Maybe I'm Amazed...

I had the opportunity to spend some time with my son and family relaxing on the shore of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Blue skies, sunshine, and a calm rhythmic ocean symphony from the  waves all certainly contributed to a relaxing vacation...the first one for me in years.
All arrangements had been taken care of beginninng with a Jet Blue flight to JFK. I had never experienced a flight where I had my very own personal TV right in front of me.  There were about 40 channels to choose from and I went in search of Good Morning America. There was NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, HGTV,  etc.  Evidently there was no ABC in the mix. Oh well.
 Following an interesting hour of 'people watching' at JFK, the connecting  flight to Raleigh was announced and we boarded the plane.  After doing seat belts and preparatory stuff, I began channel surfing to watch The View.  Realizing that it was another ABC show, I quipped to my son,
"I am amazed that with 40 channels there is no ABC...it's one of the three major networks!!"
To which he smiled and said,
"We are about to be propelled into the air aboard an 825,000 pound aircraft...and you are amazed that there is no ABC on your TV?"
"Not exactly what I meant!!  I am truly amazed that planes fly. But seriously...no ABC!!!  Not a problem, just surprised...that's all!!"
The week went by quickly.  Sand castles were built, books were read out on the deck, pelicans did  a 'fly over' in formation, and the sandpipers entertained me as only they can do. [my favorites]
And then there were the games played by everyone on the long dining room table.
Competitive Scrabble [among the adults] was a hoot. And when I had the chance [for the third
time] to cash in on the 'triple word' advantage, I played 'haiku' vertically with the 'h' being the last letter of a horizontal word....
'FEH'
My son immediately challenged my word!
"Feh?  Feh!!  That's not a word!  You don't know that is a word, do you?"
"Oh yes I do!!!  You don't believe me?? I'm crushed!!!   I have one word for you then..."

So there!  [I 'm sure I heard it on some ABC show].
Amazing Feh!

I have been up and down, and up is definitely better.  The guru of knees doctor appointment lasted 3 hours and 22 minutes and was a test of patience both in waiting as well as 'lightening up' a lack of overt personality.  While I realize the importance of the doctor's knowledge, experience, and expertise...relating to the patient has its own health benefits. I have a May 15th appointment for a new knee, but I have to get my resolve into it a bit more. 
The best part of the three hours?
At the last moment, I decided that maybe I shouldn't drive myself the one hour drive especially since I was having trouble walking.  I called a good friend who not only drove me over to the doctor, but also sincerely voiced that the long wait was not a big deal.  Good friends...priceless.
The other amazing moment of the visit occurred in the very beginning of the 3 hours at the XRay wing. As I was directed to the place to stand for my knees to have their 'Kodak Moment", the friendly technician asked,
"Are you a teacher?"
Of course!  A former student whose name readily jumped to mind!  Better yet?  Her mother was in my third grade class back in 1975. [my first year in that district].
We chatted a bit and I asked her to relay my hello to her mom who had been my son's 'hair coiffer de choice' before he moved away from the area.  Isn't life funny...
I remember sitting with her mom in the nurse's office because she had fallen and hit her head in gym class. Brown hair, big brown eyes, and a smile and personality that lit up a room, she was an active participant who made teaching fun for that year. [There were other priceless cherubs that year, too.]
Then she became a hairdresser, and when I found out where she worked, I brought my son to her for haircuts.
Many years later, her daughter appeared as a transfer in mid- year to my 5th grade class.
And now...her daughter was taking my XRays!!!
I was sent back to XRay for a spine XRay as a prerequisite to the knee replacement, and I asked her to be sure to relay my smiles to her mom.
"Already texted her!  She sends her hellos back to you."
Full circle.
Tada!