A Bench….

One day, during my sister’s illness, she asked me to go with her for a walk along the river at a nearby park.   There she mentioned that rather than having a headstone in a cemetery she would like to have a memorial where people could bring a dog, rest, picnic, enjoy beauty, contemplate life, and remember her.  Today marks one year since her death.  The river flows on just in front of her bench…

Goodbye 2009...

So much has happened in this month of December...I have not taken many pictures or felt like blogging...in fact I have felt like the world has continued on as my world turned in upon itself...This month I lived through caring for my sister in her last weeks...This month I became closer to her and her children than I ever could imagine...This month I have become closer to my own children and husband as they support me...This month I turned 59 three days before my sister's death and received a card with her last words to me...This month I watched "White Christmas" with my sister and sang our theme song, "Sisters", for the last time...This month our family and friends got together not for a Christmas party but for a memorial service...This month our families started new traditions for the holidays...This month I tried to do shopping, and wrapping, and cooking to keep myself busy and to keep the family together...This month I took joy in receiving this beautiful "gingerbread" house made by my grandson so painstakingly...

Visiting Boston…

Before traveling to Maine Mr O , my sister, and I visited Mrs R while she was at work in the Boston Public Library…She works for the company that caters any events held there…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her office is in the older part of the library…designed by McKim, Mead, and White, it was finished in 1895.  We enjoyed taking a self-guided tour of this beautiful building… and we think it would be a wonderful place to have a party!

The main staircase had a beautiful golden glow from the yellow marble…at one point there were architecture students sitting on the stairs drawing….Most visitors were taking pictures of the lions…

 

 

The Abbey Room is dark … with a mural painting, “The Quest of the Holy Grail”, surrounding the room…

 

The reading rooms …well they were just as quiet and peaceful as they were gorgeous…

Hidden in the center of the library is a courtyard…we bought lunch at the library’s Map Room Cafe and brought sandwiches outside by the fountain…Not only were visitors like myself taking pictures, but a professional photographer was there meeting several clients…it was fun to watch him and his assistant while we ate…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right next door to the library is the Prudential Center…It was such a clear day we decided to go to the restaurant at the top for the view…and a Cosmopolitan…

I do think Mrs R has a very interesting and exciting job…

A Busy Weekend…

A few images from a busy Independence Day…and my sister’s 60th birthday…should I tell?

The day was celebrated at my sister’s house with family and friends…lobster and cake…Except for one nephew, all in our two families were there for a picture…How hard it is to get 11 people to look good at one time!

Rainy Day Lunch…

While there were severe thunderstorms and flooding in RI, I was in Newburyport taking my sister and cousin to a birthday luncheon which turned out just fine in the rain…

You can see me taking the picture if you look close enough…

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The table was chosen for the view…and the wine was chosen for the label…

 

 

 

 

 

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I gave them photo books of our winter trip to Florida…

 

 

 

 

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My cousin kindly took this photo of my sister and me…bundled up as though it was autumn instead of the first day of July!

The view was damp but beautiful…

Foggy with light rain…

A good day for ducks and dinners…