August 25

CELEBRITY AUTHOR SIGHTINGS!

This morning I was on my way to choir practice in the amphitheater when I notice a man walking ahead of me with two young boys, probably grandchildren. Even from the back, without seeing his face at all, I knew from his beautiful mane of white hair that it was David McCullough!!!! I said, "Good morning, Mr. McCullough! Thank you for coming. We're so glad you're here." (Real original!) He responded that he was really glad to be here. Then as we approached the amphitheater, he said to his boys, "And this is where I'm going to speak!" It was really cute. Pretty thrilling to see him in person that close up.

Then, at the lecture this morning, I was all seated and noticed a woman going up and down the aisle looking for a seat. Then I realized it was Gail Sheehy! She found a seat right down from me before I could offer her the opportunity to sit with me! These were two Chautauqua moments!

So I did church, Otis was superb, and then the lecture. Ate lunch at Hurlbut Church where I sat with two women from my class. Walked back to the class with one of them. Getting lots of good hints about traveling.

Scheduled a massage for 3:30 with Mary, the best massage therapist in the world. As I was getting my massage I decided it was time to spring into action on a plan that has been percolating in my head for a long time. I want to learn how to give hand massages and then go to nursing homes and give free hand massages to the patients. I signed up for a half-hour massage on Thursday so that Mary can teach me how to do that properly. I'm hoping to get one or two other women who might want to do this as well when I get back. If not, I'll do it alone. Like everything else, it will either work, or it won't.

Went to the early evening movie: The Way We Get Back, a deeply touching documentary about the senior citizens in Bangor, Maine who make the effort to greet each and every arriving and departing plane carrying soldiers to and from the wars. Apparently Bangor is the airport for many of the arrivals and departures of the troops. These seniors, many with health issues, find out when the planes are coming or going, and sometimes go to the airport in the middle of the night to greet the soldiers. Having driven through Bangor in Maine, I can attest that it's a smallish town with a small airport. But for some reason, this is where the troops are sent out. Great movie to see or rent.

The concert tonight was Jay Unger and Molly Mason whom I had never heard of. But they, along with their daughter and son-in-law have a family band playing country/bluegrass type music. Their claim to fame is that he is the man who composed the haunting tune Ashokan Farewell, which is the main theme for the entire Ken Burns Civil War series. Burns is using another of their tunes for his theme for the National Parks series that will premier on PBS on September 27. This is a wonderously talented family and the concert was terrific. There was such a line for their CD's after the concert, that I came back here and have a couple ordered from Amazon!

I'm am loving how I can walk across this place and recognize by sight many many people, and by name more and more. I'm feeling so much more a part of the family this year. Being here 4 weeks certainly helps with that. I may be going "off grounds" on Friday as one of my new friends has invited me to go into Jamestown to see an art gallery, I think. My class is over tomorrow, so my afternoons are blissfully empty!

SANDY UPDATE: Sandy is almost home from her hike. Apparently she is becoming quite well known on the trail as the "70-year-old woman who is hiking length of the Shenandoah National Park." Her husband Bill talked to a hiker who was anxious to get back on the trail because he wanted to meet Sandy. Then he told Bill about her and asked him if he had heard of her! Isn't that a hoot?


Until tomorrow. . . . RP