Caregiving: coffee house & camera phone

     Stepping out for dessert Thursday turned into a rather interesting evening.  

    Leaving our favorite coffee house, Cassa Mani, Patti and I happened to notice the historical marker in front of the building across the intersection and learned some more surprising history of “our intersection”.

    James Wilson, 1742-1798, was born in Scotland and built a successful law practice in Philadelphia before buying a farm near Carlisle, PA where he was elected to the Continental Congress. As one of the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, he was one of the “Founding Fathers” of the United States. … and prior to the Revolution lived right on this corner!

     Following the Revolutionary War and Independence his life and fortunes went more down than up including debtor’s prison and the final years of his life living with friends (or homeless in the late 1700’s).

     Interestingly, today the building where he lodged and from where he rode off from to “sign” the Declaration of Independence is the “James Wilson Homeless Bridge” providing housing and self-enhancement programs for homeless and potentially homeless single adults and families.

     … Odd how history plays out, isn’t it? And it's nice to know that the ride to Independence that left this intersection 230 years ago is still about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".

    Then back at Patti’s room we discovered a thief was busy in the bird feeder right outside her window! The tree rat wasn’t even wearing a ski mask. I guess he knew Patti was visually impaired and couldn't identify him. He had opened the top and climbed right into the feeder. Grrrrrr! Thank goodness for camera phones. <grin>