Dorian's recovery has been dramatic -- at least the physical aspects, and for that I'm most grateful ... .

She has returned to NIAD 3 days-a-week, and is being productive and showing signs of making, if not a full recovery, at least enough so that I feel confident that life will return to whatever the new "normal" will be.

She has been practicing her solo performance of "O Happy Day" as done by the Edwin Hawkins Singers for days on end, and last week was a part of the annual show shared with the rest of the artists of NIAD (National Institute for Artists and  Disabilities).  It was quite a production that I regretted having to miss due to work that couldn't be put off for another day.  We had staff visitors from Harpers Ferry who had requested a bus tour that would emulate the visitor's experience.  These are folks charged with the creation of the park brochure that will be in process over the next two years -- and their two days of preliminary information gathering couldn't be postponed.

I knew that the NIAD show would be videotaped, so today I checked into YouTube.com to see if it had been uploaded yet.  It hasn't been.  But I discovered this video of the fashion show of two years ago, and thought you might like to share this infectious happy amazing event with me.

One simply can't watch these gleeful faces of these very special artists and remain glum.

Together with this photograph of my mother on a Hawaiian vacation at 95, these two pieces make a powerful statement about resilience and longevity.

Note:  On the video I can be seen in the audience on the left side of the room taking photos, if you look carefully.  Also, Dorian is identified on the runway -- this was a year before the accident that fractured her legs.  It may interest you to learn that she performed in last week's show without her walker.

Okay, so who mentioned the word depression?  Who, me?

Nah.