The host opens the episode with a warm welcome, identifies the location on the Allegheny River, and shares their affinity for harbors and harbor pilots. This establishes the show's tone and visual backdrop for the caregiving conversation to follow.
The host describes being in a different city to care for her mother, summarizes the mother's condition and hospital stay, and reflects on the comfort of simply being present. She also connects past work at a senior center to her current responsibilities as a daughter and caregiver.
The host moves to a shaded picnic spot to read the lyrics of Kate Wolf's 'Safe at Anchor', inviting viewers to listen and follow along. The full excerpt sets up nautical metaphors that frame the episode's emotional themes.
The host explains the 'seventh wave' maritime lore, highlights lines that resonate, and relates them to encountering unexpected crises in caregiving. She reflects on choosing to stay by her mother's bedside, the comfort it brings, and the practical toll of the experience.
The host emphasizes the show's community as a safe harbor, mentions upcoming talks (Unhustle and Comedy Through the Chaos), and invites viewers to explore replays and the community chat. She ends with encouragement for caregivers, a final goodbye, and a brief walk by the river.
Hello, welcome in. Welcome in to Safe Harbor Harbor Pilots here on the Caltrasphere. And I am thrilled to report that I'm standing in front of a gorgeous waterfront. This is the Allegheny River that runs along the Allegheny Mountains in beautiful Pennsylvania. I'm in a different city from where I usually report to you. I live in Erie, Pennsylvania. I have traveled down here to Warren, Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half east and south of where I live to be with my mom, who's in the hospital. She's been there since Monday.
I've referred to her quite a lot in this space because she is the person that I caregive. And this is Caregiver Thursday, June the 4th, first Thursday in June. Didn't imagine myself standing in front of a hospital. I mean, you can see it, parts of the wing here. Let me know if you're here. Send me a heart. My cadre name is Speak Wonder. I love everything about harbors, harbor pilots, and all of us navigating the waters together. And eventually, with grace and mercy sailing into Safeport. Now in the background, can you see, I'm not able to actually magnify the picture or the shot.
There is a Victorian structure right over my shoulder here, looking back beyond the water on the other bank. It's a big Victorian, now empty building. I always refer to it as a grown-up dollhouse. It's just really quaint and beautiful. I believe the architecture is Victorian. I used to work there when it was open and the doors were opening to active seniors to come in for meals and activities and music and bus trips. And that was a really neat job that I had for a while. And I love the economy of experience in that many of the things I did as director at that senior center years ago informed me about what I'm now doing as a daughter and a caregiver to my mom.
Junebug, Junie is 95 years old and she has had a really good run, but she has fallen ill with a bad infection and they're addressing it, they've got fluids running, into the IV antibiotics. She is definitely been turning a corner. She went in Monday, it's Thursday. We're looking possibly with hope at discharge today. I stayed with her through the night. It wasn't completely necessary. She's not an ER or a intensive care patient. She's definitely stable and responding and talking, but She really wanted my company.
And you know, I didn't hesitate because I thought, you know, if I'm sick in the hospital, it'd be nice to have somebody who loves me sitting right next to me. Sure, watching TV, falling asleep, doing a crossword. Sometimes there is company in the silence that speaks louder than words. I found some song lyrics I'd like to read to you. I'm gonna walk over here. Right now I'm in a nice shady spot. Look at this beautiful shade tree, fully out in leaf. And it's just so nice to have the water in the backdrop from the Allegheny River.
I'm gonna walk over here to this picnic table and have a seat and read to you the lyrics because this is me. I play this song by Kate Wolf frequently on my Pandora. It is titled Safe at Harbor. No, Safe at Anchor. And I've always loved the song, but when I actually downloaded the lyrics, I paid more attention because these lyrics describe where I am right now in life today and this week. And maybe you. One of the earmarks of being a caregiver is when you have to do it alone. Particularly, not always particularly in this case, but I'm a POA and I feel like as a power of attorney medically and financially, I bear the onus of doing things right, representing her well-being her advocate.
Yeah, I'm human and I'm going to overlook things and miss things and have to be reminded of things and that's all right. This week has been rough, you guys. And as someone who lives alone with my crazy little corgi named Gracie, I have siblings and they're supportive and we talk. A lot of caregiving is done in the industry of silence and being and solitude and being solo. Do you go solo with your caregiving? This is Safe at Anchor. Let me read to you the lyrics by Kate Wolf. I encourage you to look it up on your Pandora, your Spotify, wherever you get your music.
Safe at Anchor. Here I stand alone again, reaching out across the room. Quietly, the sun's gone down. Sailors seek the harbor. Look at us sailing in decks awash but still afloat. And the new winds come up to rock us on the water, riding out the storm like a ship safe at anchor, waiting out the long voyage. The long voyage around the Cape of Hope will take her in the calm before the storm. Sunny days and smoother waters when we hit the seventh wave We found a line and caught her. Look into my eyes.
Let me see where you've been sailing. Like you, I have felt the storm. I've heard the wild waves wailing. Riding out the storm like a ship safe at anchor, waiting out the long voyage around the Cape of Hope will take her. Steer clear of the shore. coast is rough and rocky. It's the deepest channel that runs most true. The brightest stars that mark her. Steady as she goes, there's no turning back. There's no turning back the sailors, the ship on course, and the sea wind fair. There's no need to fail her.
Riding out the storm like a ship safe at anchor, waiting out the long voyage around the Cape of Hope will take her safe at anchor by lyricist and singer Kate Wolf. Okay, so back here, it makes a reference to the seventh wave. I looked that up. Here's the verse, Sunny days and smoother waters. When we hit the seventh wave, we found a line and caught her. Well, the seventh wave, according to maritime lore, is a reference to the waves arriving in groups. And the seventh wave being the largest, the biggest, baddest, and most powerful.
The seventh wave. A lot of symbolism there for life. And then may I please, if you'll indulge me, may I repeat some of the two of the most important lines that hit my heart. It's the deepest channel that runs most true. When that 7th wave. Reaches up. Causes commotion. When you're hit sideways in the open sea and things that you didn't. Have on your radar suddenly appear and you have to deal with them like me this week, my mom and the hospital. That's a deep channel and you find out how deep it runs in crisis.
You discover new channels of deep love and affection. I'm convinced that taking things off my schedule this week and staying by my mom's bedside, even though she's stable and going to be better, she doesn't feel great, but she's going to be better. I don't think we have to have end of life or a vigil to stay next to someone when we are able to. The comfort is immeasurable. So I have been exactly where I need to be. Am I tired? Yeah. It's a lot of driving back and forth. Last night I just stayed in one of those hospital recliner chairs.
And they brought me a blanket. Staff here are just lovely. Cadre has been my safe port in the harbor. I went walking through the hospital, which is a big metal structure, looking for cell phone bars, and I had to come outside to do so. And I had to go off the Wi-Fi and use my 5G. And we're broadcasting. It's remarkable. I'm in Pennsylvania, you're in Minnesota or wherever it is that you broadcast from or that you listen from. And here we are in community learning about long voyages, steadfast vigilance in the seventh wave.
Being ready to catch the ones we love. Riding the wave with them. You know, in this space I often talk about safe port and coming in, tethering our ropes to the dock and climbing out for respite. Today, my references, because of my heart and where I am this week with Mama, my references are more about being out in the open sea. where the waves are roiling. And then yet this song lyric is so beautifully done. So descriptive, as music seems to be always. Ah, that's pretty much what I have today. I need to go back in and check on Junie Bug, my mom.
and I wanted to alert you to the fact that today we're going to hear from Christy Larson later in the cadre and her title is Unhustle. I really want to tune into that. We live in a hustle hustle culture. Get it done. Get it done faster. Unhustle is the name of her talk today and then later also we have Miss Shannon Paul and Comedy Through the Chaos. I invite you to come in, look at the community, check out the replay. Anything that's live streamed here can be replayed. There's a community chat that is just so life-giving.
Wander around in the Quadrasphere. It'll do you some good, as you know. If you're new to this group, welcome in. And I invite you back next week on Harbor Pilots. Remember, beautiful human doing the best you know how in the caregiving picture. And when somebody looks into your eyes, they've arrived at safe harbor. Bless you for that. I think I'm going to take a walk along the river before I go back in. See you next week. I don't know how to end this. Here we go. There it is.
