Monday, July 20, 2009

Reality

I'm in DFW for another 24 hours. After leaving the lake, driving into DFW and having steaks at a place called Kirbys, I slept over 9 hours last night and feel human. Today is going to be spent goofing off all day long, my final day of being here in Texas. Knit, read, watch a little TV, and read emails. I'm thinking of it as practice for my new, upcoming life. The life that doesn't involve painting and staging and showing and fixing, etc. Rather the 'simple life'.

I fly home tomorrow after being gone over three weeks. I never made it to Colorado but I did spend a lot of time with our daughter Sarah and her family, and with Dan and Janae. If the original plan had gone through neither of those would have happened, so obviously God does indeed know best.

The movers arrived at the lake having lost only three things that we know of; one - our 'growth chart' is irreplaceable, and they did locate it back in Pittsburgh. They've promised to deliver it to my door as soon as I'm back home.

Nothing else broke after the AC, fridge, and sprinkler system. $5,000 to repair them all, but we sold the boat, the jet skis, the sail thing, and the pool table and those covered our expenses, so we were grateful. Supposedly a check is in the mail to compensate us for the moving van being two weeks late, which will help cover changing my plane reservations, meals out, etc..

When I thought nothing else could go wrong, and that everything was running along smoothly, my back went out the day before the truck arrived to the point I could not stand up straight. It hurt to walk, or stand or sit, and so I've been initiated into the world of massage therapists. That's a whole post in itself, what it was really like compared to the visions I'd had of what the experience would be like. I can stand up now and have realized if you hurt enough, modesty flies right out the window. When your massage therapist feels compelled to pray over you, you know you're a mess. I was really, really a mess. Thank you God, for whoever came up with Aleve, and those heat patch bandaid things, and massage chairs. And massage therapists who are gracious enough to dim the lights.

So the house looks pretty darned good, and mostly it's thanks to Sarah who hauled her three kids and babysitter (thank you Kristina - bless your heart!) to the lake TWICE, once with ten minutes notice, and Dan who spent the entire weekend with me, staining the deck, unpacking the shop, hauling boxes away, hanging curtains, etc. I truly do not know what I would have done without their help. And bless all their hearts for letting me bunk at their places with no notice. Borrowing a car from Dan and Janae to drive to and from the lake was a huge blessing. Not only did it save us $400 by not renting one for another week, I was able to learn my way around the area, visit a couple of churches, the library, etc. and it kept me from going stir crazy waiting on the movers, or feeling completely overwhelmed by the boxes that were everywhere.

So I'm flying home tomorrow, finally. To a condo I've spent 6 days in. I only remembered yesterday, all of a sudden, that the bathroom has a garden tub. I'd forgotten. I've already put in a request to Don to drive me straight from the airport to Bravos for dinner. First day home will be spent seeing our daughter, Leslie and her family, and loving on that other grandkid of ours.

And after that? I have no idea. I've been so busy, for so long, it's going to take awhile to get used to not having anything to unpack, or paint, or fix. What comes to mind right away is sleeping in, taking walks around the new neighborhood, beginning some pilates, and enjoying time in our nest. Whatever feathers it has will be just fine for now. I'm way over caring at this point. I guess I'll know I've recovered from this whole experience when I start fussing with wall decor, or pull out long-neglected scrapbooks.

When that happens, I'll make reservations for that trip to Colorado to see family. Don's mother used to say that after the 4th of July, summer was all downhill, over before you knew it. I'm hoping to prove her wrong by squeezing wonderfulness out of every day left before the leaves begin to fall.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I know you just can't wait to get home. It's been a long time coming. Although there have been some very nice advantages to being there longer. I'm glad you got some nice visits with your loved ones. And I hope that back gets better soon. You'll have to take a nice long soak in that garden tub :)

Barb said...

Your tub is going to feel wonderful after this experience. I know you can't wait to get back there and I'm sure Don's counting the hours until you arrive.

I felt so bad for you when you called and told me that in the middle of all this your back went out. Thank goodness for Sarah and Dan.

It's hard to believe you aren't going to be painting anything again, for a long, long time. Breaks you heart, doesn't it?

xoxo

Unknown said...

Oh my, I definitely disagree with Don's mother!! Up here in upstate NY we have school until almost the end of June, and then immediately following is a week of VBS, which ALWAYS ends the week of July 4th, so that is when our summer finally BEGINS!! :o)

I'm surprised you sold the boat and jet skis!! Wouldn't they have been fun when the kids and grandkids came to visit?

Glad things are going to return to 'normal' for you soon. Good luck with everything.

Kelly said...

Have mercy! You enjoy that garden tub and some relaxing walks around the neighborhood- you deserve it!

How nice to know, though, that when you return to the lake it will feel like home.

Karen said...

A garden tub bath and a cup of tea...that's just what you need! My back went out on me a week or so before our moving date--terrible timing, isn't it? I have had back pain for many years and used massage therapists for a long time to help me out. Recently, though, I've tried out accupuncture, which has done me more good than anything ever has. As with everything, there are good accupuncturists and bad ones, but it might be worth looking into if you need more help than a massage therapist can give.

Happy relaxing!
Love and blessings,
Karen

AnnG said...

Glad you were able to make the best of your extended time in Texas and you got to enjoy all our wonderful heat!! Enjoy your new condo home...and we'll see you back in Texas next summer!

Jen said...

I have been wondering about you. It sounds like you have been on an adventure..one you will never forget. Memories....
I'm glad you are going back tot he condo....time to refocus...summer is feeling almost over....when the kids go back to school it feels over..our kids go back 8/6. Miller wont go back until after Labor Day so he and I will make the best of August....
enjoy your down time.