My summer was planned right through the last weekend in July. I had appointments with Pilates or Yoga or the gym or walking with Brenda Starr filling the bulk of my calendar. I was in waiting mode, not signed up for classes or planning short jaunts to cooler climes. A grand-daughter was coming, and I was in hurry-up-and-wait mode.
Three weeks later, I came home for five days, then left again for a long weekend. We came home on Monday afternoon; TBG had cataract surgery on Wednesday morning.
I must have unpacked and repacked and unpacked again, because there are no suitcases in the halls. I have no memory of any of it. There's not a lot of laundry, because we haven't been around and in the gym and swimming and going out to eat. Instead, I have several white plastic bags emblazoned with hotel logos sitting mournfully on the floor of the laundry room. I don't need them right now; I can live out of my closet instead of my suitcase.
I'm home.
The mail and the newspaper are once again on regular delivery. The bills, which were paid up through August before I left in July, are once again coming due for September. Conferences and cocktail receptions and concerts are flooding my inbox as Tucson wakes up after its long, summer nap. Mavis Staples, the YMCA, Youth On Their Own .. everything sounds wonderful to me.
I spent three weeks waiting on others, watching a new life beginning. I spent a weekend celebrating love. I spent a day being amazed at the wonders of modern medicine. I was on the outside, enjoying the show without being the star. I was where I was needed, when I was needed, and the choices were not mine to make. There was something delightfully relaxed about living at the beck and call of others.
But now, I'm home. There are bills to pay and appointments to schedule, mammograms to get and decisions to make. Do I want to study Ancient Women or World War I? How hard should I train for the 5K in November? When should we have G'ma's unveiling?
Can I go back to taking care of other people? Please?
WWI is fascinating. The political machinations of the heads of state, many of whom were cousins, was incredible. The war redrew the boundaries of most of Europe and the Middle East. Much of the current strife in the Middle East can be laid at the feet of the British who re-allocated countries, ignoring tribal boundaries. Africa was impacted as well, as European countries went after each others' colonies. It was interesting to learn how much that war set us up for WWII and shaped the future. David Reynolds has a book out called the Long Shadow. I have not read it, but the reviews are good. And of course, it was a sad tragic stupidly fought war with a lot of death. So there you go.
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