| January 2010 |
| Dear Ruth, |
| What a surprise to hear from you on the holidays! I’ve been wondering where you are and what you are doing. The days of working in that God awful clinic in Vermont seem eons away. You were so supportive of me and my work. I admired your skill and compassion. Looking back I can see how inadequate the day clinic was. Here were all these mentally disturbed adults doing nothing. Dennis was right on target, he knew they needed to be busy and focused as best as they could be. Some were too ill to take part, but still, who knows? Deinstitutionalization was a criminal act – it poured all the helpless ones who knew a routine and felt safe into the communities at-large with only a bed, a room and food on the table…nothing more. |
| Your work in Salem sounds very interesting. I always thought you would flourish in private practice. Do you specialize in any one area? I heard from Sophia over the holidays and she is deeply involved in experimental treatment of autistic children. Her children are grown and gone their separate ways, her husband is a partner in an architectural firm in Newport. They have a lovely home on the East Side of Providence where stately old homes abound. |
| David is doing very well in his work – two jobs really as he has some private clients he sees on the weekend and in the evening. We’re bearing some financial stress, so it’s definitely time for Bill W.’s advice – One Day at a Time. I feel so helpless, Ruth, being homebound and unable to work. There are days when I search long and hard to find something I did that day that is of value. I’m my own worst critic, as you so often pointed out to me. Remember that snowy Sunday when we had brunch at your house and sipped tea into the afternoon as it snowed and snowed. The drive home was a nightmare. Here in Rhode Island no on would venture out in a storm like that. We were hardy souls at a time when each of us was looking for something else. |
| >We have two cats: Ollie, my distraction during an illness, pretends he is a prince of the kingdom; the other – Archie – was a stray who scoped out our house for several weeks and then proceeded to jump into Dave’s lap one summer afternoon on the patio. He’s been with us ever since and would love to be Alpha but Ollie, who is much smaller, keeps him at bay. About a month ago I bought some shoes and the box was on the kitchen floor with some tissue paper in it. I was surprised to see Ollie in the box all wrapped around himself, sleeping the afternoon away. Now, Archie didn’t like this arrangement at all and would attack the box and wake Ollie up. We thought he was jealous. It turns out he wanted a box of his own – we set one up in the living room and to our surprise he just plopped himself down and went to sleep. Dave thinks it’s like having kids under foot, one or the other always wanting in or out or to be fed or petted. Reading the Sunday paper is like an old Marx Brothers film! Archie is yellow with yellow eyes and a long muscular body. Ollie is black and white - I think he’s got some Siamese in him because he yowls really loud. You can tell I love these critters – they make my day interesting. |
| I’ve been doing some writing that feels just right. I don’t paint at the moment and haven’t done so for a long time. I don’t know why, just a certain lack of confidence. I ordered some blocks of smaller size paper to see if that inspires me. The cards worked for awhile, but I’ve lost interest. I hope the new paper will inspire not intimidate me. |
| Even though I worked so many years I think I really want to pursue creative endeavors. The job at Hitchcock satisfied some of that, but I was miserable there with a not so nice boss and a co-worker dedicated to getting me in trouble with the boss! I couldn’t picture a way of supporting myself. Maybe my Higher Power gave me a chance by giving me disability. |
| For awhile I centered my interests in gardening. It was very rewarding. Then I had several disk problems in my back and the physical therapist said, “Your gardening days are over, dear.” So now Dave does the work and I do the directions. Sometimes it is so frustrating, just wanting to weed or tend to some of the perennials. |
| Well, my dear, I’ve rambled on a bit. I look forward to your next letter. Tell me more about your work and what your children are up to these days. |
| Lovingly, |
| Sheila |