She Leaves! She Leaves!

2004-04-22 at 4:59 p.m.


This will probably be my last entry before I brave the severe storm predictions and board my flight to southern California tomorrow night.

Getting ready for a vacation is cause to need one. I'm trying to get the house clean so K won't have to worry about doing so in my absence. Naturally, this is the day that my children opt to see how big a mess they can make out of each room. Needless to say, I've accomplished very little.

The laundry is caught up, the bills are paid and there's plenty of yummy nibbles to keep my gang sustained for eight days. Any bets on how much of it remains when I return and how many McDonald's wrappers I'll find in the trash?

Today, I got a call from my mother informing me my uncle S died. This news comes as no surprise. S had been battling liver cancer for over a year. He also had other related liver problems and was given just a few months to live. He was able to see last Christmas, which is something on which his doctors wouldn't have bet.

I wasn't particularly close this uncle. My main concern is for my grandmother, who while recovering from a stroke, doesn't need anything else about which to worry. She will though. She feels guilty she wasn't able to tend to S in his last days and desperately wants to go to the funeral. We're all very much against her going, given her weakened state.

I also feel for my aunt, also named S, who now has to care for their two teenaged, mentally challenged daughters. But I guess she'd been doing so for awhile now, without S's assistance. My cousins are fourteen going on five and I doubt they even understand what's going on with their dad.

I can't imagine outliving one of my children.

I'm all packed and ready for my trip. All I have left to do is pack my phone charger, iron the shirt I plan to wear on the plane and vacuum the house. That, and give my boys extra hugs and kisses.

Even though E, J and G are making themselves easy to say goodbye to, I'm already missing them terribly. Those little monsters can really get to a old woman. How will I ever survive eight days without warm E hugs, funny J jokes and sweet, sticky G kisses?

Oh well. I've done it before - I can do it again. They need time away from Mommy and I need time away, as well.

Off to where my time is my own, as is the TV, the bed, the car radio and the choice of restaurant. For a week and a day, anyway.

Don't be surprised to see an update from me next week, probably around American Idol night, if I can con La-rry or Dj into letting me use their computers!

Thanks to all of you for reading. I love you all. I shall return!

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