Home again, home again, jiggety-jig

Sophie and I are settled back in the cottage, after our adventure in Tomball. Colin, Morgan, and I set out this morning before nine o’clock under gray, drizzling skies. The drive offered another nice chance for me to visit with Colin. Morgan had her Air Buds or whatever in her ears, listening to music. It didn’t seem like a long drive, but it was—we were eleven minutes late to meet Jordan, Christian, and Jacob at the Health Camp in Waco.

Do not be misled. The Health Camp is anything but a health food restaurant—the menu is limited to various forms of burgers, a grilled chicken sandwich, Frito pie, and Frito pie salad. The last item puzzled us—Morgan and I could not envision adding lettuce to Frito pie. We all had burgers, but poor Jacob ate his (and a rich chocolate milkshake) in the car, babysitting Sophie. We would have chosen a patio table, but the skies were still threatening.

My kids are beyond good to ferry me back and forth as they do. Colin was expecting to drive me all the way to Fort Worth, but Jordan volunteered to meet him in Waco—about two and a half hours from Tomball and an hour and a half from Fort Worth, Christian and Jacob, hardcore Baylor fans, make the drive fairly frequently for football games.

Just as I was basking in the glow of how good they are to me, I realized everyone had a hamburger but me. Jordan and Colin each thought the other had ordered it. So that got straightened out, and I had my very own greasy cheeseburger—not usually my choice, but the kids love that place.

We were back in Fort Worth by a little before two, and by five-thirty I was unpacked, everything put away, and I’d had a nap. It’s called being compulsive. Jordan brought out some of the cheeseball she’d made for Thanksgiving dinner, and we had a delightful happy hour.

I would call the trip to Tomball a rousing success—I enjoyed it a lot, got some work done, ate more than I usually do, and slept a lot. Visited with people I enjoyed, got to sit by the lake, did a good bit of reading. Colin and Lisa and the grandkids waited on me to the point I felt over-indulged, but they were sweet and kind about it.

Every trip has its hitch—this time it is that my car and house keys are still in Tomball. I remember saying to Colin, “I’m putting my keys in the side pocket of the car. Don’t let me forget.” Of course, we both forgot until I got home and couldn’t find them. As Jordan pointed out, I never should have taken them in the first place—obviously, I didn’t need them.

Sometimes there’s a letdown coming back from even a short vacation, but none such here because I had such a warm welcome. Jordan had Christmas decorations up in the cottage and fed me a great dinner—yeah, you got it: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole.

I had a great time, but it’s good time, but it’s good to be home.

Pratfalls and Other Mistakes in Life

 No blog last night because, first of all, I was extraordinarily tired. Then, as I walked from my office to the kitchen, I suddenly found myself face down on the living room floor with a bloody nose, sore foot, and no ability to get myself up. I scooted on my derriere to the office phone and called Jordan and Christian, who arrived fairly quickly with Jacob in tow. They got me up and tucked into bed.

I woke at three because Sophie wanted to go out, hobbled to the back door, finally got her back in, and went back to bed, still exhausted. Stumbled into the bedside table and nearly fell again.  But I did sleep soundly until 7:30.

Today I can barely walk—foot is badly bruised—and feel out of sorts, cheerful enough but just not quite at my peak. Jordan came and got me tea, cottage cheese and a banana about eleven. I had slept from 9:30 to then and went back for a two-hour nap in the afternoon.

This morning, Jacob asked how I fell. I told him I had no idea. So he demonstrated various means of falling to me. None of them looked appealing. At noon Jordan and I discussed it, with some mention of wine. Yes, I’d had wine but not enough I don’t think to make me so tired or to cause me to fall. One idea I didn’t like entertaining: another, very slight TIA, which might account for the tiredness, even at dinner with a friend, and for what Jordan described as slightly slurred speech (I wasn’t aware of that). My mother had a series of small strokes that rendered her senile, and it’s always been my greatest fear. But my first TIA was three years ago, and Jacob could be right—I simply tripped and went down so fast I wasn’t aware of how I got there. My doctor advised being sure to take my daily aspirin. I guess it’s a mystery that never will be solved. Meantime I’m grateful that my speech and thinking seem clear today.

I cancelled the world for today and tomorrow and will stay off my feet. Should be a good time to get some work done.

Be careful out there, folks. It’s a big and sometimes dangerous world.