Before and After the Fall

My friend, Luanne, over at WriterSite has inspired me by writing what she calls a “catchall” post. That’s what this one is. Thanks Luanne!

I’m recovering from what felt like an unusually long sickness, so I’ve had lots of time to think about this and that. Since it is Memorial Day weekend, I am recalling so many of my uncles who fought in WWII, as well as my father, who was in the Coast Guard. My uncle Reuben Peterson was a corporal in the paratroops. Uncle Carlo Peterson, an army veteran, had been on the front lines in Germany. Uncle Art Peterson was a Marine, and Uncle Arvo Peterson was in the Navy. My Uncle Dwight Henderson also served in the Marines. They are all gone now, and their stories with them, aside from the ones we have heard and remembered. My mom is writing a memoir about her life as the youngest of a large family who had all four oldest brothers in the war at the same time. My dad has been gone for almost seven years. I miss him and my uncles and aunts, now gone.

My dad, Robert Coldiron (1934 - 2009)
 My dad, Robert Coldiron (1934 – 2009)

My doctor’s office has a nice view, one I have seen three times in recent weeks while trying to kick a persistent sickness as well as my first ever case of conjunctivitis, which he tells me was provoked by the sickness. After two rounds of antibiotics, some eye drops, and a few other home remedies, I am finally emerging from what has felt like a dark and lonely place. Thankfully, my husband has completed his academic year and has been home to keep things going. I feel as if I have been in a strong current, I told him, and your hand gripping mine has been keeping me from being swept away.  DrOfficeBefore I got sick, I was having a great time. We went to Disneyland for the launch of a project that my brother has been working on, an android creation named Jake. JoelMe1

Joel, my creative electrical-engineer brother, is an Imagineer in the Research and Development Department at Disney, and it was a thrill to see what he has been working on during his first year there. Jake emerged for view in the Star Wars Cantina area in Tomorrowland. He is quite adorable. JakeJoel was there to observe the crowd and their reaction. The children followed Jake from place to place and seemed to understand that he was “scanning” things when his lights and the lights in the wall would blink.Jake3We spent the entire day there, seeing both parks and then having dinner followed by the World of Color fountain show in the California Adventure area. That was all before the fall. I also got to see my dear Aunt Betty, my late father’s only remaining sibling. AuntBettyCarlaIt may have been a bad or a good thing that I watched so many murder mysteries on Acorn TV while I was recovering. Saw every episode of Poirot, Miss Marple, and Midsomer Murders. Also Vera, Blue Murder, and a few more. How many accents are there in the UK anyway? Love the countryside vistas and the quaint looking pubs. Have been to a few while in London and Oxford and look forward to going again.

Also before the fall, I went to a meeting to plan our upcoming 2017 high school reunion with some friends. Such a fun group, some of them friends since middle school, or what we then called junior high school.ReunionGroupThen came the maelstrom. Sore throat, cough, congestion, doctor visits, Kleenex, eye drops, aspirin, Theraflu, antibiotics. I did enjoy the hot tea, hot soup, and murder mysteries. After getting well, we ordered my father-in-law a new chair to help him get up and down (he is ninety and has a sore back). So far, I think he likes it.WalterChairAlso got to see my pal and sister-in-law, Kitty, which always cheers me up.MeKittyNo writing to speak of during the sickness, but I did manage to get some poems sent out. Got about a dozen rejections this month, but I’m still smiling from the recently published poem by Caveat Lector, and you can listen to me reading it by clicking on the link. Two new poems, also with audio, also appear in the new issue of Vending Machine Press.

So things are looking up. Hope to hear news of your “catchall” experiences. Feel free to post them here!

10 thoughts on “Before and After the Fall

  1. Carla, it sounds like your illness was preceded by a very busy and exciting time (perhaps the illness was you needing to slow down!) It was fascinating to read about your family and your brother’s creations! Vera is set in my part of the UK and they often film it in places close by – I did stumble into filming one day when they were filming at the island that I call my ‘soul place’ – I was just going for a nice quiet walk with the dog, but there were trucks and cars everywhere and ‘Vera’ driving her landrover over the causeway!

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    1. Andrea – How wonderful that you are in such a beautiful part of the world. We often marvel at some of the vistas shown in the series; such long expanses of ocean and land. I can see why it would be an ideal “soul place.” Thanks for reading!

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  2. Carla, I’m so sorry you were sick for so long, but it looks like you got it from gallivantin’ around so much!!! I love Jake and wish I could see him in real life. How fun for Joel to get to watch the kids’ reactions. That must have been quite an experience for your mother with all those brothers in the military. Congrats on your publications! “The Advent Map” is beautiful with a crisp clarity. I love the juxtaposition of the two driving poems, too. Beautiful work. But don’t drive to Arizona again without coming to see me ;). xo

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    1. Thanks for listening to the poems, Luanne. Now Dave is sick too! I have a slew of driving poems, and I’m glad two of them found a home. Joel has since taken his first sommelier exam, and I am waiting to hear if he passed. He’s amazing. Hope you are your family are doing well!

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      1. Oh my! Best wishes to Joel! I worked on a very long driving poem years ago. I thought it was going to be my magnum opus hahahaha. It didn’t happen! Please tell Dave to get better fast! xo

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  3. I love your posts, Carla, and am sorry there are no new ones, but I will every so often read an older one or reread a favourite. One never gets over losing a parent – the pain changes over time, but we love them, so we miss them. And during my recovery, I watched every episode of Midsomer Murders, too, knowing that version of England no longer exists (if it ever did). My best wishes to you.

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    1. Thank you, Cynthia. I am pondering my blog revival and hope to get to it before too long, but thanks for reading the older posts! We had sold our home, my husband lost his father, then we were in Washington state for a time getting my mom and stepdad into an assisted living facility and then cleared out and sold their home, then moved into our new home in a different California city, then got window coverings, then furniture, and so on, until now, a year later, I am waking up to a more settled feeling. Perhaps the blog writing is not too far away!

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