My second party!

Friday evening my sister Roberta and other family members gathered together to have a:  she's finally leaving party. Actually, I was fortunate enough to be able to see a lot of my nieces and nephews and their children at a gathering in honor of my leaving to volunteer in a developing country.  This was a group of my generation cousins and their kids and grandkids  and my sister Roberta's kids and grandkids.  This was really a big deal considering we had to all be brought in in wheelbarrows after having stuffed ourselves on the best, old fashioned Thanksgiving dinner  the day before.  The food was fine but the best for me was my favorite dessert, peppermint stick ice cream and dark chocolate hot fudge sauce!  This party sort of launched me into my final week before leaving for Sri Lanka next Saturday.  I have had a real noticeable mood change.  I am feeling sad..I said goodbye to my partner of 20 years who is in a nursing home unaware of who I am, I said goodbye to my stepchildren and grandchildren, I have a dear friend who was hospitalized this week and I am not with him, I am spending time with my cousins and sisters who are close friends to me and who's counsel I shall miss.  Wow, this is real and sad and wonderful and the measure of my abilities is still coming up...this week I prove my worthiness...I no longer can put it off..this week, packing..leave packed or die!