Some dates have their own resonance.  Today, of course, is Pearl Harbor Day.  Monday was the birthday of my brother’s oldest friend.  Now, I can understand why I’d remember Pearl Harbor Day, especially as it was one of items in the morning news, but why I should happen to recall my brother’s friend’s birthday is beyond me.  Some dates just stick.

Last night was the building’s holiday party.  It was fun and festive– the lobby is decorated with evergreen wreaths and poinsettias.  We set up tables for snack foods and drinks.  I brought my cookies.  Those of my neighbors who had already heard about my diagnosis were solicitous and happy to see how well I’m doing.  There were some who knew that something was up but not exactly what, and to them I gave the one-sentence summary and a card with the URL for this blog on it.  To the others, I really didn’t mention it at all.  I had a lovely time talking to some folks I’ve long known by sight but had never spoken to.  We stayed only until just after eight.   When we left, the number of cookies (especially the cinnamon chocolate-chip ones) had diminshed gratifyingly.  (I got a lot of enthusiastic comments about them, too.)  A few were returned to us at the end of the party; we found them this morning when we got up.

And today was a good day.  I spent most of it working, but I took time for lunch and for a workout.  Again I was surprised that the elliptical (twenty minutes) was as easy as it was.  When I got off after twenty minutes it was because I wanted to do some strength exercises and stretching, and still get upstairs in about half an hour– not because I couldn’t stand another second on the machine.

I spent an hour or so visiting with the friend who furnished me the marzipan (which I’ve still not quite finished), and returned to my apartment to find that the mail included not only reimbursement for the Medicare payments that Social Security had initially deducted, but also a note from another classmate from grade school and high school.  She will be in town over Christmas and has tickets for Follies, so she was glad to know how much I’d enjoyed it.

It’s the people around me who make all the difference.  Connecting to them buoys me up and makes me smile.