What have I been up to?

Well here I am in Philadelphia. "But, but, but aren't you supposed to be in rural upstate NY? " I hear you say.

Yes indeed. Philadelphia PA was supposed to be the 45 minute interval during which we switched planes. But our flight to NY was cancelled because of weather. We spent the night in a decent motel. Booked a flight for this afternoon. Not at all are it will be going anywhere. But we will be leaving for airport shortly, because we have to try. If not successful, another night and another motel in Philly probably.
 
Well, it got worse. After several flights being delayed and then cancelled, they finally told us there would be no more flights to Watertown or vicinity until Monday, which is when we had to come home. Not to mention the impossibility of waiting it out in Philadelphia, trying to book rooms there at short notice on a weekend. So we came back home today. No trouble booking seats for that, because all sorts of people from other places on the east coast couldn't make their connections because of the weather, and we were on a huge airplane that turned out to be two thirds empty.

Very, very disappointed, of course. Heartbroken, really. We didn't tell Pat we were coming since we didn't want her to worry about our flying in. Turns out that was a good decision.

All that said, if we couldn't get where we wanted to go, after a stressful two days (which felt more like a week) thousands of miles from home, we are very glad to be back here. I had a twenty-four hour headache, which miraculously disappeared as soon as John picked us up at the airport in San Francisco.
 
So sorry to hear this Teresa, but I know your friend and her family knows about your gallant effort and that counts for something.
 
The airline has sent us vouchers for almost the full value of our trip, so we should be able to make another attempt in a few weeks if the weather improves. Meanwhile, Pat got back the results of tests done on her heart, and those at least were favorable (at least she said they were—she may have been trying to reassure me). Also, if we go in a few weeks Daisy might be able to go, too. Not go with us, because she lives in Seattle and would be flying separately, but go at the same time and share a hotel room.

We didn't tell her in advance that we were coming because we didn't want her to worry about us. Turned out to be a good decision because she would have been horribly disappointed. But we told her about it after we got home. She scolded me for travelling in the winter, but I could tell from her voice that it had cheered her considerably to know that we had tried to come to her. So, as you say, Parson, that counts for something.

I just worry about her every day, and fear that she may be gone before I can get the chance to go to her. I know if our situations were reversed she would have moved Heaven and Earth to come to me.
 
Of course with the current situation, we won't be flying anywhere for a while. And the weather is still iffy in upstate New York and they are still playing hospital/nursing home roulette with Pat. So frustrating!

However, for some more encouraging news on the writing front, I have finished working on the scanned files for The Green Lion Trilogy and sent them on to Gary to convert for Kindle. We have a cover for the first book, Child of Saturn, and hope to release that before the end of the month. We are still working on the problem of covers for the others, which we would like to bring out in fairly swift succession (all of them this spring if possible). But one can't always find the pictures that will do for your characters when you are doing photo manipulation for the cover art. I've found my heroine (thus the first cover exists) and a picture that will do for my villainess in a pinch (and so I am not too worried about the third book) but the hero and the two secondary heroes have proved elusive.

Still, this is all very exciting for me. These books were first published thirty years ago, and never as ebooks, and re-issuing them is something I have wanted to do for a long, long time. That it looks like I am now so close to accomplishing it is rather thrilling.

Please everyone keep fingers crossed that nothing happens to cause further delays.
 
Today Pat died, which is a great loss to all my family. She meant a lot to all of us. We had been friends for over fifty years and she had been like a member of the family for almost that long. But though the weather and then the lockdown prevented us from visiting her as we kept hoping would be possible, at least her sister Elizabeth was with her near the end. Once they figured Pat was dying they did allow her to visit.

It was not unexpected, and in many ways a merciful release, the rheumatoid arthritis had done such terrible things to her body. Though she was always a fighter, I think it was time for her to rest. It is selfish to grieve, but hard not to. She was such an important part of all our lives.
 
Condolences, Teresa. Pat would have known she was loved, which is what we all hope for in this life.
I've seen, with losses in my own circle of family and friends, that the end of a loved one's pain is a beginning of a cycle of fond remembrances for those still living. I hope once the initial period of grieving passes, that Pat's loved ones have a fair few smiles recollecting memories of her. Best wishes, CC
 
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that Teresa. My condolences and sympathy to you and all your family.

It's not selfish to grieve for the loss of such a great friend, but I'm also sure she'd want you to remember all the many good times you shared with her, and the happiness and love she undoubtedly brought into your lives.
 
I also extend my condolences. A good friend is one of God's good gifts, and I am convinced that is what Pat was to you and what you were to Pat.

And no, it is not selfish to grieve. It is human to grieve. I would be very concerned about you if you did not feel loss when a great friend dies.

You are in your prayers.
 
Thank you everyone. It's been a tragedy for so many, of course, but we still have some hope that our family and home will be safe.

If not ...well, at least it will be a memorable birthday.
 
@Teresa Edgerton .... Never considered that you might be near the fires. I had you placed as well south of the central and northern Cali fires. Keep in touch!
 
There are fires in pretty much every direction from where I live, Parson. Most of them too far away to be a threat to us at this point—though it is impossible to estimate the number of people who will be losing their homes before there is any chance of putting those fires out. Fortunately, the Bay is between us and the large fires to the west, but there is a big one roughly to the southeast of us that is steadily creeping closer. And more of the dry lightning that set all of these blazing is expected this evening: which means that it is impossible to say where, if anywhere, the next threat could develop.
 
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