Thursday morning, dad had heart surgery! He’s had an aneurysm in his aorta for a couple of years that they have been monitoring and apparently it had grown since his last exam/checkup, so they decided to put a stint in. It’s a fairly standard procedure these days, and with 2 small incisions in the groin area, it’s much less invasive than when they would have to cut your chest open! I had a test that afternoon, so we couldn’t leave early, but after dinner, the kids and I loaded up and headed to stay with Granny & Granpa, intending to see Grandaddy at the hospital the next morning before he was released. It was nice to see G&G even though it was already bedtime by the time we got there and they both had to work the next morning. Granpa had gotten some little math workbooks at his store and brought them home. Even though they were 1st and 2nd grade level, Dellaina wanted to work on them, which meant, Wyatt did, too. She did really well, even catching on how to do “some traction” (as she reported to Greg) and take things away with her fingers.
The next morning, we woke up leisurely, ate breakfast and then headed over to Granny’s school for a quick visit. They were in the library and just going into the Star Lab when we got there! It was a big inflatable bubble we got to crawl into and they projected constellations, phases of the moon and map of the earth and the stars in the sky as we see them. It was really dark and Wyatt got a little nervous and wanted to sit in my lap, but once they saw the Lion! and the Wolf! and the snake! and the bear! it was pretty cool. By the time we left, Dad had been released and was ready to go, so we decided we’d just meet up, since the hospital was across town for us anyway and they’d be coming back by. I drove them through my old neighborhood and pointed out my house and the creek we used to play in (it’s now red/orange?! and yellow trim. with a dark brown garage door) and then went to play on the playground at McDonald’s. We ate and then went over to meet up with Mammie & Grandaddy, who’d gone to eat at the clubhouse at Jennings Mill. They were just finishing up when we got there and I was surprised how well dad looked. Other than his hospital hair and PJ pants, he was very active and alert. I was just expecting more feebleness, I guess! (Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers! He seems to be doing really well) So, naturally, I loaded the kids up and sent them on with the guy that had just gotten out of the hospital from having heart surgery! They headed to the lake and after dropping off birthday cards in Morgan’s mailbox, I headed back home. The had a great weekend with beautiful weather and lots of doting from aunts and uncles at the lake.
I got in a little nap and then went for my run. On which, I fell. Totally busted in the first cul-de-sac, running back down the hill, so lots of momentum. I stepped on a pinecone or sweetgum ball and rolled my right ankle, landing hard on my left knee and hands. I laid there and cried and watched my leg jump and shake for a bit and examined the layers of skin now on the inside of my pants, but I managed to get up and walk a bit and then kept going for my “run”, even more of a hobble than usual. My ankle didn’t hurt much, thankfully. I’ve rolled and sprained it so many times, it’s been stretched out a bit by now, I think. But my knee is very banged up, bruised and sore. I’ve been limping around all weekend. It’s especially hard on the stairs and I’m doing the Dellaina: taking them together – right steps down, left joins it; right steps down, left joins it; rather than right on a step, then left on the next step below, then right on the one below that, etc. After showering and icing it for a bit, I went out to dinner with my kickboxing gal pals. Good company, yummy salmon tacos and 2 “street margaritas” served in mason jars helped nurse my wounds! And the long island and divine lemon cupcake accompanied by live music was soothing for the soul as well!
Saturday, I got to sleep in, then went up to the neighborhood pool with Greg and trimmed the Crepe Mrytles around the pool area. We had to use our ladder to climb the fence because the lock box with the key in it wouldn’t open. We are the pruning bandits! Look out! It was nice to be outside in the glorious weather, working side by side; sometimes quietly, sometimes easily conversing. It was like old times, before the kids, but typically, we’d remark on the kids and what they’d be doing or saying, so also different.
I finally went to the dentist that afternoon for the first time in 2 1/2 years since losing my job/insurance. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, although it did take a long time. A few weeks ago, I felt like I had food stuck behind my permanent retainer on my bottom teeth and was trying to floss and popped it off one side! So, I had to pull it off the other side and realized, I just had that much buildup behind the bar from not being able to get to it well! So, it’s been nice to have free access for a change and it was great to have the buildup professionally cleaned off!
When I got back, I took a little nap and then hobbled around the neighborhood. Then got in a walk with Greg & the dogs; also like old times. We watched some shows and both observed by this point in the day, it was much different than our normal routine, because the kids would be upstairs in bed. But they weren’t.
I slept in again on Sunday while Greg went in to work for a couple of hours. I did some laundry and cleaning around the house and then headed outside. I limped around the neighborhood again and then helped Greg dig up and roll a massive rock to border the flower beds in the backyard. We spread mulch there and up at the mailbox and felt fairly accomplished. Can’t believe it’s February and we’re out in short sleeves sweating so much!
Then, after a brief nap, I drove down to Pemberton Park, near the World of Coca-Cola and the GA Aquarium and met up with mom and the kiddos. They were eating at Johnny Rockets and their hair was very bedraggled and endearing. They were animated and excited about the upcoming show. We walked over to the tent to see Peter Pan! It’s called a 360 degree theater, where the stage is in the middle and seating goes mostly all the way around. They project scenery up onto the tent walls and ceiling behind you and all the way around and it’s a fascinating experience. You felt like you were flying along with them and ducked when they went under bridges or flinched when the cannons were shot out at you and boomed! We also all jumped at the end with the crocodile had a very large, deep burp after eating Captain Hook. The kids were enthralled. Wyatt was on the edge of his seat a lot and would sit with his hands covering his mouth at times, anticipating. Dellaina was giggling and also clinging, but it was just so wonderful to experience with them and the light and joy in their eyes. Tinkerbell was a hoot – so expressive and definitely the comic relief. The crocodile was a very cool puppet clearly controlled by 2 men, but the growl vibrated your chest and it was very cool. There was so much wire work with acrobatic flying scenes and the Mermaids were ribbon trapeze artists. Tigerlily, the Indian girl had a dance that was entertaining. The end fight scene had a “slow motion” part acted out that was amusing (like The Matrix) It was fun to have the kids clapping right along with everyone after different scenes and at the end when all of the actors come out to take their bow (or aerial flip as Tinkerbell did). We kind of jumped up at the end to leave and Dellaina broke down. It was late and a long weekend, I think she was let down that it was over and then she started crying that she wanted to go back to the lake. Wyatt cried about going back to the lake, too, until I reminded him that Daddy was at home waiting to see him. Then, he started crying about wanting a sword he saw 2 other boys had, but we’d already exited the tent by then, thankfully.
