Dad had open lung surgery(thoracotomy) at Stanford on Monday the 3rd. He is doing well. A few minor set backs. I think I'm overly sensitive to these things... so sometimes I need to take a step back. But then times of crisis, I'm just fine. I guess I just don't do well with 'normal' situations anymore. Anyhoo... they were aiming for 4 tumors in the left lung, and actually came out with 5. All pathology showed NO active cancer. This is great. He has since been transferred back to his favorite (is it bad to have a favorite??) nursing home in Palo Alto. He's a little unsteady on his feet, and pain is more apparent, but he remains in relatively good spirits.
Meanwhile, the kids are back in school after Christmas vacation. Which I was almost thankful for... and then I remembered all that darn homework. I thought I was done with school??? :(
The kids and Alicia and Jackson and I surprised James' mom and Jack by showing up for Christmas dinner all in our matching hoodie-footie pajamas! SOOOO AWESOME! Even one for Abigail (the dog) and one for Gram and Gramps too. It was nice to have a common denominator that was fun and playful, and not just heartache.
The work on the house is nearing completion.... I keep telling myself at least. The bathrooms are done. I thought that the kitchen just needed the gas hooked up to the stove, a piece of back splash, a light fixture, and the old fridge swapped out for the new. Functionally, it was fine. Visually...coming right along. Until I came home one day this week thinking we were sooo close to being done. I forgot about a new window over the sink... and came home to that wall gone. Oy. Some day. Some day. 
I took the kids out a few weekends ago... and was just cruising right along. Not a clue I was speeding. Not a clue. Nat was in the front seat and we were singing our little hearts out. And then I hear the siren. Right behind me. Darn iiiiiiittttttttt. I've vowed to never try to talk my way out of a ticket. It just seems dumb. I mean, if I was speeding, then I was speeding. So this CHP seems nice. He says he clocked me going 77. And kind of shakes his head. I shake my head too and tell him I'm sorry. He asks what the hurry is? "We were singing, officer. Just got a little carried away." AAaannnddd he laughs :) So I think I'm good, right? Wrong! That's when my beloved Nat leans over from the front passenger seat and says, "Last time she got pulled over and got a ticket she was playing the air guitar!" Oh Natalie.... Thank you for sharing that. Nothing like showing the officer there is a pattern here. Long story short. I didn't get a ticket. But I have been amply humbled.
My birthday was also in there somewhere. Dad was so sweet and wanted to take me out to dinner and maybe a movie. I wanted to, but the thought of being alone with my thoughts in the presence of one other person, when the focus is me, on my special day... I just couldn't do. Too much. So instead we had my birthday dinner with lots of family at a noisy restaurant. Much better. Really, I think I'd just like to be invisible.
My birthday was also in there somewhere. Dad was so sweet and wanted to take me out to dinner and maybe a movie. I wanted to, but the thought of being alone with my thoughts in the presence of one other person, when the focus is me, on my special day... I just couldn't do. Too much. So instead we had my birthday dinner with lots of family at a noisy restaurant. Much better. Really, I think I'd just like to be invisible.
1 comment:
Excellent strategizing, Meggie! The pajamas for sure stole the show, brilliant. (And where do we get our own, they are so great!) And quick thinking on the birthday, too, more is merrier. 8) Your kitchen is looking great, it will be worth it when you're done. (But the process is NO fun, I'm with you!)
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