Are We There Yet?

As difficult as this trip has been, there have been bright spots of joy blended into the mix. I'll begin with those, then explain the current predicament and when we plan to return home.

We've spent time with our youngest son, his beautiful wife and their children—our grandchildren. I got real giggles from Aiden when I called him a "cheap date" at the frozen yogurt store. We met up there for an evening treat. Grandpa decided to buy for everyone, but Aiden is only four months old. He didn't get any. He was happily watching everyone enjoying their choices when I told him he was a cheap date, and he must have thought that was the funniest thing I had ever said. Laughing babies are such a blessing. Granddaughters enjoying frozen desserts are, as well.

It was more fun with a cold delicious bowl than I ever remember having before. By the way, I chose banana with miniature Reece's Cups on the top. From my point of view, it was perfect. We went from there to Target, where we walked around and the girls got to pick out their new backpacks and lunch boxes. They both wanted the same ones, so Ruth is going to have fun making sure each girl gets the right bag and box when it's time to leave home. Maybe she'll put names on them. Disney Princess bags and Tinkerbell lunch boxes won the competition in both little hearts.

Yesterday morning the local theatre had a free showing of How to Train Your Dragon. Neither of the girls had ever been to a show in public before, although they watch movies at home with the family. They did beautifully. John and I joined them, and Ben bought a huge bag of popcorn to share. It was a movie John and I had seen before, but it was much more fun with the girls. I was amazed at just how respectful and quiet they were. Kate isn't three yet. Ashley is just four. I figured their first trip to the movies would entail some hushed whispering about behavior. It never needed to happen.

Some memories are worth more than gold. Near the end of the movie, when things were getting really exciting, Kate reached up and kissed my cheek. I looked over and she smiled at me. I held out my arms and she climbed on my lap for the last ten or so minutes of the film. It reminds me of that wonderful old hymn... "Precious memories, how they linger. How they ever flood my soul."

These moments have kept us sane. We return to the home where my mom is dealing with deterioration and dementia. My step father is not doing well. It appears he has had new small strokes that effect his balance, and he can no longer walk properly. He keeps falling and wants no one to help but her. She can no longer leave the house. He won't cooperate with anyone else. He barely eats. Doesn't want the walker. Refused assistance from the nurses (2) and physical therapist who have come to the house to help Mom.

It's been a nightmare for her, and an exercise in frustration and patience for us. We can keep her grocery list filled. I can change her bandage twice a day while she heals from her surgery. I make sure she's not spending her energy on cooking or clean-up. I can lend an ear and a shoulder to lean on. What needs most to be done is beyond me. I cannot make her see the need for him to be in a care facility. I can't show her how emotionally fragile she's become without upsetting her more.

Big brother to the rescue. We'll leave for home Sunday after church. Pat and his wife will arrive Sunday afternoon. Already I know we've stayed beyond what is wise. I run out of my medications five doses before arriving home. It's the seizure medication that worries me most. I'll call my neurologist today and see if he can phone in a small prescription to get us home. The blessing, all problems aside, is knowing Pat & Betty will be here to support Mom. You can get a clear image of them. Think salt of the earth.

We can head for home knowing Mom won't be left alone to make impossible decisions.

Making Things for Friends

One nice thing about making gifts for people happens when you visit them in their homes and see the gifts in use. There's no greater gift they can give you in return than the obvious pleasure they have in using something you took the time to make for them.

While at Pat and Betty's home we not only got to see—but to enjoy using—the bedspread and pillow shams I had made for them a few years back. She had put them on the guest bed for us. I was really touched. I mentioned that I never did take pictures of the set when I made them, and after we returned home she emailed me a couple of photos. I'm including one here. I think the set turned out really nice, and it's as soft now as it was when I chose the yarn. It's a made-up pattern, so it's one of a kind.

Their home is done in southwestern colors, so it fits right in. Betty was extra nice to send me the photos. I love making things for people, but often forget to get the camera out before I gift them.

Heading Out

There's a storm heading in across our route that's supposed to last three days, so we're heading out a couple days early. My brother Pat and his wife Betty advised us to keep an eye on the weather and be flexible, so I don't need to feel guilty—just rushed. It's not like I didn't see this coming. I've been watching the weather forecast change for the last week. It just didn't change in the direction that would give me an extra day to do laundry and pack.

Today I managed a run to the grocery store, to do the laundry, wrap all the gifts (for Christmas, Tighe's birthday, plus Jeremy and Elisha's wedding), and make another double batch of pecan tarts. I've got everything fairly well packed, and now I've just got the shrimp dip to make and the cooler to pack. My cameras, cell phone and headphones are charged. I know I'm forgetting something, but I don't know what it is. This always happens to me.

The final thing I want to say is thank you to my sister Ellen. We used to get together to bake Christmas goodies. Now that we live so far away, I have to do it by myself—with her recipes. They're all my favorites. It makes me miss you so much more than usual, Ellen. They are tradition, taste and memory blended together. I made enough to share with everyone who stops by for the wedding. (But if I never roll out another tiny little tart... well, until next time.) Recipe to follow soon.

Not a Mirage Trailer

I mentioned a few days ago that we planned to stop on our way home, hoping to get a look at my brother Patrick's trailer. He and his wife Betty have had it over a year now, I believe, but there's always a reason we haven't been able to see it when we've been there. It's been in for a facelift, or something.

I started teasing them that it was a mirage. That harkens back to an old joke my father used to enjoy. What's a mirage garage? It's where you park your car when you don't have one. (I know, it's not that funny, but it'll stick in your mind.) At any rate, I was taking bets that there would be some reason that, once again, we wouldn't get to see it. Nobody took me up on my offer, which I believe was fifty cents each. I'm so glad. It's a really nice (but huge) trailer. Here are a few of the photos I took:

This is Pat relaxing for the camera on the sofa. Anyone who pulls this behind their car all day certainly deserves to relax when they're done driving at night. On the other hand, at least he's not looking for a hotel room. I wonder how easy it is to find parking for a vehicle pulling a 25 foot trailer...

Here's Betty, my sister-in-law, showing all the bells and whistles on her traveling kitchen. It's really nice, with the oven she's next to, plus a nearly full sized refrigerator. That would sure beat a campfire, which is how most of my personal experience of on-the-road cooking has come from. Of course, either one means a clean-up, and I guess I'd rather clean up outside, unless it's hot. I wonder if she's got air conditioning in there. I'm really not able to do heat gracefully.

Obviously this is a table. You can probably imagine all the fun things a couple of people can do with a table while they're traveling.

This is the bed. I'll bet you can probably imagine all the fun... never mind.

John looks like he's giving Pat and Betty advice of some kind. Pat appears to be leaning away from him. (Oh, look! Betty's getting ready to turn off her hearing aid.) It was a long day. I'm glad John doesn't usually read my blogs. Sometimes he doesn't quite understand my sense of humor.

After seeing the trailer, though, I can't say I'd want to pull one behind our car. I wouldn't mind pulling just the bathroom part of it, though. That would be really handy.

Heading Home, Day One of Two

We made it from Pt. Mugu, also known as the Naval Air Weapons Station, or Pacific Missile Test Station, all the way to Richfield, Utah (see photo). I'm so thrilled to be more than half way home.

The trip so far has been wonderful, except for the forty-five minutes that we crawled through Las Vegas, and even that wasn't too bad. We sang our way through it. I had the iPod tuned to my five-star list all day. Believe it or not, we didn't even make it to the C's. (Yes, I have them alphabetized by artist.) When you have a favorites list that's culled from over 10,000 songs, you can expect it to take many days to play your favorites. I don't think we'll make it to Derek Coombs' "Freight Train," let alone "Who's Your Daddy."

I'm not always an orderly person. Maybe in some ways I'm obsessive-compulsive. I just feel like I need to do them in order. At least once.

One nice thing was that we never saw a single accident all day. That's a record. We sure saw a lot of cars pulled over getting tickets, though. I would estimate we saw at least two dozen. We just smile when it's someone who has sped passed us earlier. Yes, I sure do love that cruise control.

We'll stop and see my brother Pat and his wife Betty tomorrow. We've been teasing them that they have a "mirage" trailer. They bought it so that when he goes to remote locations with his hiking club, Betty can go along in comfort. Also, when they travel back east to see family, they have a built in home away from home. However, every time we've been to see them, it's somewhere else, and there's always a very good reason why we can't see it. Uh-huh. Mirage trailer. They're leaving on a trip Sunday, so they're picking it up from storage tomorrow and want us to stop by to see it. Right. I'll bet they're not home when we get there. Fifty cents, anyone?

Time for bed. I'm probably too excited to sleep, but I should make the effort. John's been out like a light for quite awhile. Nothing keeps him awake—except driving, which is a good thing.