A busy weekend
Wait a minute, I have to catch my breath. It's been a busy weekend around here. Last Thursday afternoon, my son and daughter in-law C. and K. dropped our grandson off. They were going to a wedding so we got to watch L. for the entire weekend. Boy does he have a lot of energy. Although I think all 2-year-olds have a lot of energy.
I was amazed that he wanted to ride with me in my wheelchair. Up until now he has always been scared of me. He would only come so close and no closer. I think it is because of my trache, vent, vent tubing, and Foley. In his young life he hasn't seen anyone with so many tubes and who talks funny. Anyway over Thanksgiving, he started to tell my how to get out of my recliner and get into my wheelchair. He would start with telling me to lower the recliner foot rest, get my walker, hang my Foley on the walker, stand up, move over and stand in front of my wheelchair, sit down in my wheelchair, move the Foley to the wheelchair, move the walker and start the wheelchair. This past Thursday he wanted to ride on the wheelchair. He thought it was GREAT fun. So did I.
On Friday, L. and his Grandma went shopping and purchased a new Christmas tree for the house. K. came home from college Friday afternoon so she and her boyfriend put up the new Christmas tree Friday night after L went to bed. Boy was he excited to see the Christmas tree Saturday morning.
My brother C. arrived late Saturday morning. He drove up from Iowa on the snow packed interstate in western Illinois. We had a great time. He and son J. made Chicken Liver Crostini, Minestrone soup, and two fresh pizzas, a pesto pizza and a roasted garlic pizza. However, after having some of the Chicken Liver Crostini, a bowl of delicious Minestrone soup, there wasn't much room for pizza. What a fun time I had. I sat at the kitchen table, plugged in my vent and just watched C. and J. visit and cook most of the afternoon. I really like it when someone is in the kitchen and I can sit at the table and visit. Maybe this is because my mother was always in the kitchen, or at least that is the way it seemed to me. Maybe it is because this is a good way to visit. It is informal, everyone has something to do with their hands and so isn't self conscious. So the conversations are easy going and wide ranging.
I have many fond memories of spending a week each spring at my parents. I think I did this for about the last 6 - 8 years of their lives. When mom would be in the kitchen I would sit at their kitchen table and we would talk as she fixed the meals. When mom went into the nursing home, Dad and I would spend hours in the kitchen preparing many meals together. As we worked side by side we would talk about anything and everything. Anyway this is one reason why I like to visit with my kids and brothers and sisters while they are in the kitchen. However, P. and I don't do this. We do our visiting during the meal, or as we sit in the den reading. I think the reason P. and I don't visit while she is cooking is because I am too willing to offer free advice about how things should be cooked. As I think about this it strikes me as funny because she is a much better cook than I am. And I think she knows that she is the better cook. So when I offer advice, it isn't received very well. So I've learned to stay out of the kitchen when P. is doing the cooking.
Anyway back to the busy weekend. Saturday noon, the people who my daughter K. babysits for dropped off their 2 and 6 year olds. They were going to a business Christmas party and staying at a hotel overnight. So J. (the 6 year old) and M. (the 2 year old) were also staying overnight. What a busy time, my brother and son were in the kitchen, P. was visiting from the couch, K. and her boyfriend were busy with two 2-year-olds and the 6-year-old. At times it was so noisy you could hear yourself talk.
But we all survived, the parents came just before lunch to pick up J. and M. My son and daughter in-law arrived at 4 to pick up L. At 5. we had a Bible study at our house. At 7 the Bible study finished and by 8 last night I was resting in bed.
You may ask, "Would I do this weekend over again"? You bet, however I might wait a month or two first.
I was amazed that he wanted to ride with me in my wheelchair. Up until now he has always been scared of me. He would only come so close and no closer. I think it is because of my trache, vent, vent tubing, and Foley. In his young life he hasn't seen anyone with so many tubes and who talks funny. Anyway over Thanksgiving, he started to tell my how to get out of my recliner and get into my wheelchair. He would start with telling me to lower the recliner foot rest, get my walker, hang my Foley on the walker, stand up, move over and stand in front of my wheelchair, sit down in my wheelchair, move the Foley to the wheelchair, move the walker and start the wheelchair. This past Thursday he wanted to ride on the wheelchair. He thought it was GREAT fun. So did I.
On Friday, L. and his Grandma went shopping and purchased a new Christmas tree for the house. K. came home from college Friday afternoon so she and her boyfriend put up the new Christmas tree Friday night after L went to bed. Boy was he excited to see the Christmas tree Saturday morning.
My brother C. arrived late Saturday morning. He drove up from Iowa on the snow packed interstate in western Illinois. We had a great time. He and son J. made Chicken Liver Crostini, Minestrone soup, and two fresh pizzas, a pesto pizza and a roasted garlic pizza. However, after having some of the Chicken Liver Crostini, a bowl of delicious Minestrone soup, there wasn't much room for pizza. What a fun time I had. I sat at the kitchen table, plugged in my vent and just watched C. and J. visit and cook most of the afternoon. I really like it when someone is in the kitchen and I can sit at the table and visit. Maybe this is because my mother was always in the kitchen, or at least that is the way it seemed to me. Maybe it is because this is a good way to visit. It is informal, everyone has something to do with their hands and so isn't self conscious. So the conversations are easy going and wide ranging.
I have many fond memories of spending a week each spring at my parents. I think I did this for about the last 6 - 8 years of their lives. When mom would be in the kitchen I would sit at their kitchen table and we would talk as she fixed the meals. When mom went into the nursing home, Dad and I would spend hours in the kitchen preparing many meals together. As we worked side by side we would talk about anything and everything. Anyway this is one reason why I like to visit with my kids and brothers and sisters while they are in the kitchen. However, P. and I don't do this. We do our visiting during the meal, or as we sit in the den reading. I think the reason P. and I don't visit while she is cooking is because I am too willing to offer free advice about how things should be cooked. As I think about this it strikes me as funny because she is a much better cook than I am. And I think she knows that she is the better cook. So when I offer advice, it isn't received very well. So I've learned to stay out of the kitchen when P. is doing the cooking.
Anyway back to the busy weekend. Saturday noon, the people who my daughter K. babysits for dropped off their 2 and 6 year olds. They were going to a business Christmas party and staying at a hotel overnight. So J. (the 6 year old) and M. (the 2 year old) were also staying overnight. What a busy time, my brother and son were in the kitchen, P. was visiting from the couch, K. and her boyfriend were busy with two 2-year-olds and the 6-year-old. At times it was so noisy you could hear yourself talk.
But we all survived, the parents came just before lunch to pick up J. and M. My son and daughter in-law arrived at 4 to pick up L. At 5. we had a Bible study at our house. At 7 the Bible study finished and by 8 last night I was resting in bed.
You may ask, "Would I do this weekend over again"? You bet, however I might wait a month or two first.
posted by UP at 8:27 AM
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