Clinton Township Newsletter

1 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 This summer really sucked. A herni- ated disc in my back (plus stenosis, arthritis, etc., ) resulted in a trip to the ER, a hospital stay and two weeks in rehab. Worse pain since I gave birth when at least I produced a son and daughter. This was followed by several TIAs which resulted in another trip to the ER. The only positive outcome was a renewed appreciation of the HMC doctors and nurses and the Country Arch Care Center. I had one roommate who must have been a former resident of Hell and one (Erma, bless her heart) who absolutely qualifies for the BEST IN SHOW award. Heretofore I thought most "older" folks were a tad troublesome and cranky. Now the grim realization is I finally accept that I am a part of that population and look more kindly at my aging contemporaries. I met more terrific seniors in rehab than I've swallowed pain killers. And the physical therapists at Country Arch were not only compe- tent, but able to make each and every session productive while still having a good time. The staff at Country Arch could not have been more caring (I did my best to bring Sonja home with me!) Of course there were a few interesting episodes during the above period of disability. I made an immediate new friend when I walked into a shared bathroom without knocking and she was definitely not expecting company. Occasionally I drove my walker a wee bit recklessly and I demonstrated a total lack of humor when I was told they do not serve before-dinner cocktails. But all in all, I behaved reasonably well and was not suspended or expelled from the premises. What I want to share mostly is the unmistakable fact that you never really appreciate what you have until it is absent from your life. When I finally got home after a month-long absence, had I been physically able I would S e p t e m b e r 2014 Since 1982 As a kid, I spent the majority of my time in class either daydreaming or drawing. My thoughts usually ran along the lines of "wouldn't it be cool if...?" One of the first far-fetched ideas I remember having was thinking it would be so cool if my parents could build a secret room onto our house. The entrance and exit would connect to my bedroom by a tunnel and a slide. I knew this would never be a reality, but it was a very fun daydream – especially in a house full of kids. Recently, after my husband's slight frustration with yet another of my musings – their impossibility usually due to that old bugaboo: time + mon- ey – I declared that they could all be filed under the heading: "Wouldn't It Be Cool If...?" I've spent a lifetime daydreaming . This actually helped a lot in design school and in the creative field – but not so much in grammar or high school. I can relate to you kids out there who find it hard to concentrate in trig or chemistry. So here's a short list of wouldn't it be cool if's, in no particular order: • Wouldn't it be cool if our Clinton Township roads were heated, to pre- vent ice and snow buildup? And wouldn't it be cool if they could expand and contract (more) when the temperature changes, to prevent potholes? • Wouldn't it be cool if we had some funky pop-up stores in Clinton Township? For that matter, wouldn't it be cool if we had a jazz/piano bar in town? And how about some art galleries? Perhaps a small theater? • Wouldn't it be cool if the land across from the middle school were made into a community center, with a pool (or two) and ballfields? By day it would have indoor space for a Senior Center, by afternoon/evening it could be a place for teens to hang out. Okay–this idea actually came from our Rec. Committee years ago when I was a member. I can't let it go. • On a walk awhile back, I passed two women who I presumed to be staying at the nearby Baptist Camp. While looking down a street (which I had passed a million times), one turned to the other and said, "Isn't it beautiful?!" I looked to see if it was an exotic bird, or animal, but no, they were talking about our neighborhood. So, wouldn't it be cool if we could see Clinton Township the way we did when we first set eyes on the place? Wouldn't it be great if each day we could appreciate how really beautiful our Township is, rather than repeatedly getting caught up in the petty frustrations which usually demand more of our attention? • Wouldn't it be cool if education in the rest of the country were up to the standards of the State of NJ and our Township? • And, for the biggest impossibility: wouldn't it be cool if we actually could achieve World Peace? If everybody could just get along? I won't be holding my breath for that one but, hey, wouldn't that be great? Enjoy your September, and don't be afraid to daydream... p.s. Thank you (so much) to Officer McCluskey of the CTPD for rescuing the keys from my daughter's locked car – that was pretty cool. EDITOR'S COLUMN b y J u l i e F ly n n "Pain 101" b y r u t h K e e S i n g "You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one." ~John Lennon, Imagine www.ClintonTwpNewsletter.com –Julie Fl�nn Since 1982 "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin J u l i e F ly n n, e d i t o r C L I N T O N T O W N S H I P N e w s l e t t e r ® There's No Place Like Home! have jumped for joy and kissed the floor. Good strong black coffee for breakfast, my very own bed and bathroom, bake ziti from Bellas and a rare ribeye from Kings. Quietness at night and an open porch during the day. No IVs, not get- ting jabbed with needles every ten minutes, no MRIs, scans, X-rays, etc. I can never thank enough the doctors and nurses and aides and physical therapists. And the many friends and family members who called and visited and BROUGHT FOOD. And primarily my daughter, Sally, who put her life on temporary hold to care for her aging mother. I am so lucky. I am so blessed. Even this messed up world looks good to me!

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