August 31, 2004 - 11:05 a.m.
*stre-etch* �Oh hello there, it has been a long while hasn�t it!� August kind of ran away from me. Many of you readers filled August with Pennsic preparations, the war itself, and then the clean up process that comes after that. Helas I have to say that this year, for the first time in mumble-15?? years I did not join you all in that adventure.
The last week of July was filled with many many tense moments for my family as my mother spent nearly a week in the ICU, and longer in the hospital. It seems that she had acquired an acute bacterial infection at the site of the dialysis tubes (which tap the blood supply proximal to the heart) and as a result of that was one sick puppy. There is nothing like a week with a sick family member that you truly adore to put the world into perspective.
So August came with the hopes of getting to Pennsic, and then the realization that the war would conflict with a trip my father needed to take. My plans altered to go to Newport News for a week to be with mom so she would not be alone. Once this new plan was made, the tone of my month changed entirely.
Mad late night sewing binges got replaced with general fits of cleaning and home improvement. Odd trips to Lowe�s for obscure parts needed for a project were substituted with purchasing decent blinds for the windows (down with the evil crappy blinds that I have had since I bought the house). Time with my friends was swapped out for time with my mom.
My living room is a divine shade of green called �Dill�. (I am so with Theo, I want the job of naming paint colors in my next career. Really though, how the heck does one get into that career path?) My dining room and hallway are �Full Moon�. Now �Full Moon� is this warm sunny almost yellow in the day time. Cheery and clean and wonderful. But at night � wow. You know how when you light a candle the light is warm and so much more friendly than that of a lightbulb? Even if you light a hundred candles, there is still not that edge that a bulb puts on things. Well, the walls of my hall and dining room have that same sort of friendly glow in the evening. The sharp edges soften and it is just HOME. Makes you just want to cook a meal and eat at the table like a civilized person!
Not only do I have a home that is somewhat neater, and a whole lot less cluttered. I spent nearly a full week at Mom�s place cleaning, sorting, filing and throwing away. I love my folks but lord they are both pack rats!
There is a truly wicked sort of glee to be able to render organization from the chaos. Dad was out of town and unable to squeak at my ruthless disposal of the odd piles of partially read newspaper and Mom was there just shaking her head as I recklessly went through the kitchen cupboards removing the old cans of food no one will ever eat. *grin* We aquired all manner of bins and drawers and sorted scrap booking supplies. She wielded the label maker and we identified a place for everything and everything in its place (well in 4 rooms at least).
I pulled out of their driveway as you were all pulling out of Pennsic, knowing that she can easily use the walker in damn near all parts of the house. That she can use the wheelchair in those same places on days that she needs to. I left knowing that while I missed seeing all of you at the war, I was happy with the choice that I made (and nearly as tired as if I had gone to Pennsic).
I will leave the other goings on of my life for another post later this week. Suffice to say � I have gone off and gotten busy again.
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