Family Day-Four Generations

So listen, I am lucky enough to be able to send off SGS to 5th. grade a few mornings a week, this allows SD to go to her college classes-she is in her final year of courses for teaching exceptional students. She went back to school at age 27, and doing well-because she really wants this. She is also working full- time while attending school. I don't know that I could have done that-or if I would have succeeded at the level she has. She said good-bye, thanks and tells me she loves me-very natural, and very appreciated.

So, after all morning rituals are done by SGS, we watched the movie "National Treasure 2" on his PSP-which I now know stands for Play Station Portable. The picture and sound were really amazing for being such a small hand help unit. The screen is about the size of a cell phone. So then, off he went to school, telling me he loves me-right out loud-not caring if a peer overheard. I don't know how long that will last until the 10 years or so that they go through the "no public showing of affection" stage, so I am really soaking it all in-planting it in my heart so I can pull it out when things are parched and those sentiments are really needed.

Home to go for voting in the primary with SH, then we decided to take his trusty 17 yr. old car for a spin-it has a new inspection sticker, a new battery, new radiator and new oil waiting to flow through wherever that goes. He Has not driven for around 2.5 months because of recent health problems, starting to feel stronger now, so off come the leg braces-can't press on the petals (as in gas and brake-OMG) with them on. We decided on just a short trip, I decide not to drag my purse with me, lock it in our other car along with his braces-and away we go. It was lovely to be a passenger. I really do love driving, but sometimes it is nice to just sit back and chill-lax, looking at the trees changing color ever so slightly, watching the first V formation of geese starting their journey south. Then we both notice that the gas tank is showing enough gas to keep the needle above "E", yikes, are you kidding me? We drove up and down a few hills between us and home, so if we run out of gas, I stupidly left cell phones-yes 2 folks, count 'em, back in the other car, along with money, leg braces, and of course his wheelchair. Being the anal soul that I am, I plead to go home immediately, but wondering how we were going to chug up and down the hills that are now our enemy, but were previously just so bucolic (don't you love that word? We use it often and laugh every time.) To cut to the chase, we made it home OK. SH wanted to go immediately and get gas, but I had enough fun in that car for today.

In the afternoon, I picked up my SM (new abbreviation-Sweet MOM), bring her back to our house and wait for SS's van to bring him home from work. This is a big day for him-he works in a sheltered workshop, and this is the annual Family Spaghetti Dinner, a special night for him. He cleans up we all pile into the trusty car, and drive away-and I casually look at my fuel indicator-and the (*&* low fuel light is on! Again, are you kidding me? We do not have time to stop before the dinner, so all are asked to remind me to get thee to the gas station right away on the way home.

At the dinner, we are joined by SD, SGS, and more new abbreviations: SFH and SFHW-sweet former husband and sweet former husband's wife. I know, this seems very different, but it works for us to be friends-now.

Great dinner, new method of giving away 200+ door prizes and raffle items, we are not able to stay 'till the end, but almost. Needed to say goodbye to SS's very caring, committed Vocational Case Worker-she is movin' on up! She really had great insight (insite?) into SS's needs and abilities, and we wish her well.

I should note that this is the first time that SH has been out at night in those same few months that he has been ill. All worked out very nicely. Drove SM home, but did not stop for gas until we were able to go to local grocery chain, in case I had some discount points to use-who says I am not a high risk taker-bring it on!

So, to make the day even more delightful, sd used her puppy pottie while we were gone! Life is good.
Good Night, I need to refresh, refuel energy for whatever tomorrow brings.
p.s. don't you love spellcheck? Even if the wrong word is chosen grammatically, it is spelled right.