like our last one, it’s been hard to get our feet back under us. Travel was hard, with the missed connection in L.A. making the time with my dad shorter. What was needed to be done, was.

That Saturday became two days, with a start at the hospital by my dad’s bed, and breaks to get meals in town. We dined with a family friend in Yuba City’s cute little downtown, then headed back to the hospital for another session with dad. That session, we crammed six of us around his bed as everyone said their goodbyes to him. He was non-responsive, but we’d taken him off the breathing machine so he was comfortable, and seemed at peace.

We visited his care home before heading back to the airport, enjoying a meal with his carers, a wonderful couple who run a senior care home. There, we also collected some of his belongings. Saying our goodbyes, we hit the road… the start of our journey home.

Gassing up for the return trip, we’d used less than three gallons at that point, and then perhaps two more to get back to Alamo at the airport. The rental car receiving crew treated us well, joking a bit about the short miles, but we were at

by Seth Isenberg

the airport and to the gate well ahead of boarding, so had an easy start.

No real sleep for me on the trip, but naps enough to be able to hobble up the ramp to my wheelchair. With the early morning arrival into Charlotte, there was one person for two chairs, and we agreed to send the other person and wait for a porter. This leg, there was only half this giant airport to traverse, so the chair was worthwhile.

I didn’t sleep while waiting for the Allentown flight, but once on, I was out for a short deep sleep…so nice. We made quick work of leaving Allentown and were home to get an afternoon’s sleep… so nice.

That evening, we went out with friends to watch the Super Bowl. Sadly, our Eagles made a couple of mistakes, and they lost. So here is to next year…Fly Eagles Fly.

Sightings this trip out in California included orange trees with ripe oranges, and early blooming trees filled with white-pink flowers. We sighted a variety of birds in the rice fields between the airport and Marysville, including snowy egrets, other wading birds, and unfamiliar ducks. As we got closer to our destination, there were hundreds of acres of fruit (and possibly nut) trees. Around Yuba City and Marysville, we also sighted many homeless people, including one who had set up in the bank’s ATM lobby we used the drive up instead.

Yuba City is the home of SunSweet, and sadly their outlet store was not open on the Saturday we were there. We’d have made a buying run during a lunch break.

It took most of last week to recover from the trip. I met with my surgeon that Monday at Penn Medicine to plan for my cancer removal surgery. That’s now scheduled, and I’m getting a CT scan this week to aid with surgery planning. I am trying to get myself ready.

I am enjoying the distraction of going to Penguins games the last two being a fun win, and a close loss. Ruth and I will attend this Wednesday’s game, and the one on Saturday in hopes of two wins. The games in late February into March will determine if our locals can play well enough against division foes to make the playoffs.

Looking ahead, the Pocono Home Show is coming on March 4 and 5 at the Kalahari. It’s good fun at low cost for adults, and free for kids ages 16 and younger. There are three more weekends until Daylight Savings switches in. I want sun until 8 p.m. a.s.a.p. As always, best wishes for good health…

Coming

Events

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25—Chicken & Waffle Take-Out Dinner, pickup 4-6 p.m., Salem UCC, Weatherly

SUNDAY, MARCH 5— Breakfast, 7:30 a.m.-Noon, Albrightsville Volunteer Fire Company

SUNDAY, MARCH

5—Marine Corps League Breakfast, 8 a.m.-Noon, St. Patrick’s Social Hall, White Haven

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8—Bingo, 6 p.m., St. Patrick’s Center, White Haven

FRIDAY, MARCH

10—Storytime, 4:30 p.m., Weatherly Area Community Library, sign up 570-427-5085

SATURDAY, MARCH

11—Northeast Chamber Music Society concert in the round, John Murphy Room, White Haven Area Community Library