As I was traveling the not-so-friendly sky's earlier this week, winging my way to our 63rd Fearless Caregiver conference (and the fourth to be held in Connecticut), I enjoyed one of the few pleasures available to me as a traveler these days - reading a multitude of newspapers. Over the years, I have taken to reading a wide variety of newspapers available in airport newsstands. This becomes quite interesting on trips with multiple layovers. I tend to clip the most interesting stories from the Des Moines Register, the Charlotte Observer, The Kodiak Daily Mirror, the New Haven Register, or whatever paper is available in my stopover cities. Not to mention the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and the USA Today.

This past Tuesday, it was an article in The USA Today that caught my attention. It was about former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner and her husband John, who is living with Alzheimer's disease. Justice O'Conner resigned from the bench a few years ago to take care of John as his condition worsened. In yet another example of her dedication, the article told the story of her acceptance of John's new romance with a fellow resident at an Alzheimer's care facility. I know this story well as late in the last century, my grandfather who was also living with Alzheimer's and fiercely dedicated to my grandmother, lost the memories of his old life and began a relationship with a lovely lady in his adult day care center. At first, this was a shock to my mother as well as Gramps new beau's adult daughter, but soon they and the rest of the family began to appreciate this new and unconventional relationship which as with Mr. O'Conner, seemed was good medicine for both of the lovebirds.

I don't know about you, but Justice O'Conn er is still pretty darn supreme to me.