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Search RuthAndJohn.com NOTE: click on the link then put your search words inside the quotes on Google
NOTE: Some of the links are to articles which are in French. Just right-click on the linked web page and select "translate". If you have any trouble with that please let me know and I will send you a translation.
Mary
John's sister, Mary, died on May 28 after a long battle with cancer. She was his only sibling. She was 73, three years older than John. They were very close.
Mary was in very good health all her life. She lived in a house with mold (unknown at the time) for 2 years and she thought that may have
contributed to the original lung cancer which metastasized through her other organs.
She traveled and lived in Spain and India for several years.
Mary's husband, Will, was a director for the Monterey Blues Festival for 20 years.
He died 6 years ago from a blood clot after knee surgery. He was 83.
He was also very fit and an avid dancer.
Mary and Will have one daughter, Erica, one grand daughter Jazmin, and just a month ago Jazmin had a baby boy,
Kylo, who visited Mary with Erica, Jazmin and Sean (baby Kylo's dad).
John and I were fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with Mary via zoom over the last 2 years. Thankfully, she
wasn't ever in pain. She said she was just tired and had nausea from the treatments. When we zoomed Mary was a
lot of fun. She can be goofy like her brother. John and I are so very grateful for that experience.
Several of Mary's friends were very important contributors to her health and well being during crucial periods -
as she received cancer treatment and in her last days. Many of her friends worked with Mary throughout her chemo
treatments providing transportation, companionship and other needs. This was in the midst of the Covid crisis.
One of Mary's friends was the executor of her Will and was her fiduciary for the last few months when Mary
needed that help. Another friend was a champion organizer and helped with many aspects of Mary's care. In mid-April
Mary went to stay with friends who cared for her during Mary's last few weeks of her life. All of these friends have known
Mary for quite a while and they and Mary all adhered to an Indian religious meditation path for all those years.
That spirituality was very important to Mary. It was good for her to be with these friends for their like-mindedness in an
important area of her life and their associated empathy as well as for all the valuable and pragmatic caregiving in so many areas.
Mary went to Sonoma Grove, a small facility in Sonoma, California, for her last days where she received excellent
care and visits every day from friends. We are so very grateful for all the help, love and care provided to
Mary in her final months, weeks and days. Thank you everyone for all you did for her.
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Taking a selfie with my sister before the move to France. |
Sean and Jazmin | Erica and Kylo |
Tommy
In mid-May our 15 year old cat Tommy died of heart failure. The kit kats have adjusted well after a
few days of disorientation. When Tommy died John and I were so happy to have the kit kats to cuddle
with. And we did cuddle with them several times a day. That helped us all feel better.
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| Our three boys enjoying the sun. | Tommy's last day | Charlie and Buster playing the string game. |
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| Buster playing with his Uncle Tommy's tail. | Our beautiful blue eyed baby |
Since Tommy's passing Charlie and Buster have been comforting each other. |
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| Nutria are still pretty rare at this time of year. | Fishing a little on a Sunday morning. | Australian cockatiels in the Thabor Park aviary. |
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| Late spring blooms at Thabor Park. |
These little stairways reminds me of Balboa Park in San Diego. |
Part of the 900 year old wall of Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine |
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| The front door of Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine |
All of the fowl were out in the little medieval village. |
Woman on a horse in Thabor Park was part of a photo shoot. |
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| Early morning sun at Thabor Park. | Beautiful old trees at Thabor Park. |
Somtimes you can find statues hidden in the foliage. |
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My little robot friend was cutting the grass again this morning. |
France
On May 17, the International day against homophobia and transphobia, the French Ministry of Culture
and Cartooning for Peace joined forces to highlight the plurality of international views and the commitment
of cartoonists to fight discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people.
And don't forget that June is gay pride month!
2024 Summer Olympics in Paris - swimming events in the Seine
When Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900, multiple swimming events took place in the river. Since 1923, however,
swimming in Paris' Seine river has been banned to protect swimmers from currents, river traffic and water
pollution. Now, the city is hoping to return the river to its former state as an Olympic venue and public
swimming hole. After the Olympians swim their laps, the public will have the chance to take a dip in 26
new swimming pools in the river starting in 2025, four of which will be in the city center. Like the first
public pools that opened on the river in 2017, these new swimming holes will be "walled off from heavy boat traffic
that carries cargo, garbage and about seven million tourists a year."
Europe
Unfortunately Ergodan won the presidential election in Turkey.
I'm wondering if we will see Sweden in NATO this summer.
USA
Interesting article about American expats: Only 11% of expats abroad plan to return to the US permanently.
Renouncing US Citizenship: An astounding 20% of US Expats surveyed are seriously considering or planning to
renounce their US citizenship soon. Notably, an additional 42% wouldn't rule out such a move in the future. NOTE:
John and I don't intend to return to the US permanently and we are not considering renouncing our US citizenship.
Some very good news in Oregon: All but three Republicans in the Oregon state Senate have now made themselves
ineligible to serve another term under a voter-approved state law intended to prevent walkouts.
Global
Sea Turtles in Panama given legal rights. The new law "will allow any Panamanian citizen to be the voice of sea turtles and defend them legally."