But today, we slept in. After a leisurely cup of coffee, I spent some time writing a letter, something I've meant to do for a while. Tim wanted to go for a walk after lunch. It was warm enough that I didn't need a jacket. It felt like spring!
Today was the high holy day of football. I'm not much interested in the Superbowl. It was our year to host it (we alternate with friends.) The week before Tim had his problem, he was outraged to see that our television 'package' removed Fox from our line up. Under normal circumstanced, I'd say removing Fox was a public service but they were the station that won the rights to broadcast the SuperBowl. We would not be watching the game at our house.
Our friends quickly invited us there. I couldn't go. William could not stay out that late on a school night. I knew that Tim wanted to see the game. I knew that his friends were anxious to see him after the events of the past few weeks. I made a rack of barbecue ribs and a batch of scalloped potatoes and sent Tim off.
That felt like a very big deal to me. It was a late night and he was driving himself. I still worry about the driving, even though his friends live just 15 minutes away. I gave myself a stern talking to, but did ask Tim to call me if, for any reason, he did not feel that he could drive home.
William, Houdini and I had a quiet night. We watched a program about Centralia, PA that William found fascinating.
Tim started getting tired in the final quarter. He decided not to push it and headed home, calling me on the way.
The plain ordinariness of this day is what made it so extraordinary.
I have friends in Centralia, they went to school there and are in the 80's now. The lived in Florida but moved home last year. So glad Tim was able to drive to and from friends. That seems like a big step to do late at night. I know we are still mother hens when it comes to our man.
ReplyDelete*cluck, cluck, cluuuuuuuckkk...*
DeleteWhat an interesting film. They certainly got things wrong back in the 60s. No common sense at all.
ReplyDeleteIt was good that Tim got out to see the match and his friends, but he made the right call returning when he was tiring.
Since he is known for pushing on, always, I was impressed with that.
DeleteTim driving and sensibly returning home when he felt tired seems like a great achievement. No doubt he found it exhausting but he will be pleased he did it. I suppose super bowl is played at night to maximise the audience and hence tv advertising revenue.
ReplyDeleteHe did say that it tired him out. I am no expert on the superbowl, that's for sure. I really do not get excited about it one way or the other.
DeleteNothing wrong with a bit of "uneventful" from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI savored it!
DeleteWhat a fascinating history of Centralia, reminding us that we live on a ball of fire, whether caused accidentally or deliberately. Glad Tim was able to watch his football and drive himself there.
ReplyDeleteYes. It means a lot to him to have his time to himself.
DeleteYour ordinary day sounds like a very good day in many ways.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting film
Your day sounded wonderful as well.
DeleteWe don’t watch it, and I think that it has mostly become an excuse for a party — which is not a bad thing. Glad Tim did well and exercised good judgement.
ReplyDeleteI did answer your question at mine, but I will repeat it here.
ReplyDeleteYes we do have house plants but nothing recently added, I don’t think. I believe that the last purchase was a poinsettia for Christmas, probably purchased two months ago in early December
I am going to bet dollars that Red hit the nail on the head with his answer to your post!
DeleteI'm glad for him... and you, of course.
ReplyDeleteIt was like a breath of...well...spring!
DeleteOrdinary is very good when things have not been ordinary. I watched the film, fascinating and scary as well. I'm glad Tim listened to his body.
ReplyDeleteThat really did impress me, as well. A few days before, Tim and I did some bickering because he wanted to go to the retirement property and move stuff around so that we could bring in 72 sheets of OSB. I refused to help him. There was absolutely no reason for it to be done at this point in time.
DeleteIt must feel good to have a sense of normalcy again!
ReplyDeleteSure does! Florida is getting close for you!
DeleteWe don't appreciate the vast joy of normalcy until it has been interrupted.
ReplyDeleteExactly. PS: I am so sorry about Moana.
DeleteAlthough Centralia as a name wasn't familiar to me, the coal fire is something I have known and read about many times over the years. I'm still in awe that it might burn for another forty. Given the choice of watching the Superbowl or watching that, I probably would have joined you and William.
ReplyDeleteI actually read another post that says it might well be burning 200 years from now. I guess that there is no point on quibbling...I won't be around to say anything about it.
DeleteThat's nice, Debby.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the coal mine fire and Centralia, PA. That's scary and sad.
It is quite a cautionary tale to be sure.
DeleteI struggle too every year with the blog pictures of beautiful spring flowers from the UK. In February! Such a mix of emotions. Jealousy, admiration, irritation (how can they even be complaining their winter is lasting so long when clearly it's over). Some of them are even planting spring crops. If I were a better person, I'd be glad for them, but I'm not, so I just grumpily resign myself to our three more months of winter in New England, and try not to think about it.
ReplyDeleteOh Lynn. So wonderful to meet a kindred soul! :D
DeleteI'm not a football fan, so I cozied up with a book instead. I'm glad Tim enjoyed his night out and used good judgment to come home before he wore himself out.
ReplyDeleteThere's hope for him yet!
DeleteOrdinary days are to be treasured.
ReplyDeleteOne forgets that...and then life goes to heck and you are reminded of it once again.
DeleteVery interesting documentary - reminds me of the thinking of a lot of people today about certain issues. Sure, their viewpoint might make them buy into the "nothing to see here" of their chosen media streams, but looking at all possibilities and making decisions that will affect any outcome in a positive light is seen somehow as selling out. Glad that you had a good night. Very glad that Tim was smart and came home safely.
ReplyDeleteoh - Jeanie
DeleteI knew it was you. If you're interested, there is an hour long one that is very good.
DeleteI had a massive stroke about ten years ago. First, no two strokes are alike. Mine was left side and left me more angry than you will ever know when I woke from the clot buster. The stroke had stolen all my nouns. Every one. The nurse would point at time pieces every time I woke and ask what it was. How I fought for the word and knew I knew it but could not locate it. Finally I said to her, "If you would tell me, then I would know what the f..k it is." After that she did and I wrote them, and everything I wanted to remember in a little notebook my daughter brought me. I was sent home after ten or eleven days. I asked the doctor if I could drive. He said he didn't see why not. The first solo was strange, but it all came back, like the nouns. My experience isn't Tim's, which you may never know because of his reticence. But it's one more in the blender.
ReplyDeleteThat actually was helpful, Joanne. While Tim's stroke was not massive, there are lots of tiny dead spots. His lapses are more random. I am grateful for that. I am sure that he is too. I imagine that it is frustrating for him. It's a balance that we need to figure out. He needs to feel that his life will be right again. I need to get a grip on my fear.
DeleteTim probably will work through or around the dead spots. Back at work I would sit for half an hour working out the calculation of cost of a new tax on value of a home. Once I "got it", I had it. No one at home had any interest in my work; I was adding back to my private store. Once Tim works through or around the contents of the blank spots, he'll be good to go. It probably does you little good to carry around fear. Only Tim can fix most of the problems. Short of a brain injury or another stroke, it seems to me Tim is dealing well with his problem.
Delete