Customer Review
on October 2, 2017
Every
page is a gem of words and photos. We meet the family of Bill Hess of
Wasilla, Alaska, and feel as if we're a part of it. He jokes to daughter
Lisa about making kitty soup of her new kitten. Nothing is left out.
The dangers of living in the wild and the terrible things that can
happen out there like violent deaths. The joy of owning a cat is
foremost. Sometimes Bill can be hilarious. "Thunder Paws proved to be an
excellent conversationalist and answered ... any statement with the
most ... expressive of words... "Meow!" The extreme love and respect
for this cat is a lesson for all of us in our hurry-up society.
***
Just reviewed THUNDER PAWS for Amazon.com.
***
Note to myself. Never be afraid to write someone who used to attend New Directions and see how they're doing.
We had a lovely guy who had a psychotic break but was getting better with the help of his psychiatrist, therapist and New Directions.
Suddenly he went off his medications. He was doing all this crazy shit, as reported by his family members, and then - presto! - we never heard from them again.
***
Spoke to Nick Breslin today, our Monday and Wednesday Phone Greeter. When I emailed our support group earlier today, I mentioned his blog, which you can read here.
***
Well, I set myself up. Guess I'll have to write a poem called
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Someone told me I started a support group in 1986 and thousands of people
have visited us in our little chapel on York Road over the years.
I remember our first death. Alan had trooped up the steps of my apartment
in so much anguish and no one, but his buddy, believed his pain.
His buddy arrived next week and said, Alan lost his battle.
A therapist arrived, a beautiful woman, whose mother was homeless.
She came once, twice, and then disappeared.
Folks like her think, erroneously, they will end up like their mom.
Why not? We are not our parents. We are our own selves with our
own precious lives and must learn to cut the cord.
Mothers would come to our group. So many moms, unafraid to bear
children, despite their conditions. Brave courageous moms who
gently hold their young ones in their arms, some who suffer from
postpartum illness, like "Sally," whose mother took charge of
both Lily and Charlene.
And the odd ones, like me, have sloughed off their bipolar, like
a snake its skin.
A gift from the Almighty?
I'll take it, for sure, no matter if Arjuna or Yahweh or Maya Angelou
lifted the burden.
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