Round Robin: In My Hermit Cave

Two weeks ago, when it was time for the Round Robin Photo Challenge, I was at my dad's condo in Wilmington, NC. My stepmother died back on June 1st and my dad had been in the hospital or in a rehab facility since mid-November, and he wasn't very computer-savvy even before his dementia hit. So there was no longer any Internet at my dad's place, except for on my iPhone. If you've ever tried to do a photographic blog entry on an iPhone you know it can be a tedious, frustrating process.

The next night I was on the road when I posted the next Round Robin Challenge, In My Room. I was trying to play catch-up that night on some work I'd promised to do for my second job, so I didn't put a lot of time into my post. Neither did anyone else: so far I'm the only one who has signed up for it. (Updated: Jama has posted her entry, too!) And I only signed up yesterday myself!

Nevertheless, here's my entry. I asked to see anything you might think of as your room, whether it's a bedroom, an office, your favorite room at a museum or library or whatever. I illustrated the Challenge post with a shot of my hotel room that night. But now I'm home, and my thoughts turn to other rooms that have been "mine," past and present.

Here's the only bedroom shot I intend to give you tonight. This is me in my room in Manlius, NY in 1971, age about 14.

I grew up, ran a store for a while, worked in other people's stores, became a travel agent, and then became a bookkeeper. At Worldwide Travel from 1993 to 2005, I worked in a back room with a window on the rest of the office. I used to say that someone could give birth up front and I wouldn't know about it unless someone thought to come back and tell me. I called that office my "hermit cave."

My next office, at First Magnus, was not a hermit cave. It wasn't even a room, just a flimsy cubicle.So never mind showing off that one tonight!

This shot of my office at church was taken three years ago. It's a bit messier now, and the bulletin board has a lot more on it. Otherwise it hasn't changed much. And it's a bit of a hermit cave, too. On Tuesday I brought my dogs to work, because they're welcomed there and to give the dogs a treat after being left alone at home and at the animal hospital, respectively, while we were out of town. Unfortunately, Father Smith's very jealous dog was also in the office that morning. So my door was closed to keep Stevie from getting at Cayenne and Pepper. At least two people who wanted to stop by and see me saw the closed door and did not feel free to come in.

My other hermit cave is a little office off the reception area of Small Non-Profit, my second job (not its real name). The post-Christmas addition is that black box on the left side of my desk: a SoundFreaq dock and speaker system for my iPhone and iPad. Hooray!

Just yesterday I took a lot of pictures of another room, another potential hermit cave.  I had just received word that The Cascades of Tucson, which has a memory care unit, is willing to take my dad, based on detailed discussion of his medical history with the place where he is now. The room pictured here is the mirror image of the one I just put on hold for him. He'll be in Tucson before the end of the month. With me now working three jobs and resuming work on my novels and trying to start walking again as my knee heals, I don't know how I'm going to fit it all in once I add daily visits to my dad to my routine!

It's not too late to join in on this Challenge. Check out the link, and let's see your room!

Karen


Linking List
as of Saturday, January 12th, 2012, 1:21 AM


Karen - Posted!
Outpost Mâvarin
http://outmavarin.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/mavarin
@mavarin

Jama - Posted!
Sweet Memories
http://mummyjam.blogspot.com