December 9th, ‘31

My phone chimed, its tone too soft for a text message.  The calendar reminder popped up on the screen.  December 9 - Dad’s birthday.  I didn’t need a reminder.  I’d been thinking about it for a week.  That last time he was in the hospital.  How every nurse or doctor who stepped in the room asked him, “what’s your date of birth?”.  After a few days, when anyone sporting a stethoscope came in the room, before they could ask, Dad blurted out, “December 9th, ‘31”.  

Dad was a generous man. He made so many things possible for others.  

The best birthday ever was the one before the last one.  Just Dad and us kids, sitting around the farmhouse kitchen table.  Seven of us.  Low key.  Chili and crackers, birthday cake, and ice cream.  A little food and a lot of conversation. Reminiscing.  Sharing.  Storytelling.  Not to mention, gut-wrenching belly laughs.    

Dad was a thinker.  A list maker. Maybe even a hell-raiser once in a while.  

When someone says to one of us, “oh my gosh, you sound just like your dad!”, we grin, ear to ear.  Quite a compliment.  No matter what we were caught doing.  And lately, I catch myself asking, “hmmm...what would Dad do?”

Near the end, as Dad sat at the farmhouse kitchen table his head was propped up on two elbows.  Glancing at us, his dark and tired eyes sagging under the weight of the past eighty-seven years, he asked, “how do people who don’t have kids get through this?”

We didn’t have an answer for him.  Because we never, ever, considered it any other way.

Helping Dad was never a chore.  It was a privilege.  

Dad was a farmer. He was a businessman.  A statistician.  Dad was a husband.  He was a father. A friend.

I looked down at my phone.  I pressed delete on the calendar reminder.  December 9 - Dad’s birthday.  I didn’t need a reminder.  I would never forget.

Excerpts from The Forever Journey, by Diane Lisowski

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Recovery from traumatic brain injury is a long and winding road.  Citing statistics is definitely eye-opening.   An excerpt from my unpublished book, The Forever Journey, divulges how TBI affects more than just the survivor.

Two Weeks Post-Accident

We’d like to try and sit Jonathan up,” Mary Beth, the speech therapist announced as she pulled the privacy curtain that hung around Jonathan’s bed shut.  Her long dark hair, streaked with a touch of gray was piled behind her head in a bun.  No white coat or stethoscope around her neck – just a gray turtleneck sweater which held her hospital badge – distinguishing her from a hospital visitor.  Randy, the physical therapist who escorted us from the ER to the Neurosciences wing two weeks before, stood by her side. 

“I don’t want to watch,” Dennis mumbled to me as he sidestepped back into the family room, leaving me to fly solo.  I let him play chicken, even though I was as afraid as he was.

“Sit him up?  Really?”  I couldn't believe my ears.  My knees quivered at the thought of Jonathan sitting up. He was barely awake.  How could he even hold himself up?

 “Can I stay and watch?” The words tumbled out of my mouth without my permission.

“Of course.”

“I’ll just stay back here.”  I stepped away from the bed, slithering back through the slit in the curtain.

I took a deep breath.  What if he couldn't sit?  Then what?  What if he didn't have any muscle control?  I still didn't want to watch.  In spite of my fear, I pulled back the curtain and peeked inside.

“Jonathan,” Mary Beth’s calm voice caressed the room as she gently shook his shoulder to wake him.  “Jonathan, its Mary Beth.  Randy and I are here to try and sit you up today.”

            Randy stood by her side, ready to help.  Even though he wasn't any taller than Mary Beth, he wore the muscles in this pair of therapists.

            I could tell they were a veteran team.  Randy turned Jonathan onto his side.   Mary Beth pulled his feet over the edge of the bed.  Then Randy wrapped his right arm behind Jonathan’s back.  Mary Beth brought her left arm behind Jonathan’s head and neck.  With their free arms, they slowly lifted Jonathan, while never letting go of the support they had on him.

“Okay, let’s get him into a semi-sitting position,” Mary Beth directed.

The clock on the wall ticked away, thirty, then forty-five horribly long seconds.  The slow-motion moment in my life was taking forever.  Jonathan didn't even look awake to me.   

And then they stopped. 

I guess that was what they called sitting up. 

Jonathan’s eyes were dark and blank, stuck in time.  With brain injury drunkenness, his head hung down as he stared at his knees.  I fought back the tears that began to percolate.   With the clock ticking on, the terror was boiling over and ready to spill out of my mouth.  I whipped the curtain shut and ran back to the family room. 

My aunt had arrived for a visit - she stood in the doorway talking to Dennis.  I grabbed her and wrapped my arms around her.

“Oh my God, they just sat him up.  He can’t even hold up his head,” I said between sobs, my head buried in her sleeve. 

Aunt Jean pulled me close to her and hugged me with both arms.  We sank down into the chairs. 

“I can’t see him in there.”  I ground my foot into the carpet.  “I can’t see anything in his eyes.”  The tears rolled down my face.  “Oh God, I’m looking at him but he’s not looking back at me.  He’s not in there.”  I cradled my head in my hand, my face dripping wet.  “I could see right through him.”

            I looked up at Aunt Jean, barely able to make out the outline of her face through my tears, “What if this is all I ever have?  What if he never comes back to me?”

            Mary Beth returned to the family waiting room. 

“Mary Beth, I couldn't watch any more.  It was horrible seeing him like that.  I guess we just don’t know what to expect.”

 “Hasn't anyone talked to you about this yet?” Mary Beth asked, with a look of surprise written all over her face.

“No.  And I've been reading the pamphlet you gave me about brain injury, and now I’m more confused than ever.”

“I’ll get Jonathan’s file.  I’ll meet you in the conference room next to the therapy area,” she said.

“Okay.”

Dennis and I each took a wheeled gray padded desk chair and rolled up to the dark brown Formica conference table.  The hospital smoke stacks were peeking up over the window sill, billowing out white puffs of steam on the cold winter day.  An aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafted across the small coffee maker stand toward my nose.  As the rest of the world went about their daily routines, Dennis and I were still moving at a snail’s pace, all but stuck in time. 

Mary Beth plopped Jonathan’s three-inch thick, week-and-a-half old hospital chart onto the table and pulled up a chair next to me.  Flipping through the pages like only a veteran therapist who has read many medical files could, her finger quickly slid across and down the typed pages as her eyes scanned back and forth for various notes and test results.

“I can’t believe no one has talked to you about this yet,” she sheepishly admitted. 

I shrugged my shoulders.  We’d had so much information thrown at us that first week, but no one really took the time to actually talk to us about it.  The pamphlets had piled up alongside the card box in the family room, glanced at, but unread.

“Brain injury is more than just a bleed in the brain.  It’s brain damage.  Inside Jonathan’s head are damaged neurons.  Some might be stretched.  They’ll probably repair themselves. Some might be torn.  Those won’t come back.”

My heart hammered my ribs.  My stomach writhed and churned as the fear of the unknown waved itself in front of my eyes.  Oh God, I didn't want Jonathan to have a damaged brain.  I didn’t want him to never be able to finish college, or get a job.  I didn't want him to be in a wheelchair or dependent on us for the rest of his life.  I closed my eyes as tight as I could to try and blink away the horrible thoughts that were filling my head.

 “Other neurons in the brain compensate for the damaged ones.  The pathways in the brain will be re-routed,” Mary Beth explained.  “Think of traveling down the highway in your car.  Ahead there is a bridge that is out.  What do you have to do to get to your destination?  You have to find another route.”

I imagined the impulses in Jonathan’s brain struggling to find their way, with little red warning lights flashing inside his head as the neurons collided with each other.  The reality of Mary Beth’s words sunk deep into my heart.  I didn't want to hear any more.  But she went on.

“This is what happens in your brain.  The message can’t get through on the neuron highway so it has to find an alternate route.  This detour takes extra time, making the brain slower at processing information.  This may improve after time, as the connections re-wire themselves – but it’s too soon to tell how much Jonathan will improve.”

I swallowed, forcing Mary Beth’s words down my throat as I looked at her with my glassy, somber eyes.   Before that, I hadn't really even allowed myself to think that Jonathan might not fully recover - eventually.

“Now, the one thing we are concerned about is the fact that Jonathan is coming out of his coma but still not speaking,” Mary Beth pointed out. 

“He doesn't speak very much even without a brain injury,” I defended.  “He’s very shy.  When he was in preschool, he couldn't even get up enough courage to tell the teacher he had to use the bathroom,” I offered, hoping this tidbit of information would seal her concerns away forever.

Her soft-spoken voice suddenly felt reassuring.

“Tell me more about Jonathan before his brain injury.”

“He’s in college – his junior year,” I began.

“Is he a good student?”

“Yes, very good.  He’s a smart kid.”  The gloom was lifting.

“That’s great to hear.  Studies have shown that TBI survivors who did well in school often recover more fully,” Mary Beth pointed out positively.  “How about your family?  You've been here for almost two weeks by his side.  It seems to me that Jonathan has a good family support system.”

To her it was a support system – to Dennis and I, it was just what you did without question.

“All of these factors can greatly influence the level of recovery a brain injured patient attains.  Like I said, we don’t know yet which areas in his brain have permanent damage and which areas will repair them self.”

“When will we know?” I glanced at Mary Ann, and then Dennis.  Our eyes met as fear welded our gaze together.

“I’ll tell you this. You will hear some doctors say at six months – or a year – where you’re at then is what you get.   But that’s pretty grim.  Doctors are usually too pessimistic.  You won’t find this written in a medical book, but I can tell you that I've seen recovery even after ten or more years.”

Dennis and I were left alone in the conference room after Mary Beth had gone.  As I leaned back into the chair it suddenly felt hard and bitter against my back.  The aroma of coffee was abruptly stagnant. 

“I just hate this,” I said.

“Me too,” Dennis replied. 

“Every night when I go to sleep I pray and pray that the next day will be better.  That Jonathan will heal.  That we can get through this.  And in the morning when I wake up, for a split second I forget that we’re here and that Jonathan is here.  But then I remember.”

“You just have to deal with it,” Dennis said.  “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Dennis’ words stung.  But he was right.

But How Does It Work?

“No!  Don’t touch that!”  

I screamed at my sixteen-year-old daughter as she reached for the long, skinny black arm on the record player that was stationed as a display at the mall department store.

“What?  Why?” Her hands flung backward as if they had touched a red glowing stove burner.

“There’s a needle in there.  It’ll scratch the record!”

“A needle?  I don’t get it.  How does it work?"

“The needle is what plays the music.  If you grab it, it’ll slide across the vinyl and put a big scratch in it.”

Michelle was born in the nineties.  When my cassettes were stacked on the bookshelf in the living room, right next to the cassette player deck that was hooked up to two bookshelf speakers.  Music arrived monthly in my mailbox via the RCA Music Club.  I vacuumed and dusted to the Beach Boys and Chicago.  Planted on the floor in front of the stereo, I did sit-ups to Jane Fonda’s 30-Minute Workout tape.

In the nineties, my shoulder-length permed hair didn’t require L’Oreal Dark Brown 4N.  It wasn’t spoiled by gray.  Michelle’s brothers played catch with a baseball in our backyard.    And went to Cub Scouts.  I drove a blue Chevrolet Impala.  A far cry from the bright orange Trans Am – complete with the eagle on the hood.

“But, how does the music get on the record?” Michelle asked. 

“I don’t know.  Google it.” I said. 

The 1976 Trans Am was orange.  It was a four-speed – fast and loud.  Sandwiched between the round black volume and tuning buttons on the radio and the cigarette lighter was an 8-track player, factory installed.  My Neil Diamond tape blasted out “I’m A Believer” as I cruised up over the hills and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” carried me down into the nooks and crannies of Gilman Valley to the house we moved to after my Grandpa passed away. 

“I mean – I can understand how music gets put on a CD,” Michelle said.  “I just don’t get the record thing.”

“Figures you would understand that,” I said.  Truth was – I didn’t know how the music got on the vinyl either.

 I didn’t care that the small round, black 45 singles with the big hole in the middle cost ninety-seven cents.  I just wanted to play them all in one big stack.  Nights in White Satin, Twist and Shout, and Good Vibrations.

“Grandpa, could I borrow some money?” I asked.  “I’ll mow your lawn for you all summer and pay you back.”

 Grandpa Eugene tugged on his wallet.  

“What for?” he asked.

“There’s a record player at the Farmer’s Store.  It’s only twenty-three dollars."  At five dollars per mowing in the late 60s, I could pay him back in a month.  I added, “You don’t have to tell Mom.

“Just accept the fact that music can be recorded on vinyl,” I told Michelle. 

“I can’t!” she replied.  “I have to know.”

The 33s were in the closet.  Mom didn't know we were messing with them.  I gawked at the brightly colored jackets that held the pieces of vinyl, revealing Brenda Lee’s dark red lipstick and teased hair, plus Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass of the 50s.  Mom wiggled her toes and bounced her head to the music as she sat in her wheelchair.  Not to Brenda Lee – but to my absolute favorite - The Chipmunks. 

"Maybe your Grandpa will know," I said.  "You can ask him."

Upstairs at Grandpa and Grandma's, the old Victrola stood in the corner of the spare bedroom in a walnut cabinet.  I pulled out a thick, black disc. The 78 was a lot heavier than the modern 33s.  I blew off the dust and opened the cover on the Victrola to see a shiny silver metal arm, shaped like a goose neck – with a sharp needle on the end.

“Mom!  I hollered down the staircase.  She wheeled over to the doorway.“How does this old record player work?”

“Put the needle down on the record and crank it."

"No - I mean - how does it work?”

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh.

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. No, it wasn’t the ancient oil furnace in the dirt floor basement firing itself up. Although, it sure sounded like it. My pursed lips tried to hold back the snicker that was on the verge of bursting through my mouth. I had to compose myself. Getting a case of the giggles at a funeral was a no-no. Getting a case of the giggles at a funeral when you were over forty-nine was really forbidden.

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. I glanced at my sister Kathy. Our eyes met for just a second. Mistake. The giggles were instant. And explosive. I slammed my hand onto my mouth. Maybe no one noticed as my shoulders rocked up and down. I looked down at the wood floor. Years of varnish had collected in the spaces between the maple boards. The white baseboard along the wall was draped with cobwebs. Kathy once sat in this same pew, her short legs swinging back and forth in anticipation as she waited her turn to file up in front of the pulpit to say her part of the Christmas story. She did a good job. And as soon as the program was finished, she vomited. Stage fright? Or too much Christmas candy?

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. I couldn’t look at Kathy again. I grasped my forearm with my two fingers, digging my fingernails into my flesh hard enough to leave a mark. Would that stop the laughing? I winced, and for a second – the uncontrollable laughter bubbling inside me subsided. The picture of Jesus still hung on the wall between the two arched windows in the same place it was forty years ago. Except now the windows were trimmed in peeling white paint. I glanced at the second pew from the back. That was our spot. My cousin Jane and I sat between Grandpa and Grandma that Sunday. Grandpa handed me a cherry lifesaver. “Hold it in the palm of your hand like this,” he whispered. “Then slide it into your mouth.” I did what Grandpa said and coasted the piece of sweet candy between my lips.

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. Compassion for my brother, as he fought the invasion of the post-cold coughing fit, enveloped me. At the same time the giggling reiterated itself. I put my finger in my ear and pressed it tightly. It was Easter Sunday. We’d just filled our tummies with pancakes and sausages in the church hall next door. My brother David was fiddling with the blue egg-shaped container of Silly Putty that the Easter bunny had left in his basket. He rolled it into a ball and squished it onto his hand, leaving a replica of his fingerprints in the putty. And then he rolled it into a ball again. Kathy tried to grab it. David resisted. The Silly Putty dropped to the floor. And bounced. And then rolled. All six of our eyes peered up over the heads of the congregation as we watched the little ball make its trek toward the pulpit. It stopped next to Oscar, the usher – and then rolled into the corner.

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. I bit the inside of my lip until my cheek twinged in distress, focusing my eyes on what extended beyond the window. The teeter-totter was long gone, as well as the summer Bible school kids that took turns going up and down on it. The chocolate chip cookies and the milk for dunking them in hadn’t been around for ages.

Arrghhhh. Arrrrghhh. Water. I wished I could get my brother a drink. But the square oak table in the corner of the entrance was empty. The white enamel, blue rimmed water pail and tin ladle that we took our drinks from had succumbed to days gone by – long ago replaced by a modern kitchen in the church hall. The tiny little church that I grew up in all those years ago is still tiny. The hustle and bustle of the congregation has since moved on.

As a lone tear escapes the confines of my eyelid and slides down my cheek, I foster the fond memories that are still alive in the tiny church.

And no disrespect was meant as I uncontrollably giggled through the solemn funeral service.

In fact, in an odd sort of way – thank you God, for helping me remember a very special time in my life.

The Smokestack

“Wanna drive by yourself?” Dad asked back in ’68.

“No, I can’t!” I cried.

“Sure you can.”

My legs were jelly. My hands were flopping. “No, no, I can’t.”

But Dad let go of the wheel despite my begging him not to.

My heart was in my throat and my toes were nervously dancing in my tennies. I had no choice but to steer the monstrous piece of equipment. Thus, I learned to drive the tractor at about age eight, standing in front of my Dad as he was seated on the black naugahyde seat in the big red tractor with the cab on it – the IH 806.

Two years later, my friend Zoe and I sat pretzel-legged in the brown loose dirt next to the tractor pulling track at the county fair. My tummy was full of cotton candy and caramel apples, and my bare feet wore the brunt of the day’s grime. At almost midnight – way past my bedtime - the finals had turned into a pull-off between Dad’s red 806 and the enemies – Dux & his brother. Dad told the sled crew, “load ‘er down!” The sled was weighted down with tons of bagged lime. The bugs swarmed around the street light shining down on the sled’s hitch as Dad backed the 806 up to hook.

The engine revved in second gear as Dad thrust the throttle wide open – torque back. The back wheels were weighted down with a thousand pounds of solid cast iron and the lugs quickly dug in. The RPMs wound out and the tires squatted as the straight-off-the-farm tractor went heaving down the track. As Dad passed each mark, two more men jumped on the back of the skid, increasing the load he was pulling by whatever those guys happened to weigh. At the 17 foot mark, in the black of the night, the red 806 bit its tires into the dirt, thrusting the tractor ahead its final inch.

“Whrrr…whrrr,” went the whistle. The official holding the red flag batted it up and down. A rope and tape measure revealed the results.

Dad took home the trophy that night, beating Dux and his brother by less than two inches. The trophy was a maple block of wood with a shiny gold tractor perched on the top and a gold plate engraved with “Buffalo County Fair 1970.” The trophy stood about five inches tall – pretty small.

But it was huge. The trophy was the carrot dangling in front of my dad’s nose.

It wasn’t long before Dad’s Farmall 560 graduated from the cultivator to the pulling circuit with me in the driver’s seat.

On a Saturday afternoon in Downsville, circa 1976ish, I was concentrating so hard on the sequence: listen for the gear to softly grind into third, slip the clutch until the tires started squatting, quickly move the throttle half way and then as it began moving, full throttle. As the tractor pulled out of the gate, I reached down for the governor wire. I tugged on the wire until my knuckles turned white, squeezing out every single horse from under the hood to dig those wheels into the track.

As the tractor lugged down the clay track, its monster roar reverberated inside my rib cage. Almost in slow motion, it seemed to be taking forever. I saw my brother and one of his friends standing on the sidelines. Dad didn’t say a word about the fact that I had the tractor in first gear instead of third gear – he just smiled, knowing I wouldn’t make that mistake again. My dad stood at the end of the track, inside the fence, grinning.

In the 1980s my brother David caught the tractor pulling virus and was handed down the reins to the 560. The pulling circuit became more sophisticated. David and my dad tinkered and toyed with the red tractor. The block was bored, three carbs stood in line under the hood, and a secret weapon - nitrous oxide, shot itself into the air intake. Down the track David went. My dad stood at the end of the track, inside the fence, grinning.

The trophies came in droves. Some towering over two feet tall, they lined and overflowed the shelves in Dad’s office.

My brother quickly graduated from farm puller to NTPA puller as the innate desire for more dirt flinging sprouted within him. The speed necessary to generate that dirt took on the form of the Acme Wildcat, a 1066 International diesel, rightly named. After a few wild, hair-raising rides, things settled into place with Mr. Ed, “the horse with a name” a 766 IH. With plenty of horses sending a black column of diesel smoke towering above the crowd, Mr. Ed brought my brother numerous honors.

Despite the fact that David roared from state sanctioned tractor pull to tractor pull, the 560 gathered no dust.

My son, Nathan, then seventeen, sat in the driver’s seat. Nathan was a natural tractor puller – wearing the genes of the third generation of family to drive the notorious tractor. Local fairs, county fairs and tractor pulls nearby all welcomed this familiar tractor into their gates.

Countless hours of tweaking the 560’s well-worn parts went deep into the afternoon. Its pistons, frequently charred from the high heat generated by the nitrous were replaced time and time again. The tires grew in width, creating more bite into the clay track. Its wheels revolved at warp speed, compared to the early days of the tractor that came straight off the cultivator.

In 1998, as I stood watching my little girl ride the merry-go-round at the local fair, I could hear Nathan revving up the tractor. Its distinctive roar was ingrained in my head. Other tractors tried to mimic Dad’s 560, but came up short.

Michelle and I quickly scooted from the carnival rides to the tractor pulling track and took a spot by the wooden snow fence that lined the track on both sides. The old fashioned lime-weighted sled was replaced by a modern, mechanical version for safety. As Michelle pressed her face between the slats of the fence, I stood beside her, my heart pounding inside my chest. “We’re just in time,” I said. “Here he comes!”

Nathan listened for the gear to softly grind into third and slipped the clutch until the tires started squatting. He quickly moved the throttle half way and then as it began moving, full throttle. As the tractor pulled out of the gate, he flipped the nitrous switch. He squeezed out every single horse from under the hood to dig those wheels into the track.

The familiar monster roar still reverberated inside my rib cage. A quiet sort of pride burst from within. My toes danced in my shoes as I shouted silently to myself “that’s my son – and that’s my dad’s 560!”

My dad stood at the end of the track, inside the fence, grinning.

In 2007, as I stood watching my teenage girl ride the tilt-a-whirl at the local fair the pulling track was silent to me. For the first time in over thirty years, I didn’t hear the distinctive roar that was forever ingrained in my head. For the first time in over thirty years, the smokestack on Dad’s 560 was silent. The red tractor took its position of valor in the shed, while cobwebs draped themselves from the smokestack to the steering wheel. The dust was thickly piled on top of the greasy hood. The red paint was faded to a pinkish-gray and the white 560 painted on the side of the tractor was barely visible.

For a second I was crushed. It was the end of an era – the end of a most exciting time in our lives. The 560 snuck onto the pulling track straight out of the cornfield and surprised ‘em all. Likewise, the legendary tractor disappeared without notice, to put its weary pistons to rest after one heck of a thirty year run.

But I grinned as I remembered the five inch maple trophy that still remained on Dad’s desk. Tractors will come and go – but the monster roar of the red 560 will remain in my head forever.

'68 Firebird

“Look at his drawing, Mom. Isn’t it good? He loves old cars.”

The car drawn in pencil came to life on the paper. Perfect shading defined where the hood of the car met the fender. Each headlight popped out in front of the car, encased by the trademark grill design made famous by Pontiac. The grill that I waited to see coming around the corner of my parents’ driveway on a Saturday night.

Yes, the drawing was good. It was very good.

“Go show your dad,” I told Mickey.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the display that hung on the wall in back of the high school gym.

“Look at this one, Dad,” she said.

He looked, and with a gleam in his eye replied, “I used to have a car just like that. It’s a ’68 Firebird. Mine was green.”

He went on with more details.

“Yeah, I put a 428 in it.”

I remembered that it went pretty fast.

“And a 3 deuce carb.”

I remembered that it was really loud.

“Had a 3-speed on the floor.”

I remembered him shifting the car effortlessly as we cruised down the highway, while the two of us smiled and laughed.

“I put on quite a few miles with that car,” he finished.

I remembered all the fun times. And shenanigans. And things I probably don’t want to tell Mickey just yet.

Her friend’s drawing took her parents back in time. To a time that doesn’t seem so long ago. A time separated only by the years of raising children, working hard and surviving what life has thrown our way.

The drawing was good. In more ways than one.

Someday I’ll tell Mickey the rest of the story.

A Lie From Day One

“Ma’am, excuse me but I don’t think you filled this out correctly,” the black-haired gentleman with glasses of the same color called out to me as I sauntered away from the counter.

Crap. Now what? My faced turned habanera pepper red.

I slung my purse back up over my shoulder and took two steps backwards.

I hadn’t renewed my driver’s license for ages. Not since they changed the renewal period to eight years. Eight years is a long time to hang on to a piece of plastic. And eight years is a long time to look at a less-than-desirable mug shot. After all, my hair was flat that day. And I never knew that my smile was crooked. Yes, literally, crooked.

Hmmm … I thought I had filled out the renewal form correctly.

Eyes – hazel. Check.

Hair – black. Well, L’Oreal black #4D, but they didn’t need to know that. Check.

Address – yup, that’s still the same. Check.

Weight – well, hello – that’s been a lie since day one, but nobody cares, right?

Oh, my gosh! I’m busted. My face quickly turned from red to white. My mug shot would be plastered in every post office in the tri-state area. I quickly looked for the exit door – so I could bolt out and disappear. Mr. Black-rimmed glasses was going to call me on my weight.

He peered at me through the Coke-bottle lenses. I looked at him, the word GUILTY plastered across my forehead, bracing myself for the condemnation.

“Ma’am, you didn’t write your social in this box.”

“Oops, I didn’t even see that box,” I replied very nonchalantly while my insides jumped up and down shouting 'whew'!

I quickly scribbled the nine digits inside the allotted space and hopped on over to the camera. This was the moment that I’d prepped all morning for – blow drying, straightening, painting on my face. After all, I would have to look at this picture for the next eight years.

A gray-haired lady stood behind the camera. Dressed in a blue flowered dress that was regurgitated from the seventies, she looked as old as my grandma. After all in driver’s license years, I was only about 7. All she had to do was push the button on the digital camera. I guess it couldn’t be any harder than it was for me to use my cell phone for texting.

“Stand on the blue box,” she barked. I looked up, licked my lips to give them a quick shine and faced the camera.

Click. Flash. Done.

My new driver’s license would be good for the next eight years. My hair was black – L’Oreal Black #4d. My eyes were still hazel. My smile was still crooked.

And my weight hadn’t changed at all. A lie from day one.

“Enjoy your birthday,” Mr. Black-rimmed glasses said.

I smiled, shoving my new license into my wallet. “Thanks, I will.”

The Dishes Will Wait

From time to time a downpour of rain falls from the sky, spattering itself over the edge of the roof, down the porch post and onto the ground below. The rain is a blessing from heaven – providing much-needed nourishment for the spring flowers and a mandatory rest period for the farmers who have been working long hours to get the crops in.

Everyone gets a break.

Except those of us who have been working inside.

(Me, for example.)

I’ve been spending the past fourteen weeks taking an on-line writing class. It’s been a big help with my ongoing project – my book. This endeavor began in 2007. And continues today. No, it’s not that long of a book – it’s just taking me that long.

Because I have to live my life alongside the writing.

My next class begins on May 9th – and goes for twelve weeks.

So my blog posts will continue to be sacrificed. My apologies to those of you who have begged for something new to read.

In the meantime, please click on a couple of the other blog links I have posted right below the picture of the little red tree.

Those who know me well know how important I feel about educating everyone about traumatic brain injury. Visit the blog “My TBI Life” and read about a woman who suffered a TBI after she was kicked in the head by a horse. Her remarkable recovery is inspirational.

Click on “The Dust Will Wait” and meet Pamela, who is a great writer and also a great photographer. The stories about her family will entertain you and touch your heart.

And for those who are interested in parenting, please visit “Pass the Torch” (it's author is the woman who got me started writing) and “My Cup 2 Yours”. Their stories of raising children, homeschooling adventures and empowering youth will enlighten you.

Dig into their archives for some awesome reading.

Until I’m done with my book….the dishes will wait.

Two Minutes of Tears ... Every Two Days

He would be the first to say he hates living here. After all, he’s an adult. And out of work. And squished into the bedroom in the basement. Most of his stuff is packed in storage. He has had to share the kitchen with us. And the sofa. And our car. For the last six months.

The shower isn’t his either – it’s filled with girl stuff – fruity shampoo and conditioner and perfumed body wash. He stands outside the bathroom door, patiently waiting for his sister to come out. The pink razor pushes his soap off the shelf in the tub, and it slides down the river of bubbles towards the drain.

I would be the first to say I hate having him here. After all, he’s an adult. And out of work. And his stuff is all over the basement. And the kitchen. And the sofa. And the car. For the last six months.

But I don’t hate having him here. I just hate the fact that he had to be here.

And now I hate the fact that he’s leaving.

And most of the time I can take it.

Most of the time.

Except for that time where I cry two minutes of tears … every two days.

Because he’s leaving. And because he’s been through so much. And because I wonder when it will end. And when the door will be opened for him.

The door to success and happiness.

My dear aunt once told me, “Let go and let God”. What comforting wisdom. You have to assume that you’ve given all the advice you can give, you’ve given all the tools for living. You have to let go and let God.

And yes, there are occasional tears as you think of the distance. That time when you cry two minutes of tears … every two days.

The Wreath

The satin ribbon, months earlier faded from the summer sun beating down upon it, blew haphazardly in the November wind. A dull gold bead, once a glittery spot in a nest of greenery, plopped down onto the floor, rolled into the crevice between the boards and disappeared under the porch. And the ragged pine needles, though artificial, looked weathered and worn from hanging there since the Christmas before.

Although I’d turned my head and glanced at the wreath every time I left the driveway, something inside me could not bear to take it down. Not yet.

The wreath was just one of a few Christmas decorations that never made it back into the box that January.

The January that my life stopped in its tracks.

And because of that, I couldn’t take the wreath down. I just couldn’t.

The wreath was a part of what defined my life before, before my life changed that cold and bitter day. Looking at the wreath reminded me of what I had lost and the pain that I still felt. Taking it down would somehow signify that life was normal again - except it wasn’t. And I didn't want to pretend that it was.

As the winter snow melted, exposing the fresh new sprouts of grass, the wreath hung there. Dandelions speckled the spring lawn like yellow bursts of star light in a dark green sky.   The wreath hung there. Through the hot summer days, the wreath was dry and parched, only to be dampened by the humid clouds that created a hazy backdrop. The seasons came and passed, and still as the cold autumn winds of November rustled through the brown corn tops in the field, the wreath hung there.

Almost a year had passed, and I was still not able to take it down.

I prayed for a Divine intervention.

A week later,  returning home from a day at work, I walked up the sidewalk to the kitchen door.  As I swung the door open, there on the kitchen table, I saw a new green wreath, embellished with a red and silver satin ribbon, sparkling burgundy poinsettias, walnut colored pinecones, and shiny red cranberries.

The boys bought it for you, my husband explained.

Heaviness was lifted from my heart that afternoon, as I took the lifeless wreath down from its hanger on the front door. The wreath had served its purpose. A symbol of pain and suffering no longer, I tossed it into the trash, held the match close enough for the flame to set it afire and watched it disappear.

As I hung the new Christmas wreath on the front door, I stood back and marveled at its beauty. Its freshness indeed signified a fresh start, a new beginning.

A perfect circle- of unending love.
.

True Meaning

The old man sat on the edge of the bed. I watched him with utmost preciseness tear off exactly the right amount of tape. He knew the routine well. Five pieces of tape, criss-crossed over each other in the shape of an asterisk would cover her incision perfectly.

His eyes were filled with love. Love for this woman he met over fifty years ago. A woman he had spent most of his life with.

Fifty years ago, vows were said.

At that time, he probably wasn’t paying much attention to the words. He repeated the words “to love and to cherish”. He repeated the words “in sickness and in health”. And he repeated the words “‘til death do us part”. Fifty years ago they were likely just words.

It would take a lifetime to bring true meaning to them.

A lifetime learning to truly care about this other person.

Caring through sharing life’s experiences – the happy times, the sad times, and even the angry times.

As he placed the last piece of tape over the incision she muttered something he couldn’t understand. To satisfy her inquisitiveness, he calmly agreed with her.

Fifty years ago, vows were said. Today they have true meaning.

The Owner's Manual

The wiper blades scrambled back and forth, trying to keep up with the raindrops that were pelting the windshield. The outdoor thermometer in the Tahoe read 43 degrees, but even so, the drops kept getting larger and thicker – like tiny snowballs splattering on the glass.

Yes, it was a wet and chilly October morning and Mickey and I were on the way to the orthodontist for her monthly braces adjustment. Mickey sat entranced by the rhythm of the wipers, while I was just plain annoyed that I had to have them on at full speed. A summer as dry as can be, and now – when we don’t need the rain – here it is, and has been for the last couple days.

Rain, rain, go away – come again some other … hey, what is that little red light on my Tahoe’s instrument panel? I’d never seen that one before. Usually the amber colored light indicates whether the vehicle is in 4-wheel drive or 2-wheel drive. It looks like the letter “N”. And it’s red. I press the button for 2-wheel drive. No response. I press the other button for 4-wheel drive. No response.

“Well, I’m going to pull over and stop,” before Mickey could ask me what in the world I was doing.

Just like my computer, I’ll bet this one just needs to be rebooted. So I pull over on the side of the road, put the ignition in Park, and shut off the engine. One, two, three … I count to ten and start the engine again and pull out onto the highway.

Darn, the red light is still on.

“Grab my cell phone out of my purse…I think it’s in there,” I say to Mickey – jolting her out of her trance.

“Call Dad – press 2 – I’ve got him on speed dial,” I add, keeping my eyes on the road – and the red light.

Amazingly, he actually answered his phone!

“Yeah, I’ve got this red light with a little “N” by it on the panel where it should say 2-wheel drive. What’s that all about? It wasn’t there when I left. I’ve never even seen it before.”

“I dunno. Must be in Neutral or something,” is his reply.

“Well, is that dangerous, I mean will it stop moving while I’m driving or something?"

“If it was in Neutral it shouldn’t be moving at all,” he states matter-of-factly.

“Should I stop somewhere and have it looked at?”

“I dunno.”

I could see this conversation was going nowhere. So I said goodbye and shut my phone.

Mickey grabbed the Tahoe owner’s manual out of the glove compartment. She said, “I can look it up.” I thought, why not? So I told her to search the Table of Contents for 4-Wheel Drive, as I continued down the highway.

Oh, she found it right away.

“SHIFT THE VEHICLE’S TRANSFER CASE TO NEUTRAL ONLY WHEN YOU ARE TOWING THE VEHICLE”, read the warning letters in bold and caps.

Well, we were obviously not towing the vehicle, we were bounding down the highway at about 56 miles an hour and all I could think of is CRAP. Now what?

Mickey turns the page. “Oh, here it says what to do!” she exclaims – and begins to read more. “Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal. Shift the transmission to Neutral and turn the ignition to Run with the engine off."

“Wait, I’ve got to pull over,” I beg, “then read it to me again, step by step.”

I quickly exit to the side of the road again and she continues reading – as I follow her directions.

“Press the button for the desired transfer case shift position. After the transfer case has shifted out of Neutral the Neutral light will go out.”

GUESS WHAT - IT DID!

“Now, Mom – release the parking brake. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the desired position.”

All was well except for the red brake light which followed simultaneously. By now, Mickey is flipping through the owner’s manual at an expert’s pace. I know that when I released the parking brake it must not have released fully. But she doesn’t. And so I pull over – again – to fiddle with the parking brake as she is reading me the instructions on how to get rid of the red brake light.

When that was gone, and we were back on the road again, I wasn’t annoyed by the hyperactive wipers anymore. I was just happy as can be that we only wasted ten minutes of our time this morning.

Mickey turns to me and bursts out excitedly, “See Mom, we don’t even need men. We fixed this all by ourselves!”

“Yup, we did a good job, didn’t we?” I agreed, thinking most men don’t usually get the owner’s manual out.

We pulled into the parking lot at the orthodontist right on time – and I added, “See Mickey, that’s why we always leave a tad early – just in case … we have to fix our car or something along the way.”

Maybe Tomorrow

I’ve driven past the spot many times. No, I will never forget what happened there. Each and every time, my mind pauses for a second as I remember.

But tonight I’m all alone. It’s dark. As I crest the hill, like a skipping record, the scene plays over and over just as it has a hundred times before in my mind. His car was on the wrong side of the road right here. And in a split second, quicker than I can inhale a breath of air, I’m over the hill.

A tear escapes the confines of my body and gently rolls down my cheek. It had to have happened that quickly.

The event had one common thread – it changed the lives of six families forever. Some lost their lives and some lost life as they knew it.

But everyone lost something that night.

Something that they will never get back.

Whether we’re struggling to recapture a piece of ourselves that we lost that night, or struggling to hold on to the memories we have – I’m sure we’re all still struggling.

Because life changed forever that cold January night.

Tonight as my car drives past the spot, I can’t believe I’m still stuck in this whirlwind of life – trying desperately to find something tangible to cling to - something to help define who we are now – anything at all to comfort me and reassure me about the doubts I have for our future.

No, it never goes away.

I wipe away the tear with the back of my hand.

Maybe tomorrow will be the day I will find it.

Mmmm...

I shoved the half-eaten Ghirardelli caramel square in my purse, quickly folding over the opened end of the wrapper. I didn’t want my daughter to see me eating candy, after all, we had just eaten lunch and I wasn’t even hungry. And she is so health-conscious.

Me – not quite so. I mean yes, I am concerned about my health, but for some unbeknownst reason I frequently (every day) feel the urge to finalize my noon lunch with something sweet. Just a bite.

Why? BECAUSE I'M PART NORWEGIAN, THAT'S WHY!

After all, my Grandma Ollie always had to have just a bite of something sweet after lunch. Or with her coffee.

To further validate my theory – the next day at work we somehow got on the subject of those who salt their tomato slices versus those who sugar them. “Norwegians sugar everything,” Jay, a co-worker of mine stated matter-of-factly, as if there were to be no debate on the matter.

Which brings me back to the Ghirardelli square.

I tossed my purse into the back seat, and temporarily forgot about the candy bar until the next day at school.

Bounding into my office between classes, Mickey asked “Do you have any gum in your purse?”

“Yup, here – grab it,” I replied.

Mickey unzips my purse, sticks her fingers into my purse to grab the gum, when she all of a sudden spouts, “Ewwww….what’s this?” Her hand comes out of the purse with a long string of caramel attached to a couple of her fingers.

“Oh, just some candy. I forgot it was in there,” I said, trying to act like I hadn’t snuck it the other day without her knowledge.

She licked her fingers and took a piece of gum. “Mmmm,” she said, turning around and scooting out, just as quickly as she had come in.

When I got home from work I emptied the contents of my purse out onto the kitchen table and proceeded to wash the caramel off EVERYTHING.

Why do I get these urges? Because I’m part Norwegian – yes, I’m convinced.

Today when I grabbed my appointment book out of my purse I struggled to get the October calendar page open.

Because it was stuck to September. And November. And December. And the subsequent three months in 2010.

So I got the scissors out of my desk drawer and cut the caramel off the corner of each page that was infected with this gooey, sweet mess.

Mmmm…

A Special Gift from God

“Mom, I think he’s the one,” the daughter excitedly bursts out. Mom tries to hold in her joy so as to not look overanxious, even though she’s doing flips in her head. Mom is there for her daughter, her best friend. Mom listens when needed, and gently gives advice. Mom and her daughter are connected, just as they were in the beginning.

Dad watches his daughter from afar. As she matures and blossoms into a beautiful young woman, he can’t help but think of all the times he pushed her on the swing – her feet almost reaching the clouds. He can’t help but think of the times he helped her with her homework – even when he really didn’t remember Algebra that well. He can’t help but think of the times he changed the tires on her car – so that she would be safe on the road. And he can’t help but think of the time he proudly watched her walk down the aisle at commencement.

A mom and her daughter plan the wedding. It will be the day of her dreams. They choose the dresses, the wedding party, the reception, the food. They get their nails done. They get their hair done. A mother and her daughter share each other’s company and each other’s time – precious time together.

Truly, Mom and daughter share a special connection – woman to woman. But Dad and daughter share a special connection as well – he is the man in her life. Dad holds her tightly in his arms so nothing can harm her. He is her rock; her strength.

As she walks down this next aisle – the wedding aisle, Dad will be there to guide her on the way – but then must carefully let her go, as she begins the next part of her journey in life. He will no longer be the only man in her life, and he lovingly entrusts her to another.

God plants the daughter in her mom and dad’s life as a seed and entrusts them to nurture, care for her and watch her grow. God stands by her mom and dad as they protect her from harm. God helps Mom and Dad keep her from growing in the wrong direction, to stand tall and to reach towards heaven.

A daughter is truly a special gift from God, and as my two friends prepare to let go of their baby girl, I wish them all the most joy that life can offer.

Are we coming or going?

What a week!

Mickey’s week anyway. She was spreading herself thinly between volleyball and football cheerleading. And school. Volleyball practice after school on Monday was followed by a quick shower at school and cold lunch in the car on the way to cheerleading practice at our co-op school, twenty minutes away. Cheer practice was especially important this week - Homecoming Week. The dance routine had to be perfect – the lift had to go off without a hitch. Or Mickey would tumble to the grass.

Game day was Tuesday. This one would be a home volleyball game. Mickey rode home from school with me. She did some homework, grabbed a quick sandwich, her duffle bag and I took her back to school – under directions from the coach to have all players on the floor by 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday was another normal day at school, followed by volleyball practice. The after-practice shower was repeated as the Mickey departed again for her cheer duties, this day with a roast beef sandwich, two pop tarts and a banana in hand. Spirit games for homecoming would begin at 7:00 and conclude at 9:00. Mickey made it to bed earlier tonight – by about 10:00 – and went on her own will – without any prodding from me.

Thursday’s away volleyball game was just about as far away as one could imagine – an hour drive over the hills and through the valleys to a town nestled in the middle of nowhere. With another cold lunch for the bus ride, yesterday’s roast beef was replaced by two peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Homework was completed on the bus. Thankfully for Mom, (but not for the team) the volleyball games were over in three, lending an earlier-than-normal departure for home. As the phone rang at about 9:15 p.m., Mickey was on the other end, “Mom – we stopped for something to eat – but I have no idea where we are. I’ll call you when we get closer to home.” (Mickey only knows the whereabouts of the mall…nothing else.) By ten o’clock the phone was ringing again – this time her call to be picked up at school.

After a quick shower, Mickey was in bed by 10:30.

Jolted out of bed at 5:30 a.m. by her alarm clock – set about forty-five minutes earlier than usual, Mickey had to be at school by 6:30 a.m. today to catch the football & cheerleading bus on its way to an early morning church service and breakfast – a longstanding homecoming tradition. How did she get to school? Her mother had to get up earlier as well. With only one full bath in the house, I didn’t want to be rubbing elbows with Mickey any more than I had to while we were both standing in front of the sink.

So I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and went into the kitchen to brush.
Scrounging through the refrigerator, I decided today we would have turkey and cheese sandwiches. I made one for Mickey and one for myself.

I haven’t seen my daughter very much this week, even though I work at the same school she attends. Even though she sleeps in her bed every night. Even though we bump elbows in the bathroom every morning. When I got to the football game Friday night, I proudly watched Mickey perform her part in the dance routine, flawlessly (from my viewpoint). After the game she came over to me and a friend who were talking.

"I’m so tired," she said. "I was tired all day. I’ve got to tell you what happened during Science class today."

Here’s her story-

After lunch we had study hall in the library. I was so tired, so I got a book and pretended to read it, but really I was just sitting there with my head tilted down so I could rest my eyes. The next hour was Science class. We were supposed to be doing a lab. I sat on the edge of the chair and put my elbow on the table. I could hear the teacher talking, but eventually the sound of her voice started to fade and all I could hear was very far away – words that I couldn’t quite make out. My head nodded a couple times, and I jolted it back, trying to resist the blanket of sleep which was surrounding me, wrapping me tighter and tighter.

A few seconds later I found myself on the floor. Bryce was the only classmate who saw me slide out of the chair and onto the floor. He came to my side and said, “Are you okay?” I looked at him, kind of confused and said, “What happened?” At that point I realized that I fell asleep in class and fell out of my chair onto the floor!

By now Mickey is laughing as she is telling us this story over and over again.

Thankfully, Mickey slept in Saturday morning. And lounged in front of the television all day. Until it was time to get ready for the event which would be the culmination of the whole week – the Homecoming Dance.

We started with her hair at 5:00 p.m. and by 7:00 she was ready to go! I took her to her date’s house where both of us moms took a few pictures of the semi-cooperative couple. I had to stay awake until it was time to go pick them up at the dance at midnight. And take her date and another friend home.

Not all weeks are like this. We crawled into bed at 1:00 a.m.

Mickey’s going to lay low today – after she gets home from church, where she had to wait tables from 10:30-12:30 for the fall festival.

I’m sure next week will be better …

Random Thoughts Not Worthy of an Entire Blog Post

My son is downsizing. When he moved away he took with him the contents of his refrigerator: 10 bottles of hot sauce. When he moved back a year and a half later, he brought with him the contents of his refrigerator: 6 bottles of hot sauce.

Lest I shall lose my mind over the fact that my back yard is all dirt and grass seed, I decided there is one tiny advantage (only one) to having your back yard torn up. You can shake the rug right out the door without having to step outside. The disadvantage is the need to sweep the floor every 30 seconds.

Just found my husband’s list for hunting in Colorado: reading glasses, long underwear, socks, beer, pop, ice, meat. Looks like all the essentials to me. Wish I could write lists that short.

Sister and I went out on the town this weekend. The walk- in-clinic, Kwik Trip for a cup of decaf coffee, and then home. Nothing like it used to be. Twenty years ago we could be found on a Friday night out on the town with friends, staying up into the wee hours of the morning and repeating the whole thing on Saturday night. Thanks for driving me, sis – and giving up your snoozing time on the sofa! P.S. I’m okay…nothing compared to the lady in the clinic who came in with a mask and sneezing!

Trying to get dressed for work and leave the house on time, I know now why Grandma wore a big string of beads around her neck. She could slip the necklace right over her head without trying to unhook a tiny, tiny, tiny gold clasp. I’ve now added a pair of glasses to my dresser also.

Back to my son – Mickey says most of her friends are sad that their older brothers and sisters have moved away to college. She told them “at least your older brother hasn’t moved back home!” Mainly, she doesn’t want to share the television with him now. And put up with his teasing. But he did let her drive his car on Sunday – just up Grandma’s driveway.

I’ve decided that when you get to be 49, it’s not a big deal what you wear to the class reunion. By this age, everyone’s either got too much gray, not enough gray, or too many love-handles (speaking for myself of course). Most importantly, no one cares anymore. It’s just good to see old friends!

Speaking of 49, I told my granddaughter Chrissy on my birthday last year that I’m not having any more birthday parties “I’m not going to get any older,” I stated to her matter-of-factly. She looked at me, the wheels turning in her head as she tried to create a vision of me getting younger instead of older and said, “well, Grandma, you’d better start eating healthy stuff then.”

Have a good weekend!

Off To College

Reprinted from August 28, 2008 - in honor of all the moms letting go as their kids pack up and head out to college.

I could just tell they were “college shopping”. The mom and her son were putting a set of bed sheets into their cart. Right away I thought of the day ten years ago that Jonathan went off to college. In fact, it was our first experience with one of our children living away from home.

Oh my gosh, I thought we would never get going because he waited until the day before to pack. That night when he was wandering around aimlessly, I made him a little checklist. Good thing I did, because he would have forgotten his alarm clock.

In less than 24 hours I think I managed to tell him everything I thought he needed to know. Not that I hadn’t been trying to teach him all along, but you know – it’s the last minute second-guessing, wondering if you did the parenting right that gets you.

The drive into unknown territory took a couple hours. As we were parked outside his dorm unloading our car, I quickly realized that the girls I saw moving in were carrying quite a bit more than we were. Lamps, furry chairs, bulletin boards – lots of big stuff. I do remember picking out a set of extra long twin sheets for his bed, plus a basket to carry his shampoo and soap in to the shower, but other than that – he packed up the most important things – his computer, stereo and television. Oh, and some clothes. Plus his school supplies - a pen, notebook and folder.

As we stood in line to check in, I found myself leading the way. All of a sudden I realized – I have to let him do this by himself. So I stepped back.

And waited.

Finally he got in line. He picked up his keys, filled out the paperwork and we trudged upstairs to find his room. Why are dorm rooms always on the top floor?

I did the introductions to his roommate. Well, someone had to say something! You guessed it, he is very shy. So shy in fact, that he proceeded to put his computer together without even looking at the other guy in the room. So I did the small talk - my thoughts are in parenthesis here for you to read.

Where do you live? (Just got out of prison.)
What do your parents do? (Alcohol and drugs.)
Do you have brothers and sisters? (In half-way houses.)
What are your hobbies? (Playing with knives and guns.)

We walked around campus and took care of some business. I think we walked about ten miles – or at least long enough for my feet to really hurt. We ate some lunch and then went back to the dorm room. His roommate wasn’t there right then, so I thought we should say our good-byes and get going. No eighteen year old guy wants a kiss from his mom in front of his new roommate. Plus, we had to pick up Mickey at Grandma’s.

That’s right, I still have a 5-year old at home to take care of. Almost forgot.

I gave my son a big hug and kiss and told him I loved him. I told him to call me. (This was before cell phones, texting and even before instant messaging, mind you.) Then we left.

About twenty-nine miles out of town, my eyes welled up with tears. I silently sobbed for a half hour and then was real quiet the remainder of the trip. Finally I was okay - until that evening, when I went downstairs to his bedroom.

As I got to the bottom of the steps I looked around. A lot of his things were gone – but a lot of stuff was still there. His golf ball collection and the posters on his wall. His cds and dart board. Plus the clothes he didn’t need to take along.

I don’t know why, but I opened his top dresser drawer.

Staring at me were fifty-two white socks that were missing mates.

And I bawled my eyes out.

Blessings to all college kids on the brink of independence. And blessings to their parents during this tough time of giving them wings.

Truffles, Anyone?

I’d been driving for the past two weeks with my car’s amber check engine light staring me in the face. But since the car wasn’t spitting or sputtering, I was in no hurry to take it over the bluff once again to see what the dealer’s computer had to say about the little light. Until I realized that this weekend I would be driving my daughter and a friend, plus my two granddaughters and their mother on a two hour adventure across the Mississippi River into Minnesota. Safety is of course, a top priority.

So I called for a service appointment.

The drive over the hill was pretty. Queen Anne’s lace and black-eyed Susan’s were in full bloom along the roadside. Corn stalks yielded fuzzy tassels billowing in the gentle breeze. I even spotted a white-tailed deer grazing in the soybean field – wary of my passing through, but not quite enough to make him bolt. And as a bonus, the pot holes in the road were freshly filled.

I dropped the car at the dealership and Mickey and I decided to take a stroll around the block. It had been years since I had explored the little town of Wabasha, Minnesota. Lots of things there have changed – the dime store is gone, the grocery store has built a new building closer to the highway, and the local mercantile is now office space. In their place, Wabasha has focused its energy on the new National Eagle Center and several small specialty shops and antique stores.

And a chocolate store. An awesome chocolate store. Filled with chocolate.

I knew right away I was not leaving this place empty-handed. The only question in my mind was - which treat would I choose? The weathered pine floor boards in the old brick building creaked as I paced back and forth in front of the counter. Peering through the glass with my taste buds practically jumping out of my mouth, I spotted some cashew turtles. And some butter almond toffee. And truffles of every flavor – raspberry, mint and even oreo.

A half-pound of turtles lends you about six of them. Of course the box was too big so I told the clerk to add two more. At least that filled the box – and it looked a lot better. The half-pound of butter almond toffee fit into a box about four by six inches.

Mickey and I stepped outside and sat on the bench in front of the bookstore. I couldn’t wait and cracked open the box of turtles. The caramel enveloping the cluster of cashews was homemade as well. Sticky and buttery, it stuck to my teeth. Mmmm. The chocolate melted in my mouth (and my hand). Mmmm.

Back at the car dealership, I was happy to find out that they were able to diagnose and fix my vehicle on-site so I didn’t have to come back tomorrow. The gas cap had a leak in it. Which I guess can be a safety factor should you roll the vehicle over. So they fixed it – with a $81.17 gas cap.

Oh, and don’t forget the $26.95 worth of chocolate.

Hmmm…maybe it would have been fun to have to come back tomorrow.

To try the truffles…

Fancy Schmancy

A fancy, schmancy storm door sat on my back porch for a month. Until one day when I told my husband that we didn’t need a carpenter, we could put this up ourselves.

How hard could it be to hang a storm door anyway?

Knowing that my husband doesn’t normally read directions, I pre-empted his potential answer with, “if we read the directions carefully and gather all the tools we need ahead of time, I’m sure it will be easy.”

For the record, here are five things the directions don’t mention: a flashlight, reading glasses, caulk (the magic fix-all), shims, shims, shims (I'm counting this as one word), and patience (better know as the ability to re-do something twice without getting mad and throwing hand tools).

He lay down on the deck to try and see the tiny little spot where the bottom screw should go into the frame. But without his reading glasses and a flashlight, this was just a spot in the dark – literally. Like a surgical assistant holding the flashlight, on-cue I handed him first his glasses, then the screwdriver, and finally the screw.

After four hours, we had the frame up. This took longer than expected because we had to shim out the door jamb on the right side to equal the left side. An episode from This Old House? And then I had to paint the shims white to match the frame. Finally, caulk – the magic fix-all – covered the holes where the wood chisel made too deep of a gouge in the jamb.

By now, dusk was slowly drifting the back porch and the glow of the flashlight was no longer enough to see by. We temporarily hung the door in the frame and braced it with a big flower pot, just in case the wind decided to try and take the door away from us overnight
.
Two four-hour-days later, (which equals eight-nine hours) our fancy, schmancy storm door was completely hung and operational, double closer and all.

Nobody will ever notice the shims. You can’t tell because of my marvelous paint job.

Nobody needs to know that we hung the top door closer in the wrong spot and had to re-do it. You can’t tell because of my marvelous caulk job.

Hanging the storm door was not hard - just terribly time-consuming.

But it sure does look awesome. You might even say fancy, schmancy.