Robert gets another birthday

Happy birthday Robert!

I think he's feeling pretty glad to be alive. Considering two weeks ago today he was close to death. Every day after must seem like a gift. He is incredibly cheerful and that benefits us all. Finally, I am able to keep his attention and discuss dreams and plans. We will take time away to vacation--to see some things. It's like it takes a heart attack to start living! If you're so lucky to make it through alive.

******************************************************

Allison is learning about nouns, common and proper. She memorized a poem, "The Caterpillar" and recited it to her aunts today when they came to visit. Our plans to take her dad to the planetarium were squashed when I discovered it was closed today. One of the aunts wants to take Allison and her cousin to see the White House in Miniature at the Truman Library on Sunday. Supposedly it is lit up with Christmas lights right now.

We went to the bookstore today where Robert picked up maps on Baja and I browsed the Native American section now that I am curious about the massacre at Wounded Knee. Remember we've been watching hours of "Into the West," which depicts the horrible way the Indian culture was annihilated. Last night's episode was so, so sad. You just feel like you want to do something about it, to scream out to someone, "Stop this!" It's a little bit the way I felt recently when watching the coverage of the "refugees" of the New Orleans Katrina disaster. Somebody help them! At bedtime we were still discussing the matter and I was still so worked up. I asked Robert if he knew any Indians since I don't and he teased me saying, "Why, do you want to apologize to one?" Well, yeah. I guess.

Robert did set up the telescope we got him. It looks so impressive. It's an Orion Dobsonian Reflector and it's huge. I ordered it online and unfortunately it was delivered while I was out of the house so Robert saw the box and the surprise was ruined. With him home all the time I can't get away with mischief as usual. Anyway, he seemed so pleased with it. We'll take it out on the fairway tonight. It sounds stupid, but I want to find Dog Star and offer an apology.