A Real Life Story by Glenn Hansen
Dedicated to Sweet Judith, wherever you are in God’s universe.
CHAPTER 14
The now consistent warmth of spring allowed for the opening of the exquisite outdoor court yard at Riverview. It was a delightful place for Judy and I to go and spend time on my visits. She loved being outdoors. The texture of nature is embedded in her soul.
The court yard felt like a very nice, somewhat exclusive outdoor patio. It was big and provided an earthy, connected with nature feel, as it was encompassed by a variety of plants and trees. The round outdoor tables with bright sky blue and lively yellow centre umbrellas offered roomy seating for six. There were maybe eight of them. Other important amenities included a half oval raised area which had smaller tables and I have no doubt once summer was here, it would be utilized for live music and other types of events and activities. You could go for a short walk amongst the trees along a pathway adjacent to the court yard. If you had young kids, they could play in the playground area. There was no shortage of benches, chairs and rocking benches throughout the area. One of Judy’s favourite things was the little waterfall and pond that housed lovely looking Koi fish with their resplendent colours. Finally, there was a small, roofed, but open sided eating area with a very large Napoleon barbecue.
The court yard was a very special place at Riverview. I sometimes said to Judy when we were sitting at a patio table, to close her eyes and pretend we were at a high end, ocean side patio restaurant. What a wonderful moment of escapism for both of us together.
With Judy’s health starting to decline at an accelerated rate, this was the place for us to go now. The pretty park in the front of the healthcare centre was out of reach now given her further weakened status. We would chat, but there was less chat now and more rest. We still would have the occasional “dinner date” inside without the show. It still brought us the enjoyment of chatting over dinner. It was fun, and more that ever I wanted Judy to enjoy her time as much as possible. Her happiness brought me great pleasure, happiness and gratefulness that I have had her in my life no matter how long it was going to be for.
Judy enjoyed our short excursions along the court yard pathway and we did it many times.
One of the architectural aspects I enjoyed was the natural stately cedar fencing which enclosed the courtyard and indeed many other outdoor areas around Riverview. This fencing added immensely to the overall natural outdoor feel that abounds throughout the healthcare centre’s grounds.
It is no accident that this is how the whole complex is designed, this warm earthy feel. It’s to have a peaceful, healing and caring environment for the patients who find themselves here.
The World According to Glissando 