12:55 p.m. - 2004-07-06
The Long Holiday Weekend
This holiday weekend has been four months long. Friday, after I concluded my meeting on campus, I was pelted with large grape-sized hail. I still have bruises on my cheeks and arms! I finally got across campus and into the car, and thought I might lose the windows or windshield, but it subsided after a half-hour. After that, I got home to discover that our neighbor's son went through a plate glass sliding door and had been airlifted to the medical center for surgery. The other neighbor (whose door it was, and who is a close friend) was beside herself with guilt and sadness. The boy will be fine, but had six hours of surgery on his right arm and left knee. He is expected to get full recovered use of his hand, and fortunately, he is left handed, but it was pretty scary. We took turns watching the neighbor's other son who is two. My friend/neighbor postponed her vacation to watch the toddler. Happy ending thank you God, he is home, starting physical therapy today, the neighbor/friend met the rest of her family for vacation, and their sliding door will be replaced with safety glass next week.
I did get my spray on tan. I think it works, but it was a little blotchy. I may go back and see how another application works.
Saturday, we did errands, babysitting, meal cooking for the two families involved in the accident; and then had friends over for a bbq - it was pretty tasty. Then we all headed out for the fireworks, except the police closed the road and we ended up walking about two miles to get to the fireworks. They closed the road that we called about ten minutes before we left to confirm that it was going to be open that night. I hate communications breakdowns. Oh wait - that is my job...
Anyway, the fireworks were great - saw two new ones - one that looked like old fashioned christmas lights - about 10 different bright colors; the other looked like Queen Anne's lace - it was just lovely. I will do anything to see fireworks, or a building being blown up.
Sunday, Andy was in the parade with his scout troop - his troop was pretty disorganized, but it worked out. Andy got to throw candy, but he wanted the kids to catch it. We'll have to talk about that.
Yesterday, more errands. The dishwasher broke, but I think I fixed it. Got some new sandals at the outlet and the three of us had lunch at the new Cr@cker B@rrel. It was tasty if you are into that kind of food. Which I am. I know I am getting old when I get excited about turnip greens and fried okra. I was born in New England, but I love turnip greens and okra.
My father has started smoking again. He had stopped for many years. I feel responsible because I casually mentioned that my MIL had started smoking again (even though her doctors told her she will die very quickly if she resumes...) and I feel like he used that to give himself permission to start again himself. My mother is ready to throw him out of the house because he is sneaking around. I feel ashamed for him. I've never been a smoker, and I have my own vices, but I hate that he doesn't have the self respect or self control to stop or own it, that he has to be sneaky. I hope that he and my mother resolve it, because really, I don't want to come from a broken home in my 40s.
Better get back to work.
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