And catching up
Where to start? I’m in NY for my annual pilgrimage to see old friends and visit dead relatives. This trip has been planned for months and almost canceled several times. The first “I’m not going” occured when I discovered that I haven’t been assigned any classes for Fall. While I’ve been planning on retiring at some point, that point was meant to be a few years from now, when our mortgage was paid off. The motel where I stay has raised prices – hasn’t everything gone up? (Let’s go Brandon) and I didn’t think I could justify spending the money when I will soon not have an income aside from Social Security. (Yes, I’m that old)
Bear chose to differ with that decision. He has assured me that although we will have to tighten our belts a bit – translated to “no more random shopping trips for shit I don’t need” – we will be fine with the money he makes. I’m thinking about what I’d like to do. I’m honestly tired of teaching. No, that’s not true. I love teaching, I’m tired of students who need to be bottle fed and have their hands held through every step and are incapable of figuring anything out on their own. I’m tired of academic politics and having to bite my tongue for fear of offending someone with koolaid dyed hair. I’m tired of being afraid to post that because I might lose my job. So I’m thinking about going private – private tutoring pays well and I wouldn’t have to deal with anyone I don’t like. We’ll see, nothing will be decided till I get back from NY
The second almost cancellation occured when I got out of bed on Thursdy morning and couldn’t put weight on my right leg without screaming in pain. I have a low pain threshold but this was excruciating – on a scale of 1-10, this was a 15. This was “I’ve been kicked in the crotch and then set on fire” level of pain. I somehow managed to get Maverick to daycare, then fell on the floor and tried my back exercises, after messaging my chiropractor for an emergency adjustment. He asked if I could be there at 2:30. I could have been there in 5 minutes! By the time 2:30 rolled around, a shower and a few ibuprofen had eased the pain back to manageable, I could walk upright although with a noticeable limp, He said something about twisted vertebrae, beat me up and sent me off.
I babied myself for the rest of the day. Bear packed the car and let me nap. I went to bed at 10 pm – my normal is 1 am. Got up in the morning and was able to walk relatively pain free so I headed out at 10. And for some reason, although i know how to get from my house to this motel, I chose to follow Siri’s directions and ended up adding an hour to the drive. It was an adventure! I went through towns I’d never visited in all the years I lived here!
That evening was pizza was one nephew, the next day was a birthday party for another nephew. Sunday was lunch with the oldest nephew, and Monday I spend the day with an old friend, who sent me off with several designer handbags that her deceased daughter had collected over the years – she could have sold them for a good chunk of money but wanted to give them to someone who would use them. She also gave me a really cute hat that had belonged to the same daughter. We laughed and talked all afternoon, I came home with a heart overflowing and a smile that wouldn’t quit.
Tuesday was a visit to my sister, office hour, late lunch, and class this evening. I’m tired! Something is planned for every day and I’m not used to being so on the go. I’m giving myself the evenings to decompress. Netflix and crochet, totally necessary.
Wednesday was a search for my cousin’s grave – we didn’t find it but we did find my aunt and uncle, so that was mostly a success. Thursday was a 150 mile drive to have lunch with a friend, give her a ton of yarn, and then drive 150 miles back to the motel. I hadn;t slept well, so that was followed by a two hour nap.,
Friday was lunch with a favorite cousin, then a trip to Walmart for socks – because apparently I can’t count.
Today I visited the rest of the cemeteries, had a good talk with my parents, and my grandparents, and got seriously annoyed at the state of my maternal parents’ graves. One cousin chose to plant a bunch of crap around their headstone, it badly needs weeding and I didn’t bring tools with me to take care of that. There are a plethora of cousins in this area, someone could get off their ass and do it. Then I had dinner with a favorite nephew and said “see you next year.”
Tomorrow is a visit with an old friend, my annual tarot reading from a dear friend, and finally home on Monday. I am so ready. While it’s been nice to have a break from daily stuff, I’m ready for home. A good cup of coffee, a shower in my own bahroom and a good night’s sleep in my own bed – sounds like a slice of Heaven.
I am so very grateful for the blessings in my life – my friends and family here, and my friends and family at home. I have more than I deserve and I am well and truly blessed
Suziecreamcheese Sings the Blues 
I hate it when you look funny at something and your back goes out or wake up for some reason with a crick in your neck, ruins your whole day, or week or whatever!! I have a herniated disk in my lower back so I don’t go get adjusted anymore :(, they don’t like to work on my back.
Sounds like you had a good time. I think being away from home for a while makes you appreciate your reg life at home more, where you have your set routines that you are use to ;).
I wonder if you mentioned to your cousins that the your maternal grandparents graves were looking quite sad, if one of them would go clean it up a bit? I go visit my son’s grave site but the cemetery takes care of all the mowing and clean up. But then we have to have a flat grave marker (stone).
Hope it’s not as hot where you are as it is here!!! 91 tomorrow and Monday they said and that is without the heat index which could bring it up to 98 they said :(.
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I’m going to be contacting relatives once I’m home. The Mennonite church mows the cemetery but doesn’t clean around headstones.
I have an appointment with my spine doctor on the 24th to discuss options- I have degenerative disc disease so I’m not sure what’s next for me. More whining, I’m sure!
It’s been a good trip – in two weeks I’ll be ready for another 😂
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My daughter has degenerative disk problems too, she had to have 2 of them fused to another disk, one of them was replace with cadaver bone (ewww) and it looks like she may need another one sooner or later. We have EDS in the family which is regarding connective tissue, I think that has an effect your disks.
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I think I’ll pass on that remedy!
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I’m exhausted just reading about your week! I hope you can take a vacation to recover from your vacation.
I hope that you do decide to try private tutoring. I am curious how much more you might post if you feel free to!
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Oh the things I could say! I put things on hold till this trip was over but this week will be spent researching options. I did private tutoring in the past but I got students from my college so this will be a bit different. I’ll update as things progress
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Good luck! It would be great if you ended up with better clients AND more money!
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Fingers crossed!
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Just because you need a vacation from your vacation doesn’t mean your vacation wasn’t worthwhile. Having had to travel occasionally for work, I can appreciate “my own shower, my own bed“ and add to that “no unaccounted for sounds from anyone or anything else.”
I am curious about how Maverick adjusts to your being away on your annual pilgrimage. He probably behaves well for the Bear because he only knows which buttons of YOURS to push!
put a check in the column labeled “success“ for surviving everything and everyone for another year. I think I would enjoy doing private tutoring over teaching a class. That way you only have one Richard Cranium at a to deal with!
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I haven’t heard “Richard cranium “ in way too long- thank you for cracking me up! Maverick mopes while I’m gone. He eats little and spends a lot of time staring down the driveway. He does continue daycare and does well there. Tomorrow when he gets home, I will already be there and he will practically turn himself inside out with joy. And then be a butt head for a week 😂
Unaccounted for sounds – last night someone was knocking on the door to the next room. I had to check – guy asked if he woke me up and I said “no, I’m just nosy.” He laughed. It was only 8:30!
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Well, we’re even now because you made me elicit a chuckle at your response. Being in bed at 8:30 PM happens here on occasion…and I would have felt compelled to lie in answer to that question!
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so not having classes scheduled translates to forced retirement?? Bummer. I say yes to the tutoring idea. Very glad the pain is gone (or seriously abated). I dislike pain.
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not having classes in the Fall is a good indication that I won’t have classes going forward. I could be wrong, we’ll see. Hope for the best and plan for the worst!
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So by now you are home and rested from your vacation.
I love the Richard Cranium term! My sister’s husband was called Dick but she couldn’t marry a “dick” so we called him Richard…though he did live up to his name before he died last year. (Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…)
Tutoring will ease you into retirement. Good luck!
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I’m home and doing endless loads of laundry while taking back stretching breaks. I may be recovered by the time I see my osteopath on Monday. Somehow it seems that most Richards live up to their name – and Father, forgive Patti, even though she isn’t sorry 😁
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Late to this post, but wondering how your tarot reading went…?
Linda xx
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It was interesting- nothing earth shattering, clarity on a few issues. My friend is extremely good at reading the cards – he hasn’t been wrong often in all the years I’ve known him.
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Oh wow – I used to read them when I was younger and gained a lot of insight, but over time their power seems to have faded – or my outlook has changed. Always interested in how others go. xx
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Perhaps you ned a new deck 😁
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Indeed!
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