Hope is represented by the perched bird sitting as high as it can get on a person.

“The little bird of hope sings on in the hearts and souls of those with CMT knowing that the cure will soon be captured and domesticated.” I created that logo design when I was around sixty years old.

I’m so glad that you and Doug are doing so much to try and promote all this.

Audrey: I haven’t ever been back, only in my dreams. Now, I never remember from one day to the next. Time is awfully short. Everything happens to you and I no longer have any sense of timing. I never remember after the day. But I don’t worry. Time doesn’t mean anything anymore. It is all happening right now. Time means nothing. Everything is now. “Now” is your world.

Everybody praises me and says I am beautiful now and I always thought I was ugly, with a long face. Here at Alpine, I am never alone, all the residents are so sociable and I have lots of fun. Out in the dining room, men and women sit together. I stand up a lot and get in my chair, which sits by my bed. I ride around everywhere. I push myself with my arms or feet. An old gentleman pushes me everywhere. I have all kinds of friends. Ladies, we talk and get together and do things in workshops, stuffing pillows, making pretty pictures, trays. We are having a great time.

Audrey: I’m always going out in the hall. Tom stops there. I just go out in the hall and old Tom, he is pretty good to talk with. Old Tom. He was the last of the eight boys. His mother wasn’t very good. She was a kind of wild thing. Each one of the children would come down our street, so I knew of him and his family. The first seven boys always got into trouble. He was the good one of the family and turned out all right. The rest were all getting into trouble. We are great friends. We see each other each day. We argue most of the time. We enjoy our arguing. He gets out there every morning at a certain space in the hall. Tom’s son comes along and off goes Tom.  His son pushes him around. Every elderly man should have a son to push him around.

Audrey: Everything is going just right. I had a nice visit with Belinda. She looks good. Belinda wants to be a surgeon. Dr. Belinda Bradley, surgeon. Doesn’t that sound great? I said “go ahead and study, use it for all its worth”. I’m so happy for Belinda. She found what she wants to do in life.

I sat in the “boring chair” for a while at Crystal’s house, but I was glad I didn’t sit there too long! Everybody laughs about the “boring chair” as I called it. I eat a lot now. I’ve got my (large print) books to read. This (companion) chair is worth its weight in gold. I’m busy every minute. I go up and down the aisle.

Audrey: When I was two years, Ed was eight years and Edith was sixteen years. Grandma had an awful time having children. She stayed in bed most of the nine months because she was afraid to lose me like she lost all of the others. When I was born, the doctor gave me a slap on the behind, and Grandma about died because she thought that was awful. The doctor had to slap me because I wasn’t going to breath. Grandma lost babies and had a hard time.

We (Edith, Ed and Audrey) seemed to be stronger. Other babies she lost. When I came along, Grandma was careful. When I was born, I had hair that was very dark. Grandma was very, very happy that I was alive. I was heavy as a baby. I think I was 10 pounds.

Your uncle Robert MacDonald weighed ounces when he was born, but when he grew up to be three hundred pounds. (whereas) I weighed ten pounds at birth but never weighed much more than a hundred pounds when I was an adult. It was just the opposite.

Audrey: Deardra came. I’m in my chair and we go out. Everything going fine! Stephanie and her sister look  just alike. Been out and walked around a lot. I was with Deardra.

I called Dawn. She’s got a boyfriend! He was a college professor. He is a “gentleman”. He is older than she. Spencer couldn’t get over it! (he was surprised but happy for her).

Amber and Crystal pop in. Amber bought curtains yesterday. She is having lots of fun. It’s nice to settle down. She has her own car. Today, men and women both need a car.

Amber’s boyfriend is awfully good to her. He’s a good guy. I hope they get settled down and both enjoy their life!

Tell me. Who are you’?

Audrey: We go by the Fiskeville and Quidnessett Baptist Churches and they have changed to big long strong things. I like the older little churches (the physical buildings). Now the new churches are all alike.

Audrey: I am glad I’m old. I would not want to be 20 years old now.

I am so upset when they take the older reporters on TV off and put a younger person in the older person’s place.  Old newscasters are taken off. I’m reading Tom Brokaw’s book. That’s a different story. It’s nice and interesting. I’ll grab a book and pick it up anywhere I am and begin reading. I’m always reading back and forth. I keep reading. All those I’m meant to read, I really want to read it. Every book get everything upset or up in arms in the first part of the book and then the end is what happens. I have been so busy. I’ve got a lot of books to read!

Tom (Audrey’s friend at Alpine Nursing Home), he’s about to die. He’ll he dead.