We visited the Desert Botanical Gardens one year ago today, viewing the agaves, aloes, ocotillos and the prickly chollas, the miniature cacti and the magnificent saguaros that live to 300 years. We wandered among the desert wildflowers, attended a lecture on Alzheimer’s Disease, lunched on the patio where Bob fed my pita, but not his hot dog bun to the birds who landed by his feet. “A wonderful day,” exclaimed Bob as we leisurely followed the red path to the “salida” (exit). I remember an Oscar Wilde quote: “I adore simple pleasures—they are the last refuge of the complex.”
What a difference a year makes.When we go to feed the ducks at the local park this October day, Bob is annoyed that there are children present, riding their skateboards and scooters. He tires easily, perhaps physically, but what I see mostly is an inability to sustain attention. He wants to go for a ride in the car, he enjoys looking at "tools" at Home Depot, or Lowes, but he is always glad to return to the assisted living home where he feels safe.
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