Tag: Family

Probably Jinxing Myself

It’s been quiet here tonight. Dad has been okay. He hasn’t gotten out of bed which is good for my stress level but not so good for his recovery. He needs to get some strength back in his legs and staying in bed is not going to get him there. I’ll see if I can coax him up during the odd coffee break tomorrow.

My mother was in a lot of pain when I got here, but after her last round of meds she went to bed and has been sleeping soundly ever since.

I got a jump on the work day by setting up my computer and everything I need for tomorrow tonight. The last blog post was written on my MacBook while sitting in the living room. This one is being written on my work issued HP while sitting at the workspace in the dining room. That cheap little USB fan is running and as always it is glorious.

I still need to set up my CPAP machine in the living room. I will have to do it in the dark as dad is in there sleeping. I’ve heard the odd snore, so he’s definitely asleep. Mostly I am sitting here writing this because I am waiting for my iPhone and my Apple Watch to charge before I turn in. On previous trips here I would setup a power strip near the couch I sleep on and plug everything in there. It’s not easy to do now as we had a hospital bed setup in that room yesterday and all of the places I would sit things on while they charged have been replaced with piles and piles of stuff. I don’t want to sit a power strip or a laptop on top of that stuff as I’m not sure if any of it might be a fire hazard or not. Shoot me for being extra cautions. So now I’ll just use one plug for the CPAP machine and keep my phone next to the machine with an alarm set. Of all the times I’ve been here over the last couple of months, I have never actually needed the alarm. I’ve always managed to be up long before it goes off. That’s not necessarily a good thing.

I thought about trying to write a little music while I sit here waiting. I have the MacBook and GarageBand with me after all. No… I can’t get into it. I feel too uncomfortable with headphones on.

Okay. I am going to start the turning in process now. Wish me luck.

Forecast

We’ve had a string of scorchers around here. I’ve mentally blocked out some of it. Has it been four straight days above 90 degrees, or was it five? I’ve been thinking about weather tonight. Specifically Friday’s weather.

Yeah I know, it’s too soon to start thinking about the forecast for Friday. It’s the day after tomorrow, but it may as well be 10 years away. Harry’s graduation is Friday evening and it’s going to be outside on the football field.

The good news is that the forecast for the next couple of days won’t come anywhere near the 90’s. The bad news is the high for Friday in Windham is 68 and the low is 56. Yikes!

Two years ago, when Bellana graduated, it was oppressively hot at the start of the ceremony and frosty cold at the end. I had a suit jacket that day but ended up giving it to someone who was a lot colder than I was. It didn’t take long for me to regret the chivalry. I was freezing my ass off.

This time, I’m bringing a real coat with me. I don’t care if I have to carry it around all day. If we’re still on that field when the sun gets low it’s going to feel like the north freakin’ pole.

The boy scout motto is “be prepared.” The cliche quote* is if you don’t like the weather in New England, wait a minute. I will take both of those to heart on Friday. I am going to love the whole experience so much that I ain’t letting a little frigid air stop me.

The Bruins are getting smoked. 6-2, though two of those Islander goals were empty nets. I can’t believe I have to say this, but here’s hoping Tampa Bay kicks the living shit out of New York in the third round.

*I’ve always heard that quote attributed to Mark Twain. Is that true? Did he actually say that? Is that a true story or just some silly myth. I have no idea. If you live in New England you know it’s a really accurate statement though. We live it every day. I’ve lived in New England for 50 years and for pretty much all of those years I did not have any interest in living anywhere else. Today? Today I am thinking that maybe it’s time.

The Bruins have been eliminated from the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Crap.

So Far So Good

Tonight’s a parents’ house night. My 24 hour shift started about an hour and a half ago. My brother was here when I got here and he said it was a pretty quiet day. Yesterday was a nightmare and I wasn’t here for any of it. Will the universe give me a shit day tomorrow to even things out? Goodness, I hope not.

I got them leftovers for dinner and I got them their 8:00pm pills. Apparently my father is supposed to have eye drops with his pills. I didn’t know that, and I didn’t give them when I was here on Sunday night/Monday. I guess now I know, and knowing is half the battle, right?

Dad is watching the Red Sox. They are losing to the Astros. So Major League Baseball seems to have a new cheating scandal brewing? Spider Tack? You heard it here last, just remember that.

I’ve got the Bruins radio coverage on my phone. Like a shit head I forgot my AirPods again. I have a set of ear buds that have a lightning cable and I have a pair of Bose over the ear, noise cancelling cans to use with my computer. I’m going with the ear buds with one ear open. I don’t want to use the Bose because I want to be able to hear if one of my parents calls me. The Bruins and the Islanders are tied at one in the second period. I need, need, need a Bruins win.

Shit… the Islanders just scored. We’re losing 2-1. Shit.

I had something else I wanted to write about. What the hell was it?

Don’t get old, kids. It blows. It’s better than the alternative, but sometimes it just blows.

Go Bruins.

Loki

Loki has begun. We watched it together today. I’m at my parents tonight but we were able to sneak it in on a break.

I’m hooked. I can’t wait for episode 2. How many will there be? I’ve heard six. Can’t wait. Feel that hype. Bring it.

Harry has one more graduation rehearsal before the real thing on Friday. I’m so freaking excited for him!!!

He’s Having a Really Bad Day

I just spoke to my sister. My father had a bad day today. I am not going into details, but he had a really, really bad day today.

I don’t know what we’re going to do.

He had a doctor’s appointment with his primary care physician this morning. I sent my sister a text asking if there was any news and she asked me to call. Just as the call connected, a huge thunderstorm broke out. Lightning, thunder, downpour, the full works. The storm outside was almost as bad as the storm my sister filled me in on, but not quite.

Fuck.

Random Stuff at Lunch Time

Epically busy day today. Sneaking in a short post during a short lunch break. What’s going on, Robert?

When the Covid-19 lock down started I had to grab a webcam so that I could join in on the video conferencing fun. Last week I was on a Google Meet meeting and my camera started flipping out like a crazy person. I tried a couple of USB ports and it was a problem in more than one, but eventually it stabilized itself. That leads me to think there is something breaking loose within the cable. This morning I was on a Zoom meeting and my camera kept shutting off. Turns out it was basically the same issue. I ended up opening up my clam shelled laptop and using the built in camera. It’s working. Folks can see my mug when I am speaking.

Still… a Covid-19 specific tech gadget purchase failed to outlive the lock down. I’m probably going to replace it someday so that I can go back to clam shell. When I go back to the office (which is imminent) I won’t have my gigantic monitor and I’ll have the lappy open anyway, so a replacement camera will just be a home office guy.

I don’t know why but I redid my Spotify Mood Music playlist. I put this together ages ago with the intent being I would update it all the time. Any time I was drawn to a new band or song or whatever I would add something to the playlist. I kept that up for about a minute. Maybe this time I’ll stay active. I don’t use Spotify but it’s easy to share on the blog so that’s why I do it. Whatever.

Jen spoke to Harry a little bit today. He has had his first graduation practice session! We got the details on the ceremony. Masks optional and no socially distant seating. Oh good. The pandemic is over, folks. You made it through! I guess the 11,277 new cases and 245 new deaths yesterday were imagined.

Sorry. This is not a bitch about Covid thing. This is a Harry is a Legend who is graduating from High School in three days post!

Legen…

Wait for it…

We get a new Marvel show on Disney Plus starting tomorrow. Loki. Wednesdays instead of Fridays, that’s new. I think I liked Fridays better in general, but Wednesdays work too. While watching WandaVision we got into the groove of having burgers and fries for dinner while we watched the new episodes. That carried on through The Falcon and The Winter Soldier too. It will continue with Loki. I have no idea what this show is going to be like. I just know that all of us are psyched. Come on, Marvel. Live up to the hype, people! Bring it!

…dary! Legendary!

Misery

I’ve had exactly one day at the house since my father came home. I had one full blown break down while I was there, and then had another one when I got home. If I were cut out for being a home care nurse, I would have been a home care nurse. I haven’t asked my brother and sister if they feel the same way, but I’m willing to bet a pretty large sum that they do. I don’t think I can do this. I will for as long as I have to, but “have to” has to be a short time. It wasn’t the worst day of my life, that was Harry’s diabetes diagnosis day when the ER doctor at Boston Medical Center couldn’t tell us that he was going to be all right. Do you have any idea how scary it is to have a doctor give you a look that says, “your kid might not make it?” This is a Caribbean vacation compared to that day. Still… I don’t know what I’m going to do.

What I do know is that home care nurses are friggin’ super heroes.

Heat Wave

We have had two consecutive days with temperatures topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The forecast calls for the same for two more days. My step son’s last days of high school are going to fall right into the heat wave. In fact, because of the predicted heat his school has actually announced an early release tomorrow and possibly Tuesday too. So his last days… the days after your finals are over that you still have to go in… the most useless days of your high school career… will be short days.

I ask this of all who have ever graduated from an American high school… how jealous are you? I seem to remember having to go in for one day after my senior finals were over, and I also seem to remember it being the longest day ever. My memory tells me that happened, but it seems like such a silly and useless thing that I wonder if it actually happened? Was my last day actually the day of my last final exam? Now I am confused. Old and confused. What else is new?

Whatever, Harry’s done with finals. All he has to do is go back and sign out of his classes. You know, turn in his books, pick up his cap and gown and the parking passes for his parental units… good stuff like that.

I am so proud of him. I can’t put it into words. I’m too proud to explain. I hope he has the time of his life this week. His last days, then all the senior week stuff, then the actual graduation, then they have one final post-ceremony senior week activity, and then he’s done with high school. Then he is a college kid. No, a college man.

I will say it again, I am so proud of him.

Concert Recap

Yesterday we went to Harry’s final band concert. There were four ensembles and he played with all of them. It was 90 degrees out and the concert took place in the school parking lot. The band director sent out an email with the details last week and somehow Jen and I both failed to read the part about bringing your own chairs. We were there a little early and Jen raced home in record time to get us a couple of chairs. She missed the first couple of Jazz Band songs, but she did not miss Harry’s keyboard solo. There were two keyboard players. On this particular song the other guy used a synthy sound that made things sound like the 70’s. It was a little rough, but he’s an excellent player and he made up for the less than quality patch choice. Harry’s solo was with an electric piano sound and it made me want to run out and buy a vintage Fender Rhodes piano because awesome. Now I understand that a Rhodes is also a very 70’s centric sound, but some 70’s sounds are better than others. Dig?

For the other three ensembles, Harry was in the percussion section. He played almost everything. Mallets, hand percussion, cymbals, and on a couple of pieces he played tympani. He played the shit out of those kettle drums. Let’s just say his step father was very impressed, and insanely proud.

The show closed with the concert band. They had a couple of different teachers/student teachers conducting different pieces. On the second to last song, the band director was inside the building while someone else was conducting. Those of us who were still outside saw the sky getting very ominous. Dark, angry looking clouds. It seemed like we were going to get rained on and it was going to be bad. The band director came outside, looked up, and even though were were on the other side of the parking lot we could see him visibly freak a little. We could almost hear the “oh shit” he was thinking. The song ended and he grabbed the mic and said there was one more piece and it’s about five minutes long and we can probably squeeze it in before the sky falls. The DarkSky app had just told me the rain was about eight minutes out. Go for it, dude! They finished the number before the rain hit and had just enough time for the kids to get their stuff back inside and for the audience to scatter. It was almost as if they planned it that way.

I loved every second of the whole thing, and Harry was totally beat when he got home. Not only did he play in all four ensembles, but prior to the high school concert there was a middle school concert and he filled in for a missing kid for part of that as well. The dude worked his ass off in the scorching heat. If anyone had earned themselves a good night’s sleep, it was Harry.

As with most things right now I am conflicted. On the one hand I am proud and happy and impressed at Harry’s hard work and excellent performance. On the other I am sad that it’s the last one. I’m going to say this a lot in the coming weeks, but Covid-19 seriously screwed him out of so many things. I am glad the school was able to sneak this one in at the last minute so that his final band concert didn’t turn out to be a Christmas concert in his Junior year. He’s missed out on a lot of things in the last year and a half. We have to find a way to make it up to him.