Happy Halloween, Happy New Year!

So I haven't been posting here as much as I used to, mostly because of my job. It's really keeping me distracted from the important things, such as the vodka, bonbons, and the soaps (you did know that I am addicted to All My Children, didn't you?). And blogging about regular people stuff. I have been blogging about my Life as Practice Manager, aka the Daily Rant for Single Payer Health Insurance.

Well. I guess my last post was right after our anniversary party. Ya'all are going to think that all we do here in Berkeley Springs is go to parties, because I just got home from the first annual Earthdog Cafe Hallowen party. It was great having a party at a bar, because I didn't have to clean up! We didn't have our Halloween party this year since we just had the anniversary bash -- and Matt is out of town this weekend (what kind of nerds plan a convention during HALLOWEEN WEEKEND?!?!). Everyone was there, and the Flashbacks were playing their classic rock. Lots of great costumes -- zombies and vampires are quite in vogue, don't you know?

Getting ready for a costume party is like Thanksgiving: you know how it takes you half the day to make the dinner, and then everyone is "full" in 20 minutes or less? Well, it took me 90 minutes to get dressed. Granted, I was at the party for more than 90 minutes, but still. I should at least be able to wear the dress for a couple of days...

I left halfway through the evening to pick up my girl in Clear Spring after she spent the evening with her friends at the Hagerstown Mummers Parade. Strangely, I found myself waiting for her parked outside of a cemetery. Sure enough she showed up, and we drove home -- what a beautiful evening it is -- misty, a bit rainy, and a wild breeze blowing it all around. We were just starting up our dark driveway, when we both gasped. There in the bushes: it was PETER PAN. I swear to God... a yellow-striped cat butt was just disappearing through the brush. Willa got out of the car and tried to call him, but he was hiding.

So maybe I'll wonder into the sunroom right now and play with the Ouija board. Or maybe just play backgammon...

Bittersweet symphony

What a whirlwind this week has been. Last weekend was "Wedding Weekend." Having all our friends and family together in one place for a few hours was both overwhelming and wonderful. The pictures (more here!) are amazing and really capture the happiness of the event. Phoebe was here all weekend, and Mom stayed overnight on Saturday night; our Fairie Festival friend Mark hung out all weekend too. The only dark cloud over all of this was Peter Pan's illness and rather sudden death. All day Saturday he was moping around the house, mewing and limping a bit like he used to do now and then. He was sleeping a lot. It reminded me of his behavior a few weeks ago -- he acted sick for an entire day but by the next day, when I was ready to call Dr. Roberts, he was all better. But this time, on Sunday, he was definitely ill. He was staggering around outside, or just lying in a pitiful heap on a chair. He was drooling horribly. Of course, Dr. Roberts isn't open on Sundays, and the closest vet hospital is an hour away. The house was full of people, and I kept thinking he'd get better.... but by Sunday evening, although his drooling had stopped, his breathing was becoming very labored. Within an hour he was gone, with us all sitting around the chair petting him. Poor guy - he was an awesome cat. He just showed up on the deck one day a few years ago demanding to be fed. I'll even miss him raking his claws over the rug. I'll especially miss the way he used to curl up right in front of me when I was trying to work out -- he'd reach his paws out at me as if to say "Enough of that! It's time to pet me!"

 Monday of course I had to drive Phoebe back to the train... always makes me sad to see her go, but my heart is happy because I know she's got a good life waiting for her in NYC. Tuesday morning I didn't hurry back to work. I wanted to sit and enjoy the quiet of my house. The weekend was so packed with people, and there wasn't one quiet moment in there! I'm not complaining -- I loved every minute of it. But I am definitely one of those people that needs twice as much time to recharge. 

And now here it is Saturday all over again. Angela and Russell and the boys, and Charles just left after a relaxing evening of pizza and laughing... I love my friends so much. When I consider the possibility of leaving this place, that is the one thing that keeps me here. I've never had friends like this before. Partly because of where we've been: DC was so transient. People came and left all the time, or were busy climbing one or another ladder. York was temporary while Matt was doing his residency. Partly because, at least when we first moved here, there wasn't much else to do but get together at one another's homes for potluck dinners, drumming and dancing. Now that our kids are older, we might go out more instead, and we still have so much fun. Some of the people we've hung out with in the past have come and gone, or we've grown apart, but the ones we have now are keepers.

And tomorrow it's the Mother Earth Harvest Fair! This is another Spoutwood Farm event. I haven't gone for a few years, mostly because I've been busy here at home but I've been missing my Farm friends, so I'll make the 2 1/2 hour trip each way to see them all. The weather is supposed to be glorious, and Albannach is playing, so that's where I'm going! I only wish Willa didn't have to work so she could come with me.

Phoebe and Jonathan's toast!

Phoebe was there in person, and her husband Jonathan was far away in California. They both worked on this together. I love how they captured so much of us in just a few lines (any All My Children fans out there?). The only thing that could've made this more perfect would be if Jonathan could've been there in person. 

Happy 20th!!!

She was a Brenda, he was a rocker
Now she’s a Bibi, now he’s a doctor

After 20 years, they are retying the knot 
This time I’m legal, and I will be drinking…A LOT!

For the sake of our rhyme we start at the beginning,
Days she spent typing, while nights he spent singing

In a band that Matt called The Young Caucasians
Brenda, the groupie, her heartbeat--a raisin’.

She fooled him with chicken and cooking so edgy
A year or two later, she’d only cook veggies.

Late night trips to buy twinkies and hoho’s,
Now Matt spends his days talking medical no-no’s.

They did Midnight running and tennis in the park,
Now Bibi goes to class and Matt rarely sees dark.

Brenda made the dough as Matt studied the books,
Now he brings home the bacon as she cleans and cooks.

Their journey was filled with clowns, fairies, and Willa!
These two, you can see, are anything but vanilla.

He earned the name Doctor, she discovered her wings!
and then they were off to Berkeley Springs

Phoebe’s all grown; her husband—the best
A dancer, a bassist and poets, no less.

Erika Cane’s lovers change from season to season
But the Hahn’s stay together for a wonderful reason…

Their love is the truest, both simple and lovely
Now let’s toast to them with a nice glass of bubbly.

Renewing our Vows...

I've posted pictures on my Facebook profile and I will write more about the party. But I wanted to post my mom's toast here, because it said so much! My daughter Phoebe and son-in-law also wrote a lovely little poem-toast, which I will post here as soon as I get a copy! In the meantime, here's Mom!:

They say that memories are the heart of a marriage. Brenda and Matt, you no doubt have many, marking the many years of your time together. I, too, have my own memories of your time together.
Brenda, do you remember the first time I met Matt? The two of you were sitting in the grass by a Rockville parking lot when I drove up. As I walked to where you were sitting, I could tell something was afoot. You had never mentioned Matt, but I suspected something. Never in my wildest suspicions, though, would I ever have envisioned a twentieth anniversary celebration in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, and that that man would someday be my doctor..

A year or so after that, I remember coming to Washington for a conference. By this time you were definitely a pair. You called, Brenda, to say that you and Matt would visit me at the hotel. When you arrived you were dressed as clowns—red yarn wigs, red rubber noses, polka-dot costumes. You were on your way to some kind of show. This was my beautiful, intelligent daughter and my future son-in-law???

Matt, you always loved music and performing. I remember well the Young Caucasian stage. Then, with Brenda's encouragement, you went back to school and on to medical school. That was a time of hard work for both of you. But that performance gene you inherited from your grandfather was always there, Matt. I recall one fourth of July when you won the lottery, with Phoebe's help, to conduct your father-in-law's River City Brass Band in a Sousa March. I remember thinking afterward that I had never seen you so delighted with yourself!

Willa's arrival brought on another stage. When she was born, Matt, you sent me a minute by minute account of Brenda's rather traumatic delivery. I appreciated that letter more than you could ever know. I was happy, of course, to get the news of my daughter's and my new granddaughter's welfare; but even more, between the lines, I could read the depth of your love for and devotion to my daughter.

So Matt, you became an honest to goodness doctor, and you, Brenda, said that now you were going to retire to lying on the couch all day, eating chocolates, drinking martinis, and watching soap operas. What ever happened to that end of the bargain?

Have nine years really passed since the two of you opened your new home in Berkeley Springs to me when I took the job at Shepherd? I lived with you for a whole semester! That's really going the extra mile for a mother-in-law. I thank you for that and I thank you for the many wonderful memories you've given me since that day I found you sitting together on the grass. May the next twenty years bring even more and better memories. I raise my glass to you and invite all here to raise their glasses to Brenda and Matt: Happy twentieth anniversary.

Unbelievable

Letter to the Washington County, Maryland Board of Education:

Dr. Morgan

I would just like to register my extreme unhappiness with the Board's decision to not broadcast President Obama's speech today. I have chosen to send my child from West Virginia to Maryland schools, and pay tuition. One of the benefits I hoped my child would get (besides the privilege of attending the new arts school) was that she'd have a more racially diverse student body. I can't believe the message you're sending our kids, especially the minority kids: that this President is not good enough for them to watch during school hours. I read the text of the speech and there is nothing the least bit controversial there: kids, stay in school and follow your dreams! Presidents Reagan and the Bushes were allowed in our schools. Why not Obama? Your disrespect towards our President is inexcusable and gives every bigot, every racist out there ammunition and credibility. SHAME ON YOU ALL.


Bibi Hahn
Berkeley Springs, WV

first day of ninth grade.... Barbara Ingram School, here she comes!

The End is the Beginning

Phoebe in her "Barcelona" dress

Willa at work at Earth Dog -- with customers Aunt Sylvia and Granpa Jack

Summer is coming to an end, but new beginnings are here. Our practice continues to flourish; every day brings another stack of new patient registrations and the schedule is busy. I'm getting used to the idea of working again; although I've been very busy these past 9 years doing volunteer work and going about my daily business, the idea of being at a "job" every day was actually pretty easy to get used to. I did miss my traditional summer with Willa; we didn't get to do as much as we usually do. But we managed to get to New York twice, and sleep in and stay up late. Her job hostessing at Earth Dog Cafe kept her pretty busy. And now, Willa starts her new school tomorrow. I think this is going to be such a transitional experience for her. I'm so glad she'll have the opportunity to get out of this tiny little box we've been living in for the past 9 years. Oh, it's been a nice little box, but I think kids really need to learn to operate in the larger world. Not that Hagerstown is such a metropolis, but it's a step. I always thought it was good for Phoebe to grow up in the DC area: DC is not such a big city as it is a series of very connected-together neighborhoods, easy to get around, and lots to do and see. She went from there to Philadelphia for school, and then on to New York City. It was a pretty easy transition for her from a small city to the ultimate city. I have to wonder if  kids who never  leave this place are really happy. I think it's really important for kids to leave -- *really* leave their comfort zone -- and then if they *want* to come back, they'll come back that much smarter and sure that they *want* to be back. You have to go out into the world, that other, big world: make mistakes, maybe even start over a few times, learn about different kinds of people, eat strange food, sleep under different stars. I can't imagine never leaving my little hometown: when I think of all the places I've lived and been, and how they've shaped me into the person I am. To live in the same place, wearing out the same streets, seeing the same people day in and day out just get older but still the same.... maybe it's just me, but it would leave me wanting!

Anyway, she'll start the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts tomorrow, in the musical theater program. At the orientation the other night, all the faculty was sitting on the stage, and I was again struck by how excited and happy they looked! Even the academic instructors have roots in the arts. It'll be a challenging program academically, since all the classes are being taught on the honors level. Not only that, but some of the classes are condensed into one semester -- so instead of taking 40 minutes every day of Language Arts for 2 semesters, she'll have 80 minutes every day for one semester to earn the same 2 credits. That, of course, allows for 4 hours of arts programming every day. The principal, Mike Thorsen, was formerly the principal of the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts -- he seems like a great administrator, and a nice guy as well. Everything has been going on plan -- we got updates when we were told we would, there have been parent and student orientations, and he's available by phone and email. As far as getting her to Hagerstown, it's a nice coincidence that her bus leaves Hancock just around the time either I or Matt need to be there for work, and it arrives in the evening just as at least one of us is ready to go home! 

And Phoebe and Jonathan are in Spain! I took a peek at the hotel they're staying at in Barcelona -- I am extremely envious of that rooftop pool! I can't wait to hear all about their trip - i've been enjoying watching the photos get posted on her Facebook page. Talk about getting outside of your every day life -- I wonder what inspirations Phoebe will bring home from this trip? 

So the critters outside are making a huge racket, the ironweed is in bloom, and there are huge rolls of hay in the fields.... all signs that summer is coming to an end. But I suppose all that's happening is evidence that every ending presents a new beginning!