Having missed you and surely having missed viewing my River, the Potomac, I’m hoping these lovely days of springtime will bring us together again. Though the winter was difficult weather wise, I was most comfortable in a Farnham Manor Villa as the dining room workers trudged through deep snow to bring us delicious hot meals. Meanwhile, I was busy at the typewriter several days a week and had the happy task of completing my Mother’s biography in just a few months. Here’s hoping it can be published soon.

     Meanwhile, spring came upon us with all its lovely burst of beauty. I had lovely tulips blooming by my patio, and the landscaping of the plantation here is a facet of beauty most of the year. Just as I was ready to enjoy springtime, I had quite an unpleasant experience with dental surgery which sorta backfired in our faces. Just when I was sure to tiptoe through the tulips, an infected ingrown toenail kept me from tiptoeing anywhere outside the villa. After 12 days on antibiotics, I really didn’t feel like slipping on my slippers. I had to tell my “get up and go” to “get up and go” and it sorta did.

     As far back as I can remember, I awaken each morning with a song running through my mind and I have no control of what song it will be. Recently, I awoke and it was “Ole Man River” and I began singing along. Quite shortly it occurred to me that I was more the person of the song than my River. That really bothered me but before I could get very deep in self-pity, God shot “Am I a Soldier of the Cross” right through my brain. You’d better believe that got me straightened out in a hurry. So I began to think positive and realized all the good things that had happened to me in just a few days.

     At the end of April, I drove to beautiful Mount Pleasant, a recently restored Victorian mansion, which was open for Garden Club Week. My hostesses had provided a golf cart to pick me up at the car, whisk me to the front steps where the owner made me feel like a princess by helping me up the steps and sitting me in the gentlemen’s drawing room to chat with his handsome son. Soon we had a lovely tour of the first floor and the owner’s lovely wife helped me in the elevator which took me to the lovely second floor. Later, back at the front door, my host, who is really one of my little boys from school many years ago, helped me down the front steps and into the waiting golf cart for the quick whisk back to my car. I drove the short distance to my home and in just a little while was dining with my girlfriend at the excellent restaurant nearby that is owned by my niece. By two, I was back at my villa resting on the sofa. I felt I’d just had a lovely dream but it all came true.

     In just a few days my birthday arrived and I was spoiled with five days of celebrating which included some days of viewing my River, pond and creek and, right on cue, the swan brought up six baby cygnets for my birthday gift.

     So, in spite of the teeth and the toes, I sing away on “Ole Man River” and I’m the River again and thanks to God, “I just keep rolling along.”

© 2003 Florence Jenkins Muse All Rights Reserved
For more information, email Florence Jenkins Muse via .