8 August 2013

Yesterday with Maggie, we visited the Marble House in Newport. A stunning palace it is, and I had never known the formidible Alva Vanderbilt's role with women's suffrage. We came home after lunching in the Chinese Tea Pavilion, and I learned of Chickie's passing the night before. I re-read my legacy of email messages from her before getting to Shirley's for a lovely evening with Rosalind, Maggie, Joe and Richard. Got exactly six hours sleep afterwards and woke with the following dream.

I had an apartment in Germany, and my goddaughter Christa had one nearby. I owed Christa something like twenty thousand euros. Fritz Muntean became a self-appointed middle-man. At first everything was proceeding well, and I had arranged for the funds to be transferred to Christa's account. But then Fritz began to claim that I was cheating Christa and that the transfer would take at least two weeks. Although this last could have been true but should have only taken two days, I did not want to admit it. I ended up being furious at Fritz, kissed Christa goodnight as well as her woman friend who was also present and returned to my apartment.

The dream was powerful and strange, although I may understand some of it. Dear Fritz appeared probably because of his last name (in Dutch, munt means 'mint') and suggests money. Also 'fritz' is a colloquial for 'German' and Christa lives in Germany. Christa may be my daughter Chloe. Joe told me last night that Chloe's brother Woody has now reached Cleveland. He has been lent a car from my sister. I remember our high school reunion that was held in my hometown's country club. During it Richard and I were explaining to Chickie how we had accepted the break with my sister and were learning to be comfortable with no longer having her in our lives. Chickie agreed and was sympathetic and then proclaimed in her direct and to-the-point way of hers, "But it's too bad about the money!"

Life is strange and convoluted upon level after level. Still, there is so much to appreciate and love, and Chickie will be deeply, deeply missed.

http://michaelyork.co.uk/Domus/Travel-Logs/chickie2013-7.html