November 2 - A Historical Perspective

Steven on the roof of the Peabody as honorary duckmaster

As I was going through the photos from November 2, 2005 in preparation for the next installment in our polar bear trip series, I came upon photos I took on November 2, 2003 and November 2, 2004. How things change.

On November 2, 2003, Steven and I were in Memphis. It was a Sunday, the previous Friday was Halloween.

My wonderful sister Janet had come to visit us, arriving on Halloween and after Sunday brunch, Steven and I had driven her to the airport to catch a flight home. We were so homesick, visitors from home were something special to be cherished and putting Janet on that plane was one in a series of sad experiences from that fall.

Steven and I had pledged to keep each other happy during his radiation and our separation from all our family and friends, usually when one of us was down the other would step in and try to provide comfort and humor.

After we dropped Janet off, Steven was terribly sad. In an effort to cheer him up, I took him to the Peabody Hotel in Memphis in time to see the afternoon duck march. The man at the hotel who walks the ducks noticed Steven and invited him to be the honorary duckmaster, and walk the ducks from the fountain to their home for the night.

Steven and Regina at Target House

On November 2 of last year, we were in Memphis for Steven's followup MRI's. Our friend Regina was living at Target House then, doing the chemo / bone marrow transplant portion of her treatment.

Regina's mom invited us for dinner with them at Target House. Regina is going back to St. Jude on Sunday for another followup, we are praying for her clear MRI's.

This year on November 2, we were in Churchill for Steven's Make-A-Wish trip, but that's the next part of the story...

- Kathleen