Saturday, September 7, 2019

Saturday, September 7, 2019

This photo was taken on August 10, 2009. About a month before Mattie died. At this point, we knew Mattie's condition was terminal and the goal was to try to make Mattie as comfortable as possible. A friend dropped off a horn for Mattie and by his side was the albino boa constrictor stuffed animal, Sunshine. Sunshine was given to Mattie by his friend in cancer, Jocelyn. Jocelyn had the same type of cancer Mattie had and despite their age difference, they got along beautifully. Sunshine meant a lot to Mattie, and the snake remains in Mattie's room even today. But from this photo you can tell that Mattie was neither happy or feeling good. 

Quote of the day: The life of the dead is placed in the heart of the living.~  Cicero

I got up early for a Saturday, in order to see the parade going down our street in honor of the Kennedy Center's expansion. I can safely say that in all the years I have lived here, I have never seen my particular neighborhood shut down for a parade. Streets were blocked with police and snow plows. Fortunately, we had a bird's eye view from our commons area and Sunny was with us too! 

The three smaller white buildings, are the additions to the Kennedy Center. In fact the Center is having 16 days of events, free to the public. The new addition includes:

• Three soaring pavilions featuring floor-to-ceiling windows.
• Eleven highly flexible spaces which will be used for the creation of art, performances, events, classes, and more.
• An outdoor stage and video wall, which will host concerts and film screenings.
•  A “green roof” and 130,000 square feet of landscaping and gardens, including a 35-tree ginkgo grove, walking paths, and lawns.
• A casual arts café that invites socializing and “dwell time” outside of regular performance activities.
• A connection—by way of a new pedestrian bridge spanning Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway—to the National Mall and other presidential memorials

Along the parade route, they were giving out balloons. I know Mattie would have insisted on getting a balloon if he were with us. As you can see Mattie will always be 7 years old in my mind, NOT 17 (his biological age if he were alive today). The balloons read... The Future is now! 

I have never seen this street blocked to vehicular traffic. Today was a first. 

We even saw the mayor, Muriel Bowser (in a striped jacket), out and about. 

A float of performers.
















I would like to say that today was a normal day for us. But frankly weekends and normal do not go together. On top of that, we are well aware of tomorrow being the tenth anniversary of Mattie's death. There never seems to be the right way to acknowledge and absorb such a horrible day. Nonetheless, we are both in a funk and at times today we took it out on the other one. So when this happens we know we have to regroup.