For the past 18 months or so, Anne Harkonen and I tried to stop by every couple of weeks or so to see Ann. We would chat and reminisce about our shared experiences, our families, our lives. Talking about 3 foot sock monkeys one day, Anne H. had Ann d. laughing so hard, there were tears running down her cheeks. About two weeks before she died, we stopped by for 15 minutes or so. Chris raised the hospital bed and we each sat on one side of her. There were hyacinths in the room which were fragrant so I picked one up and passed it across so that Anne H could smell it. As I brought it back to me, I slowly moved it under Ann d's nose so she could smell it, then set it back down. Very slowly the index finger on Ann's right hand raised up. That was her sign that she liked something. It was moving to understand that she was aware of us, of the conversation and the enjoyable smell of spring hyacinths.