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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
  2. <!--Generated by Site-Server v6.0.0-cab6211713bbb6e84dbbf6b13842ac357f307ee1-1 (http://www.squarespace.com) on Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:34:59 GMT
  3. --><rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:media="http://www.rssboard.org/media-rss" version="2.0"><channel><title>My Parkinson's Journey - Studio Foxhoven</title><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/</link><lastBuildDate>Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:41:29 +0000</lastBuildDate><language>en-US</language><generator>Site-Server v6.0.0-cab6211713bbb6e84dbbf6b13842ac357f307ee1-1 (http://www.squarespace.com)</generator><description><![CDATA[<p>In which Terri shares a humorous look at her journey with Parkinson's disease and Dystonia:<br /></p>
  4. <p>For me, illness and health are not opposites but exist together. Everyone has something that is challenging to them. Mine just simply has a recognizable name. My life will take a different path because of this but that's okay. Everyone has changes in their lives that create their path.&nbsp; I'm learning how to enjoy whatever path I'm on.</p>]]></description><item><title>Thoughts on the Covid Vaccine</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 06 May 2021 17:42:50 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2021/5/6/thoughts-on-the-covid-vaccine</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:6094294ac4a7e30a3ffc51f6</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class=""> I have come full circle on the issue of vaccinations.  </p><p class="">When our children were young, we were blessed and privileged to have an MD pediatrician who avoided antibiotics whenever possible and prescribed homeopathic remedies for ear infections. He made sure the hospital did NOT give the routine vaccinations before our youngest left the NICU at age 2 months because he wanted to talk with us first. We discussed each vaccine before deciding whether to give it. We did some, but not all, when they were children. I understand the idea of letting our bodies fight childhood illnesses and the strengthening that occurs when we allow this to happen – <em>with the support of a doctor who monitors our health closely.</em> Working with health organically is certainly the ideal.  </p><p class="">However, our world is far from ideal. I realize just how privileged we were and how few people have the opportunity and support we did.    </p><p class="">Awhile back, I had a long conversation with a friend from London. He had been born and raised in poverty in Ireland. They were, in fact, neighbors of the McCourt family (Angela’s Ashes). Mikka spoke about all the children who died from the “normal” childhood illnesses in his community; the empty seats in the classrooms, the visits to homes to kneel and pray by their friends’ open coffins. Mikka was angry about the “anti-vaxxers” because they didn’t understand what it was like before vaccines.  </p><p class="">I chose to get the Covid vaccine. I also got a flu vaccine this year.  </p><p class="">Pharmaceutical companies have a bad rap, for many reasons. They have a lot of work to do to earn people’s trust. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with Pharmaceutical executives and tell them as much. That said, there is so much they have done that has been truly helpful. That a drug company would price gouge a drug like insulin is unconscionable, but it doesn’t mean insulin isn’t an amazing drug.  I have Parkinson’s disease/Dopamine Responsive Dystonia. I take a miracle drug (carbidopa/levadopa) that allows me to continue to walk, talk, drive – to do what I want to do. Other therapies, when available and affordable, can be very helpful, but cannot take the place of my meds. Believe me, I’ve tried.  </p><p class="">There are changes that need to happen in health care. It needs to become more of CARE for our HEALTH than just treating illnesses, but you might be surprised to hear how many people within the health system are working toward these changes. I had the wonderful opportunity to learn about this when I did some work with PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) some years ago. I was a part of conversations with doctors, social workers, teachers, scientists, and clergy. I heard about programs all over the country which are creating health care communities. I heard how PCORI insists that clinical study goals are goals set by patients, not clinicians, before applications can be approved for funding… and more… lots more.  </p><p class="">I chose to get the Covid vaccine. I chose it at this time because I feel it is the best chance we have to keep our family safe and the best way to get Covid under control.  </p><p class="">For those who choose not to get the vaccine, I ask you to do two things:</p><p class="">1) If you must go out around people, wear a mask , even if you don’t have symptoms. Definitely stay home if you have any symptoms of any illness! Be responsible for your decisions and keep people safe, people such as the two in our household who are immunocompromised. How many people are out there with compromised immune systems who cannot take off work, cannot avoid being around people, and cannot afford alternative health care? </p><p class="">2) Recognize you are coming from a place of privilege and your decision is a luxury few people in the world today can afford. Ironically, your ability to easily get a vaccine is also a privilege.  </p><p class="">Terri Reinhart</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p class=""><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/26/215761377/a-history-of-snake-oil-salesmen">https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/08/26/215761377/a-history-of-snake-oil-salesmen</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://exploreim.ucla.edu/research/researching-integrative-medicine-challenges-and-innovations/">https://exploreim.ucla.edu/research/researching-integrative-medicine-challenges-and-innovations/</a></p><p class=""><a href="https://pcori.org/">https://pcori.org</a></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Finding a Neurologist - third time's the charm?</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2021 01:03:55 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2021/3/30/finding-a-neurologist-third-times-the-charm</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:6063b884395b7a6074d0642c</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">Living in a large metropolitan city with all-you-could-ever-ask-for-and-then-some medical services is privilege. It doesn’t necessarily mean you can take advantage of those services, even if you want to or need to, but they are there.  Living outside a large metropolitan city often means you take what you can get. </p><p class="">There is one movement disorder clinic in all of Western Massachusetts and they aren’t connected with my chosen health plan. So…. finding a neurologist I would be comfortable with has been an adventure. </p><p class="">1st doc - was a headache specialist. He had obviously looked up information about Parkinson’s before I came in, because when I complained about fatigue, he said fatigue was not a symptom of Parkinson’s and (shuffling through his papers and glancing at his computer screen), if it was a major symptom, he would have written it down.  I lasted two visits. On the second one, he smiled sweetly at me and, having dictated into his computer (my medical record) the words “mild symptoms”, he let me know that “as we get older, we don’t have as much energy as we used to”.  I fired him.</p><p class="">2nd doc - the one I will name - Dr. Armand Alliotta told me right off he wasn’t a movement disorder specialist, but if we got stuck and needed more help, he could send me to Boston. Dr. Alliotta listened, he chatted, he put me at ease.  I was thrilled to find him and didn’t care if he wasn’t a Parkinson’s specialist! He treated me as a person, a fellow adult person, and made it clear we would be working together.  Instead of being patronizing, he shook my hand. It was like being welcomed as a peer.  Then he retired.</p><p class="">At my last visit to Dr. Aliotta, he referred me to the movement disorder doc in Springfield. I guessed that since I’d been through two neurologists already, going outside the regular referral zone must be permitted. After all, he’d been ready to send me to Boston!  </p><p class="">3rd doc - movement disorder clinic - This clinic reminded me, in some ways, of the large clinic at Anschutz in Denver. It was busy, people were moving quickly, and everything seemed ultra professional. I saw the nurse practitioner. I often prefer the nurse practitioners because they seem to have more time to spend with patients. Talking with her, answering her questions, I was very aware this was definitely a place that understands Parkinson’s disease and dystonia. At some point, she brought the doctor in and introduced me to her. The doctor seemed quite aloof, but then, I don’t know her at all yet. </p><p class="">I thought things went well, but there was one hiccup. A few days later, I went to pick up a prescription (not related to PD) and the pharmacy advised me i had three more prescriptions ready to pick up. Huh? Seems the nurse practioner and doctor decided to prescribe some meds and sort of forgot to talk to me about it. I went home in a huff and put in a call. To her credit, the NP listened and listened. </p><p class="">The essence of what I told her (and some of what I wanted to tell her) is this: </p><p class="">I do not expect you to solve all my health issues and eliminate all my symptoms. I do not expect you to take away all my pain. When I tell you what my symptoms are, it is for your knowledge. </p><p class="">If there are symptoms I want to have addressed, I will let you know. Then it is your job to let me know what the options are for treatment, including no treatment. I also expect you to honestly let me know what the effects of medications can be, whether they are intended effects or the non-marketable kind. </p><p class="">When I come in to the office, my speech may slur sometimes. I may not be terribly coordinated. I may need to ask you to repeat what you say, especially as we wear masks. I may ask questions that seem obvious to you. However, as this is a movement disorder clinic, I would expect you to understand that these symptoms do not give you any indication of my intelligence. Make sure you treat me in accordance with this understanding.</p><p class="">I’m a new patient to you, but I was diagnosed 14 years ago. I am not new on this journey. </p><p class="">Medications are always a concern for me. My system is ultra sensitive to drugs. Believe me. Please! If I say I cannot take a certain drug, do not assume I was overusing it and prescribe it anyway. If I say I cannot take it, I WILL NOT take it. When I ask about possible effects of a drug, do not brush off this concern. Yes, I know there is only a small chance of some of these severe reactions, but when they happen, it’s not just a small part of me that’s affected. It’s all of me. If I’m not willing to risk being one of the 5 % of people who have a reaction, support my decision. </p><p class="">You are the expert in regards to the scientific stuff. </p><p class="">I am the expert in regards to my own being - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. I am also part of a family. I am the one who understands that my needs have to be balanced with the needs of my family.  I will not use a medication that could interfere with my ability to drive a car.</p><p class="">Thank you for listening. Thank you for apologizing about the medications. I really do not want to look for another neurologist and start yet again.                  </p><p class="">**</p><p class="">And yes, I am still privileged. I live in an area where there’s a neurologist - more than one, in fact. There are a lot of rural areas where there aren’t any specialists close by. I am grateful I had amazing neurologists in Denver who knew to work with me. My other choice here would be to find a doctor in Boston to see once or twice a year, then have my PCP follow up in the family medicine clinic. That would be okay, too. For now, I’m confident I was able to communicate my concerns and needs with the nurse practitioner. </p><p class="">It’s a work in progress.</p>]]></description></item><item><title>Adventures in Grocery Shopping</title><category>coping</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2020 18:02:36 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2020/5/5/adventures-in-grocery-shopping</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5eb1d5638a0f1a3ee0fadc33</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">Amazingly, there were handicap parking spaces available, right in front of Costco and right before Costco opened for senior hour. I probably should have been suspicious, but then, it’s been awhile since I’ve gone shopping.  Chris usually does the shopping and he’s more in tune with what we need, rather than what sounds good in the moment. I tend to shop like my dad.. more so after spending a number of years shopping with him.  I was good today. I did not buy the extra large two pack of Nutella.</p>
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  127.  <p class="">After I parked, I noticed there was a line of people with baskets, standing in socially acceptable blocks of space. Ah. Though I’d gotten up too early and wasn’t 100% at the top of my game, I realized I’d have to get in the line. Fine. The line snaked around the corner of the building. It’s okay, I thought. It’s early. I walk better in the morning. Cruising around the corner, I gasped to see the line all the way down and around the next corner. Okay, I thought, I’m here already. I may as get in line and do this. </p><p class="">I parked the car at 8:10. I got to the end of the line at 8:25. Cruising may have been a bit of an exaggeration. At 8:31, a masked man came down the line, yelling to everyone to make sure they have their Costco cards out to be checked at the door. Not doing so would hold up the line. </p><p class="">At 8:35, I was at the front door, showed my card to the nice young person outside the door, then put it in my purse. Another 5 steps and a young woman asked to see my card. Oops. I guess the other guy was just directing traffic. I fumbled in my purse for the next minute or two and finally pulled out the card again. Everyone was glaring at me.  I took my cart and went down the first aisle I could. </p><p class="">From there on out, I lost track of time. It is with great excitement I can announce - they had toilet paper! I got a 30 roll pack of Charmin. Charmin! Not scratchy cheap generic 1 ply, but TP for royalty!  I would have jumped for joy, but having used most of my energy reserves waiting in line, I decided to save what remained to (hopefully) keep the brain running on all synapses. It worked for awhile. </p><p class="">I don’t do the shopping anymore because I wimp out before I get to the things we really need. I’d come home with Nutella and chocolate chips, but no fresh fruits and vegetables. Chris kindly decided to take over so we’d live long and prosper. </p><p class="">I did not come home with Nutella today.</p><p class="">So why did I go to Costco by myself today? Because I was awake and up and had my morning energy and the senior hour was from 8:30 to 9:30 and I wanted to do it. </p><p class="">To my credit, I came home with  asparagus, oranges, chicken, cheese, strawberries, potatoes… all in large Costco size quantities. I also came home with 4 lbs of powdered sugar, 4 1/2 lbs of chocolate chips, and two large jars of pickles (one dill, one sweet and spicy). Then I wore out. I had a list of everything else we needed, but the legs said no and the brain said huh? and I figured maybe I’d best get home before I passed anything shiny to pick up and bring to our nest. Animal instincts were about all I had left. I also desperately needed to pee.</p>
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  250.  <p class="">So, back to the car, took the mask off and took a deep breath of fresh air. Despite having an itch start in my left eye and travel down to my nose, I did not touch my face. By the time I arrived home, the itch had become a twitch and I abandoned the car for Chris and Patrick to unload, taking myself in for cleaning.</p><p class="">Chris said I did well, which I think means he’d let me do it again. Nice. He didn’t even say anything about the chocolate chips or the 4 lbs of powdered sugar. If we run out of meat and there are shortages, we’ll just have to live on chocolate chip cookies. And pickles.</p><p class="">Maybe next time I’ll have enough energy to find the spaghetti noodles and jam and whatever else was on the list. Maybe we’ll just order them from the regular supermarket. </p><p class="">I wonder if they have Nutella?</p>]]></description></item><item><title>Off to Boston</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 14 Jan 2020 21:53:14 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2020/1/14/exploring</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5e1dbfc0c18db61955ffe6cf</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">I'm off to Boston next week, on the bus, by myself. Partly to check out the dental school clinic and have a free dental exam and partly to reassert my ability to be independent. So, I'm going for the whole day and will be able to do a little sight seeing before my late afternoon appointment. Maybe stop at a couple of the old cemeteries that are close by....? Maybe the Boston Tea Party Museum...?</p><p class="">Reality check - it's supposed to be 20 degrees. I may be hanging out at South Station for awhile.  </p><p class="">My journal has been suffering from severe neglect over the last year and, with a few hours to sit, drink tea, and people watch, maybe I can catch up on a little writing. I’ll bring my handy dandy neo writer with me so I won’t get distracted by the internet. The Neo runs on 2 AA batteries which can last a year or more and it’s practically indestructible. South Station looks beautiful - like Union Station in Denver. Good place to people watch.</p><p class="">There’s a lot to write about, even if I don’t count the half dozen articles I’ve started and are now languishing in the drafts folder. We’ve been living in New England for almost an entire year now. There’s got to be a few stories in there. There’s one in particular I want to share which is about a unique exercise program for people with Parkinson’s. I visited once and I actually did some boxing and I actually enjoyed it. Me. I didn’t expect to, but then I didn’t know I’d be boxing to music. </p><p class="">After the visit, I came home with the email address of one participant, who invited me to her house for tea, along with another woman whose husband is in the program. From them, I learned where the best movement disorder specialists are (Boston and Hartford), where there are other exercise programs, how to find scholarship grants to help pay for exercise programs, and I learned that New Englanders aren’t as standoffish as I’d always heard. </p><p class="">I’ve actually met a number of lovely women around my age. Many of them are named Karen. Considering the challenge I have with remembering names, this could be a good thing. I never forget my friends. Who THEY are is so much more than just a name.</p><p class="">I could also follow the lead of my niece who, at the age of 3 didn’t realize her preschool classmates came pre-named. When I asked her what her friends’ names were, she replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t named them yet. I think I’ll call one Cinderella.”</p><p class="">Hey friends, guess what? If I start having a lot of trouble remembering names as I get older, y’all are gonna be Karen. </p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Humditty Day</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2019 18:09:34 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/7/8/humditty-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5d23dca40ae23d000115e78d</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">Long before we moved to New England, Chris introduced me to <a href="https://www.islandportpress.com/bert-and-i.html" target="_blank">“Bert and I and other stories from Down East”</a>. Created and told by Yale University students Marshall Dodge and Robert Bryan in the 1950’s, the stories recount the adventures of two Maine fishermen and woodsmen. “Bert and I”, in turn, introduced us to Down East talk including one phrase which has become a favorite.  We’ve been in Massachusetts for 6 months now so we know what hot and humid days are like. Fortunately, we haven’t had too many days when walking outside feels like walking into a sauna, but when we do, the enjoyable part of it is being able to say slowly, “the air is laden with humditty”. </p><p class="">I’m not sure anyone besides “Bert and I” say humditty. It just has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? It makes me think of Pooh bear and can’t you just hear Pooh singing about a humditty day? Sounds much better than going on about the high humidity and heat wave and all. Of course, the way they say it in the stories does not sound at all like the cheery little verses Pooh would sing. It’s much more of an Eeyore tone. </p><p class="">It’s hot in Denver, too, though the humidity is down around 19%. Las Vegas is even dryer at 9%. You don’t sweat in Las Vegas. You bake. I thought I was adjusting well to the climate here. It wasn’t affecting me nearly as I’d expected. Hey, I thought, this is easy. No problem. I can dance and sing a little song about our humditty days…</p><p class="">…until two days ago. </p><p class="">On Saturday and Sunday, the temperature was in the mid-90’s and the humditty was high, too. The dew point temperature was high as well. I don’t understand it enough to explain, but I found a decent explanation online. It tells why we can get trapped in the hot sticky humid weather pattern. It might help a little bit to know what’s going on so we know exactly why we’re so miserable. </p><p class="">Cue Eeyore: “The air is laden with humditty. Don’t blame me. Nobody listens to me anyway.” Okay, that’s not a direct quote, but it could have been.</p><p class="">Here is the weather link:<a href="https://www.mlive.com/weather/2019/07/too-hot-to-rain-weather-coming-heres-why-that-happens.html" target="_blank"> https://www.mlive.com/weather/2019/07/too-hot-to-rain-weather-coming-heres-why-that-happens.html</a></p><p class="">Fortunately, the weather is much nicer today. It’s cloudy, rainy, and cooler. We sat on the front porch and ate lunch. Today is a nice humditty day and I can imagine Pooh bear stepping in puddles as he sings. </p><p class="">“That’s right,” said Eeyore, “Sing. Umty-tiddly, humditty-doo. Here we go gathering Nuts and May. Enjoy yourself.” </p><p class="">“I am,” said Pooh.</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p>]]></description></item><item><title>New York City - Pride Weekend in Rush Hour</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jul 2019 15:55:28 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/7/1/new-york-city-pride-weekend-in-rush-hour</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5d1a499a72abd100010ec551</guid><description><![CDATA[<figure class="
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  252.              intrinsic
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  271.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1535x1252" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=1000w" width="1535" height="1252" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168763557-9AOQDQPETDROMRARQDFJ/IMG_20190629_102708136.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  294.  <p class="">There were Micky Mouses and Minnie Mouses all over the place. I was wondering what brought them all to Time’s Square, which shows beyond a doubt it was our first time there. I made the expected and perfectly understandable mistake of taking a photo of them. Just that fast, we were surrounded. They offered to pose with us for a photo.  Sure, why not? What came next, I should have expected: “Tip? Tip? Tip?” over and over until each one of them has a dollar or two. I wasn’t sure what would have happened had I not been able to tip them. After that, I was very careful about taking photos. </p><p class="">New York City is …. interesting… especially in the area around Time’s Square and Broadway. It’s glitzy and greasy at the same time. It’s exciting, fast, crowded, loud, and not very gracious…and then someone does something gracious to remind us there are wonderful people everywhere. An older man noticed my daughter and I looking lost. He stopped and quietly took his time giving us directions and made sure we understood. As he walked away, I noticed the stiff gait and lack of arm swing. It’s just possible we may have been helped by someone else with Parkinson’s. </p><p class="">To be fair, I don’t think people in New York are NOT gracious, they just seem to be in a hurry all the time.</p>
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  370.        <figure class="
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  372.              intrinsic
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  391.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2448x3264" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=1000w" width="2448" height="3264" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1562168957135-BWE7ZVO48EXX21GDLMN2/IMG_20190630_120528159.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  401.        </figure>
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  413.  
  414.  <p class="">Going to the Pride Parade in New York City on the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall sounded so cool, and it was, sort of. A LOT of people were there for the parade. Nice to see so many people celebrating Pride and showing their support, but there were so many people that the city had closed off many streets and limited pedestrians to specific walkways. This meant walking down 5th Avenue was a little like trying to drive to and through the Lincoln tunnel on Friday at rush hour on a festival weekend. It was stop and go all the way. </p><p class="">We were often directed to places which were not accessible for my scooter. Several times, I needed help to lift the scooter on or off a curb. Who helped? Women! In each case, it was a woman who came to our rescue.  Attempting to find a place to see was a lost cause for me, so I parked and told Emma to try to get as close as she could. I took out my knitting.  Might as well make use of the time. The energy was so fun and positive and alive, I was okay with not seeing the parade. I heard it and felt the energy. </p>
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  490.        <figure class="
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  492.              intrinsic
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  520.          
  521.          <figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper">
  522.            <p class="">the horse sharing grain with the pigeons</p>
  523.          </figcaption>
  524.        
  525.      
  526.        </figure>
  527.      
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  538.  
  539.  <p class="">The day before the parade, we experienced a true NYC moment. Standing by the entrance to Central Park, a young man driving a horse and buggy made his way down the road followed by an impatient driver in an SUV who honked continuously at them. Once the horse and buggy were out of the way, but before the SUV driver could hit the gas pedal, a man stood right in front of the SUV and started lecturing the driver. I don’t know what was said, but judging by the gestures, it was lively. </p><p class="">The best moments are always those with people we know. On Friday evening, we square danced with a group which included several of our friends from Denver. Saturday, we were treated to a wonderful lunch at the home of my cousin Daniel and his family, and Saturday evening, we had dinner and explored the city with two of Emma’s friends from college. </p><p class="">Central Park is also beautiful and a wonderful gift of nature in the middle of all the concrete, steel, and glass.  We saw fireflies in Central Park - and squirrels and pigeons. There are trees and grass and I remembered the scene from “The Fisher King” when Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams lay on the grass naked.</p><p class="">I’m glad to be back home and, if this doesn’t sound like the most enthusiastic review of the big city, it might be because I came home with an infected tooth. This, too, shall pass.</p><p class="">We learned a lot over the weekend, not the least of which was that we can successfully navigate the city. I’m not sure how soon I want to go back, but I think I will some day. We can do this!</p><p class=""><br><br><br><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>I Believe You</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2019 19:58:23 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/4/30/i-believe-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5cc89f85652dea95e25cc979</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">Really? I wanted to say. Are you sure you want to believe me? You don’t think I’m a hypochondriac who is looking for lots of pain medication, despite the fact I’ve rarely taken any and, when it’s suggested, I tend to panic? </p><p class="">Really? I wanted to say. You trust my assessment of my own body when I say a certain pain is not muscle pain? You trust me? You’re not going to insist I go for weeks of physical therapy to prove it’s not muscle pain? </p><p class="">Really? I wanted to say. You believe me when I say I am super sensitive to medications? You’re not going to insist that a particular drug is safe for me and either scoff at me when I refuse to try it (yes, I know your grandmother took it without problem. I am not your grandmother) or, if I do, look at me with your face turning pale while I’m having a severe reaction and say you didn’t know I was THAT sensitive?</p><p class="">Thank you.</p><p class="">Thank you for explaining what could be causing the pain I have (it’s not awful, just there, so nobody worry) and explaining to me what other symptoms I need to be aware of and when to come back in and get things checked.  </p><p class="">Thank you for believing me.</p><p class="">***</p><p class="">I finally got through all the ins, outs, ups, downs, twists, and turns of getting medical insurance in a new state and I had my first appointment this morning. The clinic is 25 minutes from our house, which would have been nothing in Denver, but evokes wonder here. A friend had told me about the excellent care this clinic offers and, well, I don’t care about driving a little extra ways to have excellent care. </p><p class="">I don’t mind the drive, especially as it curves through the Holyoke Mountain Range. The mountains here are not nearly as spectacular as the Rockies, but these gentler mountains are far more accessible, especially to this 61 year old who didn’t like driving the steep mountain roads. Here, I feel like I’m almost living in the mountains. A 10 minute drive to the northwest and we’re in the Holyoke Range. A 10 minute walk to the west and we’re next to the Connecticut River. Looking out our 2nd floor window to the east, we have seen deer. Looking out our front window on trash day, we saw a groundhog. </p><p class="">I digress. I just picked up my prescription at our local Big Y grocery store - a typical big grocery like Safeway or King Soopers. I did not have to present my insurance card or explain how it would be covered even though I technically don’t have prescription drug coverage until July 1st. The pharmacy knew all that already. The cost was exactly was I was expecting. </p><p class="">I loved my neurologist in Denver, Dr. Lynsee Hudson Lang. She was another doctor who believed me. My PCP doc at Kaiser did not believe me and, at the end, was treating me as though I was somewhat senile and couldn’t be trusted to have any opinions on my own health.  After this PCP left, I had one visit with another new doctor who was patronizing and insulting and…. well, you get the picture. I decided unless I was in an acute health crisis, there was no way I’d go back. Not a good place to be.</p><p class="">I believe our move to Massachusetts was really the right move for us, for many reasons. </p><p class=""><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Some Thoughts on Awareness Month</title><category>humor</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2019 04:22:41 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/4/23/some-thoughts-on-awareness-month</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5cbfb7c54785d3cc5852b566</guid><description><![CDATA[<p class="">One step out of the store and I knew I was in trouble. I had no idea where I had parked my car. I’m not really getting forgetful, I just had a lot on my mind. I had just come from talking with a social worker and, finally, was feeling reassured about my health insurance. Maybe all those Humpty Dumpty pieces will go back together again, after all. </p><p class="">At that moment, however, knowing this wasn’t helping me to find my car. As I stood there, looking puzzled, a man walked up and looked at me. Was it so obvious I was lost? I guess so. I confessed. I had forgotten where I’d parked. I felt silly, but the man just smiled and asked what kind of car it was. I blanked out completely. After a pause, I pointed to one closest to me and said, “It’s shaped like this one, but it’s dark red.” He nodded, glanced over and said, “That Nissan Rogue over there?” YES! That was it! </p><p class="">It wasn’t until he was walking away that I saw the telltale stiff walking, no arm swing, and tremor in his right hand. I’d had an encounter with another person with PD and neither of us were aware of it, at least not while we were talking together.</p>
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  636.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif" data-image-dimensions="171x49" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=1000w" width="171" height="49" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556252971423-0DFHS9MYVD8D6ZWG6UXL/Untitled+4.gif?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  659.  <p class="">I recently received a lovely honor for my blog. It is listed as one of the Top Ten Real Life Parkinson’s Blogs. What I love best is the description: </p><p class="">“Terri Reinhart’s blog,&nbsp;<em>Studio Foxhoven</em>, is far from ‘a blog about Parkinson’s disease’. Rather, it is a frank, honest, and often humorous journal of any and every aspect of her life that she deems worthy of writing about. It just so happens that some of those aspects are, in part, shaped by Parkinson’s, with which she was diagnosed in 2007. “     from <a href="https://www.mytherapyapp.com/blog/top-parkinsons-blogs" target="_blank">My Therapy App blog </a>. </p><p class="">Over the years, I find myself writing less about Parkinson’s and more about life. It works for me. It’s not so interesting to write just about my Parkinson’s anymore. My PD and I have gotten to know each other well enough, it’s old hat. There are a lot of new things in my life right now and I don’t want to limit myself in what I write. I’m grateful the award site appreciated my attitude, too.</p>
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  779.  <p class="">Have you ever heard of Sjögren’s Syndrome?  Or Relapsing Polychondritis?  Or Dandy-Walker Syndrome? How about Mast Cell Activation Disorder?  Did you know April is also Sjögren’s Syndrome Awareness Month?  These are rare disorders, but I happen to know someone with each of these challenges. I hope you are curious enough to look them up. </p><p class="">I know we need to spread awareness of Parkinson’s disease. We are somewhat privileged, though, and it’s important to remember we have some very big name people helping our cause: Michael J Fox, Billy Connolly, Alan Alda, Linda Ronstadt, Neal Diamond. .. to name a few. You might have heard about Sjögren’s Syndrome from tennis champion, Venus Williams, who also has this diagnosis. The other syndromes aren’t connected with anyone famous, so unless you’ve known someone personally with one of these, this is probably the first time you’ve heard about them.</p>
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  876.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif" data-image-dimensions="171x49" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=1000w" width="171" height="49" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1556253052554-HG6HBMEY9PVPV3CDRZYF/Untitled+4.gif?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  899.  <p class="">April is also National Mental Health Month, National Autism Awareness Month, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, Women’s Health Care Month, Stress Awareness Month … and many more like National Poetry Month, National Fair Housing Month, and National Soft Pretzel Month. It’s also National Humor Month. </p><p class="">With so many many things to be aware of, it’s difficult to see how anyone can remember them all. I’ve looked ahead to May and I’m overwhelmed already!  May is almost here and brings with it National Correct Your Posture Month. National Stroke Awareness Month, and National Asparagus Month. There’s one nice one arriving:  National Date your Mate Month. I’m putting it on the calendar. </p><p class="">It’s not May yet and there’s lots I need to be aware of this month…starting with Where Did I Park My Car. Is there anyone famous out there who has this challenge? </p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" class=""></p><p class=""><br></p><p class=""><br><br><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Balancing Between Worlds</title><category>family</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 16 Apr 2019 00:36:38 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/4/14/balancing-between-worlds</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5cb3bbdb8165f55d35dd6be2</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>A funny thing happened on my way back from Colorado.</p><p>Emma and I had gone to visit my mom, see Patrick and Tamara, see friends, and dance. It was a lot to accomplish in 4 days. I was excited to see everyone, but we were just beginning to feel settled in Massachusetts and it felt too soon to go back. The roots we were trying to establish in our new home were too fragile, but as I had promised to come back regularly to check up on Mom, we really needed to go.</p><p>The first thing we noticed, flying in to Denver International Airport, were the trees - or lack thereof. Yes, this was eastern Colorado - flat, dry, and you can see for miles across the plains. Ha! I said to myself. I didn’t miss the dryness or the flatness or the lack of trees. We’re getting spoiled, I said to myself. We’ve got trees and rivers and hills.</p><p>We rode the train into Denver to Union Station. Greeting our friend, Marie, who came to meet us, we walked out and I savored the city.  There’s nothing like Union Station and downtown Denver! Marie drove us to Deb’s house where we were staying, stopping first at King Soopers so we could pick up a few things. A familiar store! I knew where things were! At Deb’s, we had dinner and peeked out her front window to see our old house. </p><p>We visited with Mom, met the lovely young couple who bought our house, visited our favorite thrift shops, and danced on Friday and Saturday evenings with our Denver square dance club. It was a perfect way to see so many good friends. I think we were among the last to leave the building Saturday evening. We also got to help my brother-in-law and his wife celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary!</p><p>I felt it starting then. Those roots were trying hard to plant themselves in Colorado again. This wouldn’t do at all. </p>
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  1019.  <p>I noticed the heavier traffic, the line at the bank where I deposited Mom’s check, the car that honked its horn when I, with a rare New England reflex, stopped and waited as soon as the pedestrian put one foot in the crosswalk. Our new home has some nice benefits, I told myself firmly.  Coming back from dance on Saturday night, about 10:30, the traffic was stop and go. Looking down over the viaduct, it was solid cars on I-25 stretching in both directions as far as we could see. HA!</p><p>As we flew back home, I tried to think about all the good things waiting for us in Massachusetts: trees, water, our big old Victorian house with big old heating bills. Stop that, I told myself, the energy audit is next week. It’ll get better. We were coming back to good neighbors, maple syrup country….We were leaving behind our friends, family…. We’ll be back, we’ll be back. Remember the awful traffic…the long lines…</p><p>When we talked about it later, Emma said it best. This time we were consciously letting go of our old house, neighborhood, and city. It wasn’t harder than when we left the first time, it was just different. This time we knew we’d be going back and we would need to consciously allow our roots to develop in Massachusetts. It’s not something that happens overnight. Better be patient. </p><p>We also came back to Chris and our two dogs. Our family. And two days after we got back, we took off again, this time to Maine to see John and Coco and the grandkids. We all went, even the dogs. Coming back yesterday, the trip was just long enough to make us relieved and grateful to see the sign for our town. It would be good to get back and sleep in our own beds. One place isn’t better than the other. We’ve been grateful for good neighbors in Colorado and Massachusetts. We’ve got family in Colorado and New England. We can be travelers and explorers. We can have adventures.</p><p>Five minutes after we arrived at the house, our neighbor was at the door with a plate of cookies to welcome us home. HOME! No more traveling for a little while. We’ve had enough adventures for the moment. If anyone asks, we’ll just tell them we’re letting our roots grow.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Keeping Time - all night long</title><category>humor</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 30 Mar 2019 10:44:55 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/3/30/keeping-time-all-night-long</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c9f3687a9812d0001736bc8</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>We have no shortage of clocks in our house. There are digital clocks on the oven, the microwave, the coffee maker.  There’s a large wall clock over the table. And, if by chance, we miss seeing any of those, there’s a large wall clock in the dining room that chimes every half hour. </p>
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  1139.  <p>It’s a very impressive way to feel the time passing as we have two more chiming wall clocks that announce every half hour as well; one is in Chris’ study and one is in the basement. One of the three, we brought from Colorado. The other two were left here by the owner.  They all work, but they are pendulum clocks. These delightful, wonderful machines are a little finicky. They must be wound, but not over wound. They must be perfectly level. There’s a tiny mechanism to turn to make sure the clock is going at the right speed. </p><p>They all work. One is on time. One tends to run fast. One tends to run slow. This is handy if we don’t happen to hear the first clock. Or the second. Or notice all the clocks in the kitchen. When all else fails, and our cell phone battery is dead, the third clock chimes in, just on time…. or a little behind time. It’s trying hard. In just the right spot in the house, like our bedroom, one can hear all three.</p><p>Which is all to say I couldn’t sleep last night, but I knew what time it was. When the clock chimed once, I knew it was… uh… 12:30? 1:00? 1:30? Midnight was glorious with 36 chimes: 12 at 5 minutes till, 12 at the hour, and another 12 at 3 minutes past.  I heard the 2 o’clock chimes, the 2:30, the 3:00, the 3:30… At 5 o’clock, I gave up and got up. I try to make myself stay in bed until 6, but it doesn’t always work. </p><p>It’s 6 o’clock now and I’ve been up for an hour. Even then, I missed the Parkinson’s Insomnia Club meeting. I think it started at 3:00. I’ve never made it to the meetings, sleep or no sleep, so I don’t know what they talk about. Mostly I’m not really fit for human company at 3 am, so I lie awake coming up with story ideas, which I tend to forget as soon as I get up. It’s a pity, because I suspect they are really good stories, mostly because they keep me entertained for hours. </p><p>It’s 6 o’clock again. I’ve been up for an hour and 5 minutes. The furnace just came on with it’s ritual bangs and clatters. It’s raining outside, too, and the birds are singing. Who can sleep with all this noise?</p><p>And…. it’s 6 o’clock again. The last of the 18 chimes have chimed. It really is morning. </p><p>Time for tea! </p>]]></description></item><item><title>Morning Musings</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:10:13 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/3/10/landed</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c85b6810d9297e183c6c60a</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>My pen is on the table next to a few cards and envelopes. My goal - no, not just a goal, but a New Year’s, New Life resolution - is to hand write letters to my friends and family in Colorado and elsewhere across the country from where we are now. The letters will be heartfelt, funny, informative, and mostly, interested in whatever is happening in the lives of each of these people who are so dear to me. The plan is to set aside an hour a day to write letters. </p><p>A month after we moved in, my pen is still on the table next to the cards and envelopes. I have hand written one short note and sent it.  Reality check. Am I being lazy or was my expectation unrealistic? </p><p>The population of Colorado is estimated at 5.76 million. The area of Colorado is 104,194 sq miles. The population of Massachusetts is estimated at 6.93 million. The area of Massachusetts is 10,554 sq miles. With over a million more people in a tenth of the area, it would seem like we’d be on top of each other out here. Why does it feel less crowded? </p><p>We still haven’t unpacked all the boxes. I’m starting to collect things to give away… again.</p><p>Knitting is a pretty big deal out here. There’s a huge yarn shop just 15 minutes away and there are three knitting groups in our small town. This is one of the most exciting thing I’ve found so far!</p><p>Our little town is also big on recycling. Trash pickup is every other week and, if we need to, we can take the trash to the landfill in town. Our landfill in in town and has various sheds to collect things for recycling. How easy is it to just put the trash cans on the curb every week and see it disappear? We have the privilege of seeing exactly where the trash goes and how it piles up until it becomes “Mt. Trashmore”, according to the natives. </p><p>Our neighbor says to make sure our trash is not just sitting out in trash bags - ever. We not only have squirrels who would like nothing more than to feast on whatever odds and ends they find after chewing a hole in the bag, there are also opossums and ground hogs. Chris saw deer down the block twice this week. I’ve heard beautiful bird calls and songs.</p><p>We’re settling in, but we also miss Colorado. I knew I would miss my friends, family, and neighbors. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss all my favorite stores. It sounds silly. I’ve found a few really cool second hand shops and flea markets here. What am I missing? </p><p>The adrenaline rush which carried us through the move has worn off. My Parkinson’s and dystonia has gone into overdrive these days. I’m back to doing no more than one activity per day. Unless it’s a nap. I have plenty of stamina for several naps per day. It’s hitting all of us and we’re all … tired. </p><p>And I still feel scattered as if, in the move, all the pieces of our lives were thrown up in the air and scattered around our house, the garage, the sheds, the land. We haven’t gotten all of Humpty Dumpty together again. Letter writing will have to wait until I can focus a bit more.  </p><p>Would you mind if I phone now and then?</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p>]]></description></item><item><title>A Curious New England House</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2019 04:33:21 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/2/21/a-curious-new-england-house</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c6f79f69b747a2e587ce138</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Curious. That’s one word to describe our new old house. In this context, the synonyms are peculiar, bizarre, irregular, perplexing, and mystifying.. among others. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” could have been written in a house like ours. </p><p>Nothing is level, especially not the floor. Bookshelves and cabinets have to be shimmed up in order to stand up and be reasonably stable. We found some old pieces of molding in the attic which work well for this and provide the extra 3/4 to 1” of height necessary when accounting for the difference in the floor 12 inches from the wall. We’re not only figuring out where things fit and look best, but where they can stand without looking like they’ll tumble over when someone sneezes. </p><p>We still have dozens of boxes of books waiting patiently for a place on a bookshelf. </p><p>Coming from a mid-century ranch house on ground level, the first floor here feels like we’re already upstairs. We find ourselves getting a bit disoriented. Where are we now? first floor or second? (Hint - first floor has piles of unopened boxes, second floor has more beds) The kitchen is at least twice the size of our old one, so why do we bump into each other? The reasonable explanation is that we can’t find where we put anything. My explanation is we are so used to being in a small kitchen and we can’t function if we’re not bumping into each other. </p><p>And there are those other spaces… the attic has some old knob and tube wiring still in place. We have a call into an electrician to see what it will cost to have it taken out. It freaked me out at first because we’ve been told about the fire risk by the insurance company who also told us about the higher premium that goes along with it. We know it will be expensive to take out, but we’re determined to get it done. Then we can put some insulation up there. It was oddly comforting to know that virtually all the houses in the neighborhood have this issue.</p>
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  1259.  <p>There are these doors in this pointed corner of the hall. </p><p>There are electrical outlets near the ceiling and a light switch near the floor. </p><p>And the basement… all basements in this area take in some water when it rains, or when it thinks about raining, or when the washing machine is going. We are approximately 78 feet above sea level. We are approximately 2 inches above the water table (or so it seems). The previous owner was attempting to put a mother-in-law apartment in the basement. We can only surmise he did not like his mother-in-law. It’s a nice space for storage - as long as everything is kept off the floor! </p><p>The steps are steep.I do not need a fitness program. We are up and down countless times each day. If need be, we could live completely and totally on the first floor, but what fun is that?  Listening to the wind on the second floor sounds like ghosts are coming to visit. </p><p>Maybe the ghosts can help us figure out what to do with the books.</p><p><br><br><br></p><p><br><br><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Treasures</title><category>family</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2019 02:13:02 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/2/16/treasures</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c68b327e5e5f097700b5c8f</guid><description><![CDATA[<figure class="
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  1280.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2448x3264" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=1000w" width="2448" height="3264" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550369025765-QOR0OGT795VGKOQ875HP/IMG_20190212_154626371.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  1303.  <p>The table was almost full tonight at dinner. Our daughter-in-law, Coco, stayed home to get some much needed time to herself. She sent me a photo of her walk along the river with their dog. The rest of the family had converged on our new old gentle house in South Hadley Falls.  Coco’s day was quiet and peaceful. Our day was delightfully raucous and filled with adventure.</p><p>The grandkids had to explore the house.</p>
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  1400.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2500x1875" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=1000w" width="2500" height="1875" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550368902355-67JDU8DB2VCE87Z8SZRX/IMG_20190216_170850632.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  1423.  <p>The went up to the attic first thing. As they had driven up and parked at the house, one of the kids exclaimed, “You didn’t tell us they lived in a 3 story house!”  They have an attic in their house, but this house just looks really tall. After running around in circles in the one semi-finished attic room, they explored the basement, then the first and second floor.</p><p>Then they discovered the playhouse.  We now know the playhouse was built by Ralph, husband of Tammy, whose names were carved into the chimney in the attic in 1990. Ralph was a carpenter and the little playhouse is sturdy. It even has its own attic. What could be more exciting to our grandkids than to explore the attic in a playhouse!</p><p>Lucien was the first to go up, lifted up by his Papa. Whoa… there were all kinds of things up there. By the time they were done exploring, they had found two boxes filled with old dusty Playmobil castle sets and pirate sets with almost all the pieces there and all in good condition, a skateboard, a snowboard, a razor scooter, and an original Kettcar pedal go-cart. Oh, and a nerf gun. How could I forget the nerf gun. </p><p>All this kept them occupied until lunch. Then we took off and explored the neighborhood. We found a library (closed till Monday) and a park (closed till May). We found lots of snow with crusty ice which was almost as good as ice skating, which is to say it was just as slippery and we each fell at least once. We also found the Falls.</p>
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  1543.  <p>At home, the kids were out on the front sidewalk with the Kettcar. Our neighbor, Richard, came over with some sleds for them, explaining that his grandchildren are skiing now, so they’re not into sledding anymore. </p><p>It was a day of treasures for everyone. Patrick and Tamara explored the city. Emma had a lovely visit and lunch with Morgan, her classmate from elementary school. John was able to treasure some time with the children all playing happily with no tears or fighting. </p><p>And with everyone here, our new house really feels like our home. That’s the best treasure of all!</p>
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  1650.        </figure>]]></description></item><item><title>Notes from the Road</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2019 02:19:22 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/2/5/notes-from-the-road</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c5a3a5d24a6942cff3e7b27</guid><description><![CDATA[<figure class="
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  1671.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg" data-image-dimensions="612x816" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=1000w" width="612" height="816" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549925923610-K9UER9KO31F2NJ6DMB6C/51620145_10157355126017275_2125813759875219456_n.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  1681.        </figure>
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  1694.  <p>If you have a flat tire on the highway, Iowa is the place to do it. From what I hear, Iowa is filled with Good Guys who are never happier than when they are rescuing drivers in distress. Being rescued by an Iowa Good Guy is much easier than trying to explain to the AAA dispatcher where exactly you are.</p><p>I-80 is not Route 66. Route 66 is about novels and legends and TV shows from the 60’s. I-80 is about corn fields and playing “Name that Road Kill”. It’s all beautiful, in its own way, it just doesn’t change… for days.</p><p>Rest stops, once you get to Ohio, turn into Service Stops. These are high class rest stops where you can not only use the bathroom and buy something from a vending machine, you can also have lunch and do a little shopping, all in a building almost as nice as Cherry Creek Mall - at least it seems so after traveling for several days. Ahh, Nebraska, Iowa, and the rest of the states along I-80 could use some of these.</p><p>There are also “Text Stops”, basically small parking areas with decent phone reception.</p>
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  1770.        <figure class="
  1771.              sqs-block-image-figure
  1772.              intrinsic
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  1791.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg" data-image-dimensions="2500x1875" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=1000w" width="2500" height="1875" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550023909458-KUVP8E22Q0I9AZ68IP5M/image-asset.jpeg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  1800.      
  1801.        </figure>
  1802.      
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  1813.  
  1814.  <p>We stayed at AirBnb homes for the first nights after we left home. The last two nights, however, we stayed in hotels. We paid a little extra to have the dogs with us, but then, we got a good free breakfast in the morning. This made traveling much easier.</p><p>If I ever run an AirBnb, I will make sure there is breakfast food available. I haven’t figured out why every AirBnb doesn’t do this. BnB = bread and breakfast, doesn’t it? Some of the homes had neat amenities (means cool stuff) like a pool table, a jacuzzi, exercise machines, a backyard grill and patio. Not one had any food available for guests for breakfast. Not that we expected a big meal fixed for us, but hey, some cold cereal and milk? Maybe a toaster and some bread and butter?</p><p> We brought two of our adult kids along. This has been great except I think Patrick’s getting the short end of the stick when it comes to beds. Places would list beds: 1 queen, 1 full, and 1 couch. Patrick would offer to take the couch. Fine.</p><p>We gave away about half our possessions, though it may not seem like it when the two pods arrive on Monday. The previous owner to this house left a whole bunch of stuff here. For the most part, it’s really cool! There’s a beautiful dining room set with a large china closet (big enough for all our fine dishes and Chris’ pipes), a glider rocker and footstool, a bookcase, a coffee table with storage drawers that’s bigger than our closet, a large TV cabinet, two wall clocks, a picture of the beach and a lighthouse, plants and plant stands, artificial plants (several), a queen sized bed, two pellet stoves, a recliner, a small chest freezer, a grill, a snowblower, a lawn mower, many keys that don’t seem to fit anything, two ironing boards, and a cement mixer.</p><p>We’ve really appreciated the bed and the dining room set. We also love the glider rocker. I’m sure we’ll appreciate some of the rest of the stuff, too, but not all. When the pods arrive, we’ll have to decide what stays with the house and what goes into the next giveaway.</p><p>Update on Monday… We now have internet, though some of the wires will have to be updated before we can do too much. There seems to be a lot of reversals in the way things were wired. We definitely need an electrician out soon anyway. There’s still some knob and tube wiring in the attic that must come out. We also had locks re-keyed, opened bank accounts, and started emptying the pods. One pod won’t open. The driver tried and tried, felt all around to see if something had fallen against the door, and finally suggested we cut the door open. Uh, I want some confirmation on that one. In writing, please.</p><p>As we wait to hear how to open the blasted pod - the one where our bed is stowed, we have been moving furniture and boxes and more furniture and more boxes. Thank goodness Patrick came along to help. I’m quite impressed with his ability to lift large boxes of books. We have a lot of them. We still have a little to empty out of the first pod and lots of boxes need to be emptied and places found for the contents.</p><p>I suspect we’ll keep busy enough indoors tomorrow while it snows. We’ll have plenty of books to read.</p>
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  1890.        <figure class="
  1891.              sqs-block-image-figure
  1892.              intrinsic
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  1911.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2448x3264" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=1000w" width="2448" height="3264" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1550024338240-Y8SQWZBG4U54ZZQ4H583/IMG_20190212_154540312.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  1921.        </figure>
  1922.      
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  1934.  <p><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></p><p><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></p><p><br><br><br><br><br><br></p><p><br><br><br><br><br><br></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Sailing into the Future</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 03 Feb 2019 06:09:16 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2019/1/7/going-on-faith</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c33dd02898583f03dc0ee4e</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>A leap of faith? a calculated risk? or an impulsive act of naivete? </p><p>For the sake of sounding more mature, we’ll pretend this wasn’t an impulsive act of naivete. Someone recently asked a question on r/Parkinsons (on Reddit) regarding the move they were about to make. What do you look for in a Parkinson’s friendly home? They got a lot of very good answers. None of which we followed as we chose our next home. We’ll have stairs all over the place. I say my incentive to staying in shape is having a 3rd floor writing nook in the attic. My family may have to outfit me with cushions and a helmet for sliding (bumping) down the stairs on my bottom, if I don’t stay in shape.</p>
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  2010.        <figure class="
  2011.              sqs-block-image-figure
  2012.              intrinsic
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  2031.                <img data-stretch="false" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg" data-image-dimensions="536x727" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="" data-load="false" elementtiming="system-image-block" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=1000w" width="536" height="727" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 100vw" onload="this.classList.add(&quot;loaded&quot;)" srcset="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=100w 100w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=300w 300w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=500w 500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=750w 750w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=1000w 1000w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=1500w 1500w, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24/1549125544492-8WHKNF91QRQJA4NVREWL/Mayflowr.jpg?format=2500w 2500w" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-loader="sqs">
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  2041.        </figure>
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  2053.  
  2054.  <p>First we need to get there. The furniture and most of our belongings were packed into moving PODs by the wonderful crew from Angelica Village. The rest of the stuff: what we absolutely needed on the trip as well as the odd things that didn’t get put on the POD for some reason and, while we could have left them behind, we really didn’t want to. This included some papers I didn’t get around to shredding, down blankets (in case we run into another arctic blast), dog beds and dog toys (not to mention the two dogs), a violin, a ukulele, a dulcimer, and a hand carved replica of the Mayflower.</p><p>Something would have to give or we wouldn’t have room for us. </p><p>I set it on the bird bath while looking for any way at all to fit it in with everything else in the car. In the end, Chris held it on his lap all the way to our AirBnb across town. We are in town a few more nights to tie up loose ends and see as much of the extended family as we can. Once we arrived at our temporary home, we unloaded everything and repacked, this time a little more efficiently. We’ll see how it works when Patrick puts his things in, but for now, the Mayflower is wedged between duffle bags, its sails high above the seat. </p><p>The dogs are nervous about being in the car and nervous about the AirBnb. We didn’t sleep well the first night. It didn’t help that the lawyer in Massachusetts (each party has to have a lawyer to close in MA) couldn’t find the POA paper I overnighted to her a week ago. Could I do it again? I swore a lot, then found a place where we could get the form printed from my email, then to the bank to get it notorized. </p><p>Fifteen minutes after spending $38 to overnight the form once again, I got the message. Yup, they found it. This is when frustration turned to ludicrousy and there was nothing left to do but laugh. </p><p>Our mortgage in Wheat Ridge is paid in full. The money for the new house is safe and sound just where it’s supposed to be and ready for the closing on Monday via POA. When we arrive, we’ll simply pick up the keys from our realtor or the lawyer. It seems so easy!</p><p>It took a village to sell this house. We can only look back at amazement at how so many people rallied to our cause. The seller in Massachusetts took the house off the market for 90 days to give us time to sell. Our neighbor, Deb, let us use her house as our landing place whenever we had showings or inspections. My old high school classmate, Marianne, came one day with food and window washing supplies. She washed our windows for us. My sister-in-law, Steph, swept the porch cleaner than it had ever been. Our realtor, Paddy, was oh, so patient. Her son, Mac, came over to look at our computer after the inspector fried it. Paddy’s husband, Kevin, arranged for the sewer to be cleaned. Uncle Doug came to our rescue the last week, and the Angelica Village crew came out and filled pods twice. </p><p>Joanne, our neighbor, brought us freshly baked biscotti for the trip and numerous people have offered to let us stay with them when we come back to visit. We will come back to visit, too. When one friend asked if all our treasures were packed and ready to go, I couldn’t help but realize how many treasures we are leaving behind. Friends and family will make sure we never forget our root here in Colorado. </p><p>In other words, we were reminded of how deep and how wide our roots go here in Colorado. It’s hard to leave. At times, leaving feels like a betrayal of our community who has loved us and supported us, often when we didn’t realize how much we needed their support. How can we leave our community? We had sad goodbyes this week. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we start on our way across the country to our new home in Massachusetts. Our ship sets sail!</p><p>We’re going on an adventure. The Mayflower is going back home.</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p>]]></description></item><item><title>Don't Look Under the Bed</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 08 Dec 2018 06:17:43 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2018/12/7/dont-look-under-the-bed</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c0b50138985839c6ea31f6e</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>The house isn’t officially on the market yet, but we have two showings scheduled for tomorrow morning. Crunch time. We’ve been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning and … we’re about ready to collapse. Time to compromise. So…</p><p>To prospective buyers:</p><p>Be prepared to be amazed.</p><p>We took out most of the furniture so you can see the house better. It’s all in the garage, but you don’t really need to see the garage. Just imagine that instead of boxes and furniture, your cars are parked there. The bathrooms are clean. The kitchen is clean, even the counter tops. The plethora of stuff which usually goes along with actually living in a house has disappeared… mostly. </p><p>It’s supposed to look like nobody lives here, but anyone could.</p><p>So, please, don’t look under the beds. Don’t inspect the closets TOO closely. Don’t open the washing machine. At least our cars will be parked somewhere else when you come. Otherwise I’d have to say, don’t look in the car windows, not even a glance. </p><p>There are still three people living in this house. Don’t worry. We’ve vacated temporarily so you can see it and imagine living here. Two of us inhabitants are over 60 and the third is finishing up her last week of her last semester of college. The over 60 company (two’s company) are tired. It’s not easy going through 27 years of accumulated books, furniture, old toys from our children, new toys from our grandchildren, old school drawings, grandchildren drawings, photographs, projects, projects that failed but I couldn’t bear to throw out, Halloween costumes, yard sale purchases which were just too cute to pass up, etc. The almost ready to graduate college student has two more science experiments to finish.</p><p>We’ve almost done it. We’ve given away lots. There’s a bunch of stuff put together to be recycled. The other stuff is organized (mostly), packed (mostly), and stacked neatly (somewhat) in the garage and the studio. The rest is little stuff, odd stuff, things we can’t throw away, but what do we do with them and they don’t organize well or don’t fit into the boxes. 27 years of living doesn’t always fit neatly into boxes. This is why we’re exhausted. </p><p>So… promise us… don’t peek. If you do see something that is not exactly approved “staging” for showing a house, don’t tell on us. There are clothes in the dressers and the closets, dirty dishes in the dishwasher, food in the pantry, and mud in the mudroom. We really do use our toilets and wash up at the sinks. The dogs track in leaves and mud. The kitten forgot where the litter box was today. </p><p>A little bit of our 27 year stay in this place of brick and mortar and dust bunnies is showing through the cracks. Be prepared to be amazed.</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true"></p>
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  2161.        </figure>]]></description></item><item><title>In Search of a Gentle House</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 06 Dec 2018 02:22:10 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2018/11/29/in-search-of-a-gentle-house</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c00c7d84fa51a80f17d2fa6</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>There were about 20 cars lined up behind the black Mustang which was, for some odd reason, going 10 miles under the speed limit. Granted, it was getting dark and the MA 202 snaked its way through the hills around the Pioneer Valley. If one didn’t know the road well, the 45 mph limit seemed dangerously fast, but it was a Mustang, for goodness sake. Mustangs don’t go 10 miles UNDER the speed limit! Who was driving it, anyway? Some old grandmother?</p><p>We got back home a week ago after spending one week in Brunswick, Maine and another week in Massachusetts. Brunswick is now home to the Reinhart 2.0 clan, including our son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. Thanksgiving in an old New England house when it’s snowing outside and the name tags by our places at the table say G1 and G2, is postcard perfect. Coco, our daughter-in-law, is a fabulous cook. I got to make pies with the kids. We also went bowling, sledding, and traipsed around through the snow by their school. We didn’t want to leave!</p><p>The plan, however, was to spend the next week in Massachusetts looking at towns and houses and finding out where we wanted to be. The first hitch in the plan was due to poor planning. Who would have thought the Brunswick rent-a-car place would run out of vehicles? Our only option was to go to Yarmouth and rent the last car available: a very sporty black Mustang. </p>
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  2281.  <p>We finally arrived at our destination: the Alexandra Dawson 1797 house in Hadley, happy to be out of a car which was not really made for normal people to fit into without practicing human origami. After we shook out the mountain and valley folds, we went in and met our hosts. Andy and Marcie are delightful and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in their lovely home. The houses on their block are all very old and the grassy area in the middle of the neighborhood was the original Village Commons. </p><p>The next day we were shown around Springfield and South Hadley by a nice real estate agent, who showed us a number of houses for sale. It’s amazing to see what’s out there. There was a house with a custom built European sauna in the basement. One house had a bathtub in the corner of the master bedroom. One was adorable, but in a location which was super isolated. </p><p>One house was just perfect: in the perfect neighborhood, in perfect condition with a perfectly maintained yard, with a perfect master bedroom with perfect closets. Maybe it was a little too perfect for us. It was in a more upscale neighborhood and there was plenty of space between houses. You could live there for ages without ever having to meet your neighbors. </p><p>Then we saw a small Victorian house with a big front porch and a walk in attic. Secret stairways behind doors, nooks and crannies, outside sheds. Though the kitchen had been remodeled and was lovely, there were enough oddities to let us know this was certainly not a perfect house. We realized we weren’t looking for a perfect house. We were looking for a gentle house. After meeting the next door neighbor and another neighbor who was out walking her dog, we were convinced. It sounds like a place where people get to know each other. This was where we wanted to live.</p><p>We made an offer. Offer has been accepted. Now, to sell our Colorado house quickly! </p>
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  2388.        </figure>]]></description></item><item><title>G'night Dad, Sweet Dreams</title><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 01 Dec 2018 02:37:09 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2018/11/30/gnight-dad-sweet-dreams</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5c013de4562fa7e99c000df2</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Dad passed away just before midnight on Monday, November 5th. Days before, he had told me, “You know, 93 is right on the brink, but 94? You might as well pack your bags.” He didn’t feel “peachy keen” anymore, though he still often said he did. He confessed to me one day that he felt like “horse doo-doo”, strong words for my dad who never complained. He had been diagnosed with pneumonia a few days before. He also said, “This is a funny thing. Either I’ll get over this or I’ll just go.” I asked if he’d decided which he’d do and he kind of chuckled and shook his head no. “But at least Mom is taken care of and all the funeral plans are made.” He said this very matter of fact.</p><p>When Dad couldn’t walk anymore, my sister and I took turns to stay with them. The facility staff does not do transfers or help with toileting. After Cathy left, I just moved in with them to help out. Oddly enough, though he was clearly getting weaker and weaker, his vital signs remained normal and the palliative care nurse didn’t feel he was necessarily ready for inpatient hospice. So, as a way to get him some help and evaluate further, they recommended having Dad go for a “medical respite” at a nursing home in town. He was transported Monday evening. I followed and stayed with him until 9 that evening. We called Mom from his room and he told her that I had gotten him settled into the hotel.</p><p>Before I left, he asked if I’d be there first thing in the morning. I certainly was. The call came right before midnight. Dad’s stay at respite care had lasted about 7 hours. I truly believe Dad’s leaving for the respite care gave him the permission and the space he needed to leave. I feel very much at peace with his passing.</p><p>I’m glad Cathy was able to come out one more time last weekend, and that our brothers, Tom and Dave, had been out very recently, too. True to Dad, he waited until everyone had gone home. I’m sure he didn’t want to upset their visits. And up until the last, he was trying to feed us all, offering us the desserts that came with his meals – heck, he offered us his meals, too, and a bottle of Ensure, if we wanted one!</p>
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  2415.  <p>From Dad, I inherited my organizational ability. I have his old desk, which he built, and it’s just as cluttered as it was when it sat in his office. </p><p>He taught me many things, but he didn’t teach me how to cook or how to eat healthy foods. His Christmas eve chili was made with an institution size can of pinto beans. When we got our brown bag lunches mixed up one day, I opened mine to a sandwich with peanut butter 1/2 inch thick and margarine 1/2 inch thick. Up until the last, he still was convinced that my favorite foods were pickled beets and Velveeta cheese. .. and Oreo cookies. He never forgot the Oreo cookies!</p><p>Dad taught me to not take life too seriously, to make friends where ever I go, to greet people in their own language whenever possible. He had the rare capacity to love unconditionally without loving blindly. He showed us, by his example, that getting old didn’t mean ignoring the world around you. He kept up with the news from around the world, especially his beloved Africa. He joined in with protests against the Gulf War and the news cameras liked to zoom in on the old guy who walked with a cane who was out there protesting. He took care of people, always offering them whatever he thought they might need. </p><p>He was my dad, and in the last ten years, my confidante and my ally. I will miss him terribly.</p>]]></description></item><item><title>Time to Uproot</title><category>optimism</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 14 Oct 2018 14:36:42 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2018/10/5/transplanting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5bb81bf0e79c70371d4aa64f</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Who leaves Colorado to retire in New England? </p><p>Normal people retire to someplace like New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, or even Mexico. Normal people go someplace warm.</p><p>We obviously have a warped idea of what is normal. </p><p>Our kids responded calmly. </p><p>John and Coco: How about moving to Maine?</p><p>Patrick and Tamara: We’re in! We’re coming with you!</p><p>Emma: Uh, what? I thought we were just TALKING about moving.</p><p>It’s sort of a now or never adventure. After discovering the consequences of having property values skyrocket, including increased property taxes and insurance, we realized we needed to make some long term plans. We needed to find a way to cut down on expenses, earn more money each month, or take advantage of the market and sell our house. The last option would leave us with enough profit to buy a house outright someplace where houses are not quite so expensive.</p><p>After talking with Paddy, our Realtor, it all started to feel a little bit too real. Yes, she feels it is doable. Yes, it’s good timing. Now, pack up, clear out things we need to get rid of, make the house look as though no one lives there, but anyone could. </p><p>I had to slow down, just a little. I wanted something to feel normal amidst all this transition. I said yes to fostering a newborn orphan kitten. Obviously, I have a warped idea of what is normal. </p><p>It’s taking some time, but I’m warming to the reality of this move. The IDEA is loads of fun, but turning it into reality is daunting. Chris, meanwhile, is packing. All three of us have become addicted to realtor.com, looking at houses for sale in such faraway places as Northampton, Massachusetts. When I get panicky, I do crazy things like find out how far our favorite ‘houses for sale’ are from Costco. When I learned that Elizabeth Warren has an office in Springfield, MA, her office became another security point as in… Look at this house, it’s only 8 minutes from Elizabeth Warren’s office! </p><p>We’re not putting the house on the market until after the holidays. Until then, we look through the houses for sale, towns we might want to live in, and we learn.</p><p>I’ve learned that a coffee shop marked on the map in Massachusetts is usually Dunkin’ Donuts. </p><p>I’ve also learned that baby kittens are not the same as baby puppies. Though she is 5 weeks old now, I’m still cheering on any and all pooping. That will change eventually, I know. Most people don’t realize puppies and kittens cannot go on their own in the first weeks. Curly the kitty climbs up the mesh sides of the port-a-crib and  mews when she gets stuck at the top. I am guessing we have maybe another few days or a week before she can escape and we have to abandon the crib. At least she’s figured out how to use the litter box. </p><p>We’re lucky. Maybe we’re getting priced out of Denver, but we still have choices. We have equity in our house. We can move and have more financial freedom. We should be able to travel more. We’ll certainly come back to Denver often. What it boiled down to is this choice: we can either plug away and figure out how to stretch and barely make it here or we can have a grand adventure.</p><p>We’re in our 60’s. If we’re going to have a grand adventure, better do it now! </p>]]></description></item><item><title>Two More Days to Endorse Nominees for Wego Health Awards</title><category>inspiration</category><dc:creator>Terri Reinhart</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 17 Aug 2018 01:17:47 +0000</pubDate><link>http://studiofoxhoven.com/parkjournal/2018/8/10/explore-the-wego-health-award-nominees</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5006ff1124ac70f8fbc70d24:50070bcae4b0eed255857dd2:5b6e68604fa51a50b7bbe55a</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>First things first. I am not asking you to endorse my nomination. You can if you'd like, but that's not at all the point of this article. If you're reading this, you're probably already familiar with my blog. I want you to see all the other wonderful blogs and podcasts that are out there in the world. I want you to meet more patient leaders who advocate in many ways. So, endorse if you'd like, but find at least one person you hadn't known previously and endorse them first.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees">CLICK HERE</a> to see the list of nominees for WEGO Health Awards. Here you will find blogs, podcasts, patient leaders, collaborators;&nbsp;people who share through websites, twitter, facebook, instagram, and youtube. Their focus is on wellness, illness, coping, advocacy, survival with physical challenges and mental health challenges, and caregiving. Just about any health subject you can imagine is represented here, along with information by and/or about the author, blogger, advocate, etc.&nbsp;</p><p>Find a nominee who has few or no endorsements. Look at they do. See how many "best kept secrets" are out there. Three of the winners are chosen simply by how many endorsements they receive. Two are chosen by the WEGO panel. I'm glad everyone gets a chance to win this way. The popularity contest may have merit - if you have thousands of followers, then you must be communicating something which has been helpful to many people - but not having followers doesn't mean you aren't making a difference, it just means not many people know about you.</p><p>We're down to two more days to endorse patient leaders. Hopefully the information about the nominees will stay up on the website after the contest is over. The real winners in this contest are all of us. This is a wonderful way to find the gems hidden all over the internet.</p>
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