What Family Reunion Reminds Me

Mary looked a bit upset, as her sister in law Marcia has been hospitalized. She fell in the bathroom of her house and broke her bones, not being found for hours. Fortunately, she was found by her son who lives nearby and sent to a hospital in Medford.

“She is my age,” said Mary, “And she had been alone for hours after she fell. I wonder what happened on her.” Though Mary was able to speak with Marcia at the hospital over the phone, she says she couldn’t hear her voice well. Mary’s ears are getting weak, besides Marcia couldn’t speak loud in the bed.

Renne’, Mary’s daughter and a nurse, was the first person who heard of the accident as her cousin called her for some advice. Mary really wanted to visit Marcia, but she waited for me to come together. Probably, she didn’t feel like, or rather, was not really sure about going alone. Renne’ wouldn’t be back in Medford until Sunday night as she was in Reno with Mike for vacation.

Mary and I had breakfast outside of the living room because it was such a beautiful day. Grape vines have grown very well, with lots of grapes (though they were too green at that time), thanks to Michelle. Oh, she surely did such a great job in the Mary’s garden!

When we entered her room at the hospital, we found Marcia conscious on the bed. I remember her, short and cheerful lady who lived Mary’s next door in Weed. Though she looked much smaller than I thought, I was glad that she was conscious, looking at us at the door.

Mary hugged Marcia and asked series of questions to know what really happened on her sister in law in the past few days. When she fell in the bathroom, she broke her pelvic bone. Though she broke the other side of pelvic bone a year earlier and had an operation, Marcia had to take another one again this time. However, as the operation went well so that she said she is all right now.

After a while, Marcia recognized me and smiled.

“Hello, Marcia! I’m Mina. I met you when I was a COS student.”
“Yes, I remember you, Mina. I was worrying about you and your family in Japan when the big earthquake and tsunami happened in March. Are you…all of your family…and friends… doing OK?”

I was about to cry. Marcia’s voice was very weak but really warm and touching. She is in the bed, suffering from pain and an operation. But she even worries about me and my family in Japan! How nice of her! I was so impressed by her kindness and strength.

I held her hands, small and cold ones, and expressed my appreciation, while telling her to take care of herself. I had nice conversation with Marcia’s family, her son David and Mike and David’s daughter Jennifer. They all welcomed me and I, again, felt like being a part of the nice Mallory family

It’s been 20 years since I left Northern California & nice people there. But they still remember me and even CARE about me!! Though I came to America by myself, I’m not alone at all! The reunion at the hospital reminds me how nice the people were, when I was studying at a small junior college in Weed, California. They welcomed an Asian girl and let me stay with them. I’m here today—thanks to these people.


4:50 Awake (still jet lag…)
5:00 Mailed to Papa &Mama, Ritsuko
6:00 Shower taking
7:00 Get dressed & kept my journal on PC (UNPLUGUED)
9:00 Painting Mt. Shasta view from Yreka
10:30 Breakfast wth Mary (Bread & Blueberry, Banana. Coffee)
12:00 Shopping with Mary for flower and a vase, before going to the hospital
13:00 Visiting Marcia’ at the hospital
16:20 Late lunch near the shopping center (3 kinds of Oregon berry pie)
19:30 Dinner at a seafood restaurant (endless shrimp dinner)

Long Drive from San Francisco to Medford!

I knew that it will be a long day for driving all the way to up north, Medford in Oregon. However, it became much longer than I expected. As I drove straight all the way through from San Francisco to Mt. Shasta before, I thought it should be OK for me to make it one day. But the extra 80 miles from the mountain city to Medford was something!

I tried to get out of San Francisco as early as possible, so I checked out Hilton by using in-room TV checking out service and rush out to a Car Rental office of Hertz, located just across the street. I waited only 4-5 min. in the line and was able to get my car in a instant, as I also had finished web check-in procedure back in Tokyo.

However….unexpected things happened. Hertz at the O’Farrell/Mason main office forgot to feature a GPS to my car – a Nissan sedan. So, they changed my car from Nissan to Toyota sedan of Yaris, which is OK, then installed the gear for me.

However, the installation took eventually took 40 min.! As I complained about their mismanagement (because I did web check-in to avoid troubles), they did not charge me the rental fees for a GPS.

Finally, I left the garage a bit before 11:00am and got on I-80 East toward Berkeley. Because it was very cold on the previous day in the foggy city, I decided to buy a sweat shirt with Berkeley logos. I spend more than a hour to shop around and had a coffee at the Bears’ café.

Now, let’s start driving toward the north again!

However, it took more than 30 min. from the Berkeley campus to I-80 because of the terrible traffic jam on the University Avenue. Besides, traffic was really heavy even on I-80 East as many people were travelling from the city to resort areas, such as Napa Valley, Sacramento and Yosemite.

Eventually, it took more than a hour to pass the toll gate outside of Vallejo (and the toll charge has hiked up to $5.00).

I took lunch soon after I got on I-5 from I-80 East via 505. Though I was not really hungry (because of too much coffee and heavy breakfast at Hilton), I decided to stop at Taco Bell to use their bathroom. I quickly finished 1 Burrito Supreme and a mid-size Diet Pepsi, then restart the long way drive. I called Mary that I may be able to get in Medford around 7:00pm.

However, I soon felt so sleepy. Because of the jet lag traveling from Japan to the California, I always have uncontrollable sleepiness at around 4:00pm. So, again, I decided to take a nap to get rid of my sleepiness because of jet lag after filling gas to my Toyota Yaris. I found a rest area at 10 miles before Redding and then took a 15-minute nap to get rid of my sleepiness.

And it worked! I was awake at around 5:00 pm and was able to continue driving with a clear head. Soon after I restated driving, I saw the shape of a beautiful mountain – Mt. Shasta! She greeted me with a smile, encouraging me to keep safe driving.

I got off the I-5 at the Mt. Shasta City exit took some photos of the holly mountain with closer look, then I quickly got back on the I-5 toward Medford.

At around 7:00pm I found a newly settled rest area in Weed, right next to the local airport. I stopped there to call Mary again for telling that I’m behind the schedule.

I got off the I-5 at the Phoenix exit at around 8:00pm and arrived at the Mallory’s house at 8:15pm. Mary and her dog Molly welcomed me!!

==August 20, Saturday==
07:30 Buffet Breakfast at the hotel restaurant
10:00 Checking out Hilton and Checking in Car Rental, across the hotel.
11:00 Got on I-80 East toward Berkeley and shopping Bears’ outfits in Berkeley
13:00 Leaving Berkeley, but soon being caught by a traffic jam for 30 min. to get back on I-80
15:00 Lunch break in William on I-5 at Taco Bell
16:00 Pump gas and took a nap for 15 min. to get rid of my sleepiness
16:30 Greeted by beautiful Mt. Shasta
17:50 Hanging around in downtown Mt. Shasta to take some photos
18:30 Stopped at the newly built rest area in Weed, right next to the airport
20:15 Arriving in Medford, Mary’s house
21:30 Dinner at Mary’s place; specially made Grilled Cheese sandwiches and tomato/lettuce salad with ranch dressing, Sunkist Orange soda, nectarine & bing cherries