It’s not always one of ‘those days’

Wish I would have gotten a picture of Dad’s face today while we were at lunch. There was a little – maybe 15-month-old – boy at the table next to us. And, as has been the case for at least the four decades I’ve known him, Dad was doing his best funny faces to engage the kid. It was a welcome flashback. Any kid who has ever been around Dad knows the department of funny faces, and this kid was clearly enthralled.

This week has been kind of refreshing, given that we had quite a spin two weeks ago and a houseful of family (thank God for family) last week. Things are relatively mellow, and we’re back to a more manageable set of listicles, even if I’m struggling to find other topics of conversation.

On a barely related note, I think I should have been a flight attendant. After 7,500 times answering the question “Where are we going to put everyone?”, I have the hand gestures down pat.

Things kicked off with a doctor’s appointment where Dad was severely disoriented – he couldn’t follow the relatively familiar string of events between checking into the doctor’s office until going back for his check-up when I had to step out and go to the bathroom. That was disturbing enough. But he had decided that I was going to wait while he met with his doctor, so I played along, just to see how things would go. After the exam ended, his provider, ashen faced, coming to find me in the lobby to ask me if I was ok, if he was cooking, or if he was driving. I sucked it up and gave the best answers I could, but the whole scene was a big kick in the gut. Add that on top of Dad’s cycling anxiety about everyone coming up driving me up the wall, and, let’s just say, it wasn’t either of our best weeks.

Then, the entire crew – Lori’s family and Craig’s family – were up for a week While having a houseful of people may not seem like an introvert’s dream for getting some down time, my family makes it work. Dad has multiple people to talk to, some of whom aren’t even over his persistent desire to “make you think”. I can take C out for a Mommy-Daughter day without having to worry that Dad’s missing out on a chance to get out of the house. My BIL can take on fix-it projects that I can’t because Dad will step back and let him do his thing. Which is a very good thing when the internet, the central air fan, and various and sundry other nice to have household amenities all go boots to the sky in the same week.

It was a good time, but everyone but Dad and I have departed. C’s spending two weeks with her Auntie, and likely a good portion of that in the swimming pool. Dad’s relaxed enough to laugh at himself when he forgets that C’s in Arizona.

And now the coffee pot has gone boots to the sky. Shucky darn, guess we’re going to have to go to Helena tomorrow, get lunch, and buy a new coffee pot.

All things considered, not really one of those days.