Thousands Flee Offices in Prez Plane Terror Scare

How Nice

US President Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, Friday. Source: AP

Transitions

My Dad passed last night peacefully, at home, with Mom at his side. Today my sister and I rushed back to our parents' home in New York State. Things here are calm although certainly far from jovial. We're focused on writing the obituary, selecting an outfit for Dad to wear, considering burial plots, and so on. I am relieved that his suffering is over.

New York

I've been in my hometown of Poughkeepsie, NY visiting with my family since Wednesday. We've come together to spend time with my Dad, who is fighting the end stages of cancer at age 66. This is the third battle on his journey with the disease. He is very weak now and is unable to get out of bed, eat or use the commode without our help. It is humbling to help my father with such basics. Today I spent doing housework, chores and errands to help my mom, in addition to assisting Dad. I am praying for him and am grateful to have this time to spend with him. Thank you to everyone who has offered prayers and kind words. They mean a great deal to us!

OKC

Last weekend was our last regular season rugby game. It was an away game against the Oklahoma City Crusaders. Steve and I road-tripped up to OKC on Saturday morning before the game. I got to start in this game for the first time ever! I played the whole first half, and got positive comments from Coach and from teammates, which was a first.

Unfortunately Steve tore a hamstring early on in the match and had to be replaced by another lock, so we didn't have a chance to play together for very long!

How cute is THIS guy?

Saturday night was for going out on the town and meeting up with some other players from our team. We didn't stay out too late, though, due to various aches and pains. We stayed at a Residence Inn near I-40 in OKC where a new gatehouse was under construction. Since breakfast was being served in a trailer, we decided to eat elsewhere. Later on Sunday we did some sightseeing around the OKC area. We visited Bricktown, a redeveloped warehouse district near downtown. Nearby was the Myriad Botanical Gardens and the Crystal Bridge Tropical Observatory, which appears to be straight out of a Logan's Run episode. Later we paid our respects at the Oklahoma City National Memorial, which was built on the site of the former Murrah Federal Building in the north end of downtown. The centerpiece of the Memorial is a tranquil reflection pool, flanked by rows of chairs representing each victim of the terrorist attack on the Federal Building. It is constructed within the site formerly occupied by the Murrah Building.

A New Member of the Family

Okay, so I admit I'm behind on blogging. Meet Cici, the newest addition to the household. She showed up as a stray sleeping on my back porch back in early February. Since then I've placed ads on Craigslist and Petfinder, but no one claimed her. The vet confirms she's basically healthy with a small heart murmur, so we've gradually begun to introduce her to Princess. It's a process, but is interesting to watch.