The Birthday Trip

A few months before My Heart turned six, I found a trip to New York City to see The Lion King on Broadway. We could afford it and Crow said I could take him and the birthday trip was born. Over the years, we've done Disney twice, NYC twice, Boston twice, Everett, Vancouver, and now Anchorage. Twice I simply couldn't afford anything. Once Crow booked something else for him the same week he was supposed to come to me. And once there was a Wii instead of a trip, at his request. Otherwise, my Heart's birthday trip is pretty much a given.

Because he is older, this year was a little different. We hung out. We played a lot of cribbage and watched even more netflix. My Heart had schoolwork to do every single day. We hit coffeeshops, went for walks, and did exciting things like laundry and grocery shopping. It's easier to do ordinary life things now that he's older. I didn't have to schedule the hell out of the week, ensuring that every single moment was interesting. He's old enough now to read a book, noodle on his computer, whatever. But there wasn't a lot of boredom, because we talked and laughed and kept ourselves entertained.

Because he is older, this year was...bittersweet. He's eighteen now. The birthday trip is no longer a given, after this year. Next year, he heads for college and a life that has its own schedule and new priorities. As I told him at the airport yesterday morning, hanging out with your aunt and uncle, no matter how beloved they are, probably won't be as important ~ and honestly, shouldn't be.

But as I waited for him to walk through security, I couldn't help but remember the way I had once had to brace myself for the impact of his little body running full speed to me once he saw me. Playing games in airports; trying new foods; getting to have sugar for breakfast and dessert for lunch; big band music; tea at the Ritz; invisible aliens; pictures of pigeons; seeing cities for the first time; planes, trains and automobiles... Eighteen years of memories and birthday trips and Aunt Mame time.

It's hard to see him grow up, let him go, know that this was probably the last birthday trip of its kind. The good news, though, is that, as Lithus put it on the way home from taking my Heart to the airport to go home, we have quite an unusual relationship. It may have been the last birthday trip of its kind. It's far from the last trip. We will have other adventures together. More importantly, though, he'll have adventures on his own and with his own friends and the family he creates. And I'll take credit for teaching him the world is for having adventures in. Because really...what amazing adventures await him...

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

To Be Sung

My Heart, my Heart, my Heart
Is here in town.
My Heart, my Heart, my Heart
Is here in town.
My Heart, my Heart, my Heart
Is here in toooooooowwwwwwwwwnnnnnnn....

My Heart is here in town!
Yay!

And I am a very happy aunt.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

The Morning Dilemma

I'm getting too hot.
I just can't stay cold.
May be a sniffle;
Or I may be old.

What is the reason?
What could be the cause?
Perhaps it's a bug,
Or just menopause.

Too young for hot flashes?
I wish it was true.
The question becomes,
"Would I rather the flu?"

Hot bath or a cold pack;
It's quite a dilemma.
For now, pass the ice,
And put me on simmer.

With apologies to all the real poets out there in the world.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

A Sadness

From the age of nine through high school, I walked in and out of three homes in my hometown as easily and as readily as I walked in and out of my own home. Truth be told, I think I could show up at all three of those houses tomorrow, ring the bell, walk in without waiting, and be welcomed. That's just how it was.

The Dad Person in one of those houses has died. I'm not sure I've seen him since my own father's funeral. I don't think I have. It doesn't matter.

Tonight, I am nine again, and having one of my first sleepovers in his t.v. room with his youngest daughter and another girl whose house I would eventually make another home. I am thirteen and have just gotten hurt in the theatre and his hugs are big enough to make me feel better and calm me down. I am fifteen and heading off to Philadelphia and he is at my going away party. And on and on and on...until I am twenty-seven and my father is dead and this other Dad Person is in our kitchen.

I am the youngest of the four daughters the two families have so, perhaps, it is the time that these phone calls and emails will start coming. But I don't want them to. And I don't want him to have been the first. It is, though, and he was.

Which makes me sad.

Those are Pobble Thoughts.

Twitter-ish Tweety

Oooo...there were blisters under the bandages. I wanted to take a picture but Lithus said no. Actually, Lithus didn't say anything. Just looked at me with that look. So no pictures. Ah well. All's better now, although Lithus says they felt like burns when the doctor first removed them. And no infection or anything. But still...oooooo. And ick.

Finally got in contact with my editor and my pub house. Her hoping to get the October deadline book read by the end of November was far too optimistic. She's now hoping to get it read in February. This is how it works. My first piece of advice to aspiring authors is finish the book. My second piece is have a ton of patience. Because you know what? It's not a no. She might not have said yes, but she hasn't said no. And I'll take that.

Pain meds continue to look really fun.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Twittery Tweet-ish

Have added muscle relaxants to the pain meds. He's resting better now ~ although perhaps he's just stoned out of his mind.

Sleep deprevation is an interesting phenomenon.

His pain meds include laudanum. Yep, laudanum. Apparently, they still make it. And yes, it still works. Especially when in combination with a muscle relaxant.

Of everything he's on, the one thing I'm concerned he'll become addicted to is the ice pack.

AFK

Away From Keyboard

See this studly man flexing his new tattoo for the camera? Yeah, he's not actually flexing. He's humoring me. And that's not actually a new tattoo. Check it out.

It's the word "yes." In sharpie pen.


As in, "Yes, doctor, this is the shoulder you are supposed to be cutting into and operating on." What I find interesting is that the handwriting is not mine, nor is it Lithus's. It's the doctor's. At the pre-op appointment, he marks the joint himself.


Back when Lithus was in Spain, he slipped stepping off the helicopter. A twist here, a missing handle there and, ta-dah, here we are! Rotator cuff surgery. All will be well, of course. However, after having been posting every single day for over a month, I realized I very well might just...not be here. *Poof* Plus, it's a fun chance to show off my dear Lithus. :)


Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ but not after midnight or before 11:00 a.m.

Wrap Up

What an amazing holiday season it's been this year. Given that it started with Lithus out of town for Thanksgiving, I admit I'm surprised and pleased. I wouldn't have expected it to be so wonderful. While I am sorry to see them end, I am also looking forward to seeing what 2011 brings.


Because 2010 was certainly an interesting experience. We started in Connecticut, under the Lovely Cats's stairs. Then came a hot minute thinking we had a job in New Orleans, before Nevada and Crow's house ~ and my heart's bedroom, God love him. Then *boom* we're in Alaska, still living out of boxes, still living on the road, but in such a very different way.


So bring on 2011. There's an adventure around the next corner; let's go find it together, shall we?


Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Almost Over

Even I cannot make the holidays go on much longer, as much as I would like to. Today and tomorrow and then we'll be back to our regularly scheduled postings. For now, though, the music continues.


Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Happy Birthday, Muppet

These are my best friends:

.

The Divine M and my Muppet.

He and I have been friends since he was 21. We are an odd pair and we will both admit it. After all, I do this for a living:



He does this for a living:



But we work in our own weird way. Today is his 30th birthday.


Happy Birthday.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee with so much sugar in it you kinda gag a little bit ~ but dude, you're awake!