Journey’s End

I’m back home from my two-week excursion back east to help my Mom while she’s recovering from her surgery. It’s really good to be home.

It was a little sad to go, though. It seems that every time I travel I get stressed out preparing to go, and then it takes me a while to settle in, but by the time I have to leave I’ve gotten used to things there. I got used to living in Mom’s house by myself, by going to visit Mom every day, and particularly by hanging out with her cat Maggie, who had really become friendly with me by the end of this past week.

Thursday especially I went for ice cream at J.P. Licks in Newton Center (their mint chip is really yummy), and then walked around the area feeling melancholy: The place has changed a lot since I lived in the area back in high school: J.P. Licks has moved in since Brigham’s closed, there’s a book store in town now, and so forth. Bill’s Pizzeria is still there, though (and larger than ever). It’s recognizably the same place, but quite different. Sort of like me.

I got a lot done this past week, around the house. I trimmed a bunch of vines and weeds and cleared up the paths to the house. But I was especially pleased that I managed to unclog the shower drain, which has been that way for many years. I suspect it was hair clogging it up (though I wondered if it might have been an errant cat toy), and I wondered if it had desiccated enough to be fixable at last. So I poured a bottle of Drano down, and it seemed like it was a little better. So I got another bottle, and sure enough another round did the trick. The next morning I was happy to take a shower without water pooling up around my ankles. A long-vexing challenge vanquished at last!

Mom is doing well. I think she’s starting to go a little stir crazy, as she’s walking around the rehab center more, enjoying going down to the patio on her floor, and enjoying her physical therapy. We don’t yet know when she’ll be going home, though. My sister and I are trying to figure out what sort of support she’ll need when she comes home until her knee is fully healed.

But after two weeks away from my home and my own family I was happy to head back. I got out right ahead of a nasty heat wave, but the flight home was uneventful. Debbi and I were very happy to see each other, and we went over to Half Moon Bay today to spend some time together.

I’m glad I went, and I got a lot done for Mom, but it was time to come back.

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