Four days ago – a week after my 44th birthday – I moved back in with my parents. The basement’s cold, and Mom’s cooking experients are as interesting as ever, but all in all, it’s pretty decent.
It’s not really what it sounds like. I’m lucky enough to be on sabbatical from my teaching job at LSC this semester, and when my dad – turning 80 this summer – ended up in the ER and overnight in the hospital last week, Sherry suggested that I head home for awhile. Thankfully my in-laws were in town and shuttle me back to TRF. Sherry’s been looking for a reason to get rid of me for several weeks anyway(with good reason), and luckily Dad seems to be fine. The leading theory on why he passed out and was disoriented was a reaction to some 30 year old cologne he found and slapped on in a fit of boyish vanity. Mom poured it down the toilet, and he’s been fine since. Though there’s been a follow up MRI to check for a stroke with a neuro-psychologist consult coming up, he hasn’t missed an exercise class, and has delivered all of his meals on wheels to the correct parties.
The highlights so far have been:
- a rousing game of 3 handed Rook, lasting well past 10:00 p.m.
- hob knobbing with old Zion folk at the Wednesday night Lenten supper
- watching the Northland Men’s basketball team win
- devotions every morning
- a night out with Nate, my brother, at the Evergreen
- a day as mule/jungle gym/sled puller with my neices, Marryn and Ani
- Three Amigos and Triple Decker on the sledding hill @ minus 10 degrees, also w/ M and A
- watching my nephew, Alec, get ready to walk
- helping Dad figure out how to use Quicken to keep track of the Pennington County Historical Society’s finances
- working up some piano/guitar duets to play with Mom in church Sunday
- lunch with Diane Drake – my former teacher and mentor – again at the Evergreen
- getting a Valentine in the mail from my wife
- getting another Valentine in the mail from my children
- shoveling the driveway
This is a hopping place. Am I getting much sabbatical work done? Nope. But that hasn’t affect my happiness.
Geez, I wish I had an extended family. I suppose I do, but the last time I talked to my dad he asked again and again what I did for a living…
Which reminds me, I dreamed the other night of a real-life thing. Is that even possible? I dreamed/remembered when i was first away from home, I caught a ride from LA to Flagstaff at Christmas, and met my dad who had driven the four hours from the rez JUST TO PICK ME UP! I was very impressed and touched that he would go that far to bring me home. Still am impressed, I guess. But it does say a little about my family.