Monday, November 13, 2006

Sweet Home Idaho

Back last night from the Dirty South, as it were, after having a very nice visit with the parents and extended family. Nice to be there, as we got to spend some good time with the Brow clan as well as Grandma Kleaver.

I must admit I was a bit nervous rolling into the rehab facility where the OG was staying, and our first foray into her room did nothing to dispel that nervousness. In fact, I was a bit shocked at seeing her. We often hold in our minds images of friends and family at their best, or at least at their most familiar, and this was a conflicting image: small, frail, on oxygen and a bit confused.

But, it seems we woke her from a deep sleep, and after having a few minutes to gather herself and get into a wheelchair and out into the common room, she was practically as I'd remembered. Hell, who IS at their best when woken from a deep sleep?

Turns out she's just as sharp, funny, and cantankerous as ever, it just takes a little longer for the exchanges to happen. She's doing better and all hope to get her back to her normal assisted living soon.

It was great to hang with the parents, too. They seem happy and healthy and are firmly entrenched in a growing community of family and friends. That's good to see.

More than one conversation turned to the fact that we are all so far flung, that wouldn't it be nice to live in the same place, especially with realistic grandkid conversations now in the realm of the happening. And it would. It'd be great. But it just doesn't seem possible at this time. Whatever my opinion, they're settled there in Montgomery, and I honestly can't imagine a single scenario that would get me to move there. If they love it, fine, great even, but there's just nothing there for me and the wifey.

But at least it was a nice visit. We'll cross the rest of these bridges as we come to them.

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