Going home
Well, I've been MIA for a week because I've been on Martha's Vineyard visiting my family. Klee came for the first part, which was fun, as we did a bunch of stuff that I had not done since forever.
We took Jack to the MV Agricultural Fair, where we saw the farm critters including adorable baby mini goats. We did games, rides, all the good fair food, all with my mom, sister in law and niece.
We got food from all my fave places, doughnuts from Humphrey's, pizza from Gio's, shakes from Sandy's, and even dinner at the Newes From America, my fave pub.
We went to the beach, once with Klee in OB, where we met up with my good friend, whom some of you might remember as Hazid, for the two sessions he played Madrigal. The second time was after Klee left, we got out on my folk's boat and went to Nausaun, one of the Elizabethan Islands west of MV. I grew up on that beach every summer, and getting to share it with Jack was awesome. We found hermit crabs, Dogfish pups and the upper half of a Loggerhead sea turtle, who appears to have been eaten by a shark of some sort, though hard to say if it was what killed him. It was 4 feet wide on the shell, and we guess must have been at least 6 feet long when whole. Impressive, and more curious than sad since he was feeding quite a few things. I love my mom btw, who searches out a stick so we can peer under the sea weed to get a better look.
We had lobsters (the first I have ever coked) with local corn one night for dinner, and the four of us sat on the back porch in the cool evening air chatting. Awesome.
Got lobster a second time at the Farm Neck clam bake, a party the golf course throw for employees and members every year. Been several years since I had been.
Jack got lots of time with his Nana and Papa, and there was a lot of time to just relax.
There was sad stuff too. My folks are both struggling with ailing parents, my dad's mom (never terribly pleasant to begin with) has become very mean spirited as ehr dementia worsens, and has ruined every attempt to get ehr assistance at home. My dad needs his siblings to step up so they can get her in the elder care group, but his two sisters are basically ignoring the issue, and its causing my dad a lot of suffering. My grandmother calls MINIMUM four times a day, often for the same reasons every day, is not eating well when she eats at all, and is not taking her meds correctly, but threatens my mom when she tries to set them up for her.
Then on my moms side, my grandfather has been in and out of the hospital four times just since I've been home. It seems clear he's getting ready to move on, but it's so hard to watch. His memory flits in and out, and now he's having episodesof aggression. If he make it out of the hospital this time, he will be moving to elder care. My poor grandmother is beside herself.
My mom is still struggling with her knee, which she has had surgery on twice in the past two years, and still has pain every day. She refuses to take pain meds now, since she was concerened she could become dependent on them. She hasn't been able to work the hours she needs, and has decided to close her buisness down next year, which breaks her heart.
SO yeah, been a lot going on. Ipromised I would visit more, going to try for once a month. Hard stuff aside, our visit was well timed, and by being here we've done a lot of good and helped create a place away from everything.
Leaving on the 5pm boat, I miss my Grumblykins, and his son misses him like crazy too. Pop's health may mean I'm home again soon, but we'll deal with it as it comes.
We took Jack to the MV Agricultural Fair, where we saw the farm critters including adorable baby mini goats. We did games, rides, all the good fair food, all with my mom, sister in law and niece.
We got food from all my fave places, doughnuts from Humphrey's, pizza from Gio's, shakes from Sandy's, and even dinner at the Newes From America, my fave pub.
We went to the beach, once with Klee in OB, where we met up with my good friend, whom some of you might remember as Hazid, for the two sessions he played Madrigal. The second time was after Klee left, we got out on my folk's boat and went to Nausaun, one of the Elizabethan Islands west of MV. I grew up on that beach every summer, and getting to share it with Jack was awesome. We found hermit crabs, Dogfish pups and the upper half of a Loggerhead sea turtle, who appears to have been eaten by a shark of some sort, though hard to say if it was what killed him. It was 4 feet wide on the shell, and we guess must have been at least 6 feet long when whole. Impressive, and more curious than sad since he was feeding quite a few things. I love my mom btw, who searches out a stick so we can peer under the sea weed to get a better look.
We had lobsters (the first I have ever coked) with local corn one night for dinner, and the four of us sat on the back porch in the cool evening air chatting. Awesome.
Got lobster a second time at the Farm Neck clam bake, a party the golf course throw for employees and members every year. Been several years since I had been.
Jack got lots of time with his Nana and Papa, and there was a lot of time to just relax.
There was sad stuff too. My folks are both struggling with ailing parents, my dad's mom (never terribly pleasant to begin with) has become very mean spirited as ehr dementia worsens, and has ruined every attempt to get ehr assistance at home. My dad needs his siblings to step up so they can get her in the elder care group, but his two sisters are basically ignoring the issue, and its causing my dad a lot of suffering. My grandmother calls MINIMUM four times a day, often for the same reasons every day, is not eating well when she eats at all, and is not taking her meds correctly, but threatens my mom when she tries to set them up for her.
Then on my moms side, my grandfather has been in and out of the hospital four times just since I've been home. It seems clear he's getting ready to move on, but it's so hard to watch. His memory flits in and out, and now he's having episodesof aggression. If he make it out of the hospital this time, he will be moving to elder care. My poor grandmother is beside herself.
My mom is still struggling with her knee, which she has had surgery on twice in the past two years, and still has pain every day. She refuses to take pain meds now, since she was concerened she could become dependent on them. She hasn't been able to work the hours she needs, and has decided to close her buisness down next year, which breaks her heart.
SO yeah, been a lot going on. Ipromised I would visit more, going to try for once a month. Hard stuff aside, our visit was well timed, and by being here we've done a lot of good and helped create a place away from everything.
Leaving on the 5pm boat, I miss my Grumblykins, and his son misses him like crazy too. Pop's health may mean I'm home again soon, but we'll deal with it as it comes.