Erek Leaves after Completing Puzzle. Also -- Visitors. And Monday. .

Highlights first: Erek left for DC after completing the legendary tall 3D Empire State Puzzle. In many ways, to me the puzzle symbolized some of our stay at the House. Also, we had excellent visitors. And there is assorted news of Monday.
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Monday was a long day. In the morning, Nadine was itchy and fidgeted in her bed. I had to give her the injection for the first time alone, with Erek standing there.

Jessie the nurse called and said she could come at about 1PM. Nadine got some more rest (she was still tired), and after that she and Erek had some more time to do the puzzle and enjoy each other's company. I went to CVS to pick up Aveeno lotion for the itch, and came back to find Erek and Nadine still working on the puzzle,getting serious -- it was fun to watch the building "grow"/. I half-joked that Erek's goal was to finish the puzzle before leaving on the plane at about 6:25 that evening. Sylvia arrived, and helped the operation.

The visiting nurse,m Jessie, arrived, for about 1 1/2 hours of nurse visit. She is vivacious,short, slender and "cute", with "big hair" and great shoes. She's extremely thorough and full of helpful practical suggestions. She humored me and put on a mask while changing Nadine's dressing, even though she didn't think it was necessary at home. She figured out a neat way to make the dressing cover the wound better.

When I came out, THE PUZZLE WAS DONE!!!! Erek had finished it!!! It had been, in a way, a symbol of our stay at MacDonald House. It really did look impressive.

Sue (Sylvia's mother), one of my closest friends, arrived, and we had a wonderful hug.

Nadine was a bit "under the weather" and still itchy, but she perked up when more friends arrived.

Some wonderful friends from Vermont, the Guertins, arrived -- they are dance-festival enthusiasts and also math people. Diane and Dave and three of their four kids (all teens) -- Gillian, Stuart and Neil. All are close friends of Nadine, and I enjoy the parents as well. A I'd felt sad about not seeing the friends I knew at music festivals, and there were 5 of them right there! They happened to be "passing through" -- what a treat! It was a boisterous and fun reunion, starting with a "tour", going out on to the deck until it rained too hard to stay out there, so we commandeered the large back and filled it with the 10 of us. The five "kids" (including Nadine) stuffed themselves onto one couch and put feet on the table for show-off style. This sparked parents with cameras. They were hugging, and arm in arm, and some of them gleefully petted Nadine's fuzzy head. There was merry talk of family reunion, mishaps, and other fun stuff. When it was time for the Guertins to leavethe kids didhn't want to leave the couch. Diane suggested that perhaps the three "kids" could come back to stay for an extended time.

Nadine had acted like she had no illness whatsoever -- the wonder of friends and long-distance visits. I, too, was thrilled.

Erek, Nadine, and I were alone again after Sue and Sylvia left. There was about a half hour of time for them to visit before I'd be taking Erek to the airport. After some pleasantries, I left so they could have some time without me.

It had been a wonderful visit. I'd enjoyed his company, he'd been a huge help, and I'd learned a lot. Erek and Nadine had much time to enjoy their friendship.

Finally, it ws time to take Erek to the airport -- Erek and Nadine hugged, and Erek and I left together. I appreciated the quiet of the drive. We hugged briefly at the Arrivals area, and he was off.

Did I cry after that? You bet!

Then -- back to the house, and to Nadine.