Going to California with an aching in my heart...

Beautiful Aunt Jerry died last week. :( (That'd be Scott's mom's sister.) She actually went by that name, signed her name "B. A. Jerry" and such. She was a really, really neat lady. She's been fighting diabetes. I am really glad we got to go to her memorial service. The kids got to meet their cousins and aunts and uncles and it was really rather fun (BA Jerry would have loved it!) Everyone was saying how much Fighter is like her, a very strong spirit. We always stayed with her whenever we visited California.

The actual *driving* was not fun, to say the least. First, we went the wrong way. For over an hour. THAT sucked. (The official decision on whose fault that was is still undetermined.) We had to go a new way to get back on track, since going back and starting over would have taken longer. So we took the Journey Through Time. No, really, that's what it was called, this windy, mountainous, slow little road through the middle of nowhe...I mean, Oregon. Unfortunately, it only went back in time, not forward. And then we didn't realize that another route further on went straight over a mountain (unlike the seemingly longer alternate route) and that was just about the damn creepiest road I've ever been on. I kept expecting to see little lights in the distance and hear Gollum telling me to stay away or I'd be lighting a little candle of my own...

So we got in around 1:30 in the morning. At least we made it safely. The van even held up. On the way home, we vowed, we would leave earlier, actually read the map, and get home at a decent hour. We got home at 1:30 in the morning, and this time we didn't even get lost. Leaving family that you haven't seen for years and probably won't see again for a few more years takes time, so we didn't leave early after all. We did stop in the dark and pick up rocks. That was cool. No, really, it was cool; there's this place in the middle of nowhe...Oregon that is just totally covered with obsidian. You can't see it from the road, we found it by accident last time we went through. It's really cool. Anyway, we wanted some obsidian rocks for our garden. Plus we had the time change working against us on the way back. So it was late.

The dogs stayed here and my dad & sister stopped by to take care of them. Unfortunately this was a bad arrangement for the dogs, both of whom got sick in their kennels. So yes, we came home to more of that at 1:30 in the morning after driving all day. The dogs didn't take that long to bathe, though, and I rinsed out their kennels with a hose in less than five minutes. Don't get me started on the carpet. You remember how I feel about carpet, right? Those feelings are NOT any more pleasant at this point! Let's just say the next time I buy a house it will NOT NOT NOT by any means be carpetted!!!

So that was my week. I have to add that the memorial made me really sad (for more than the obvious reasons). They talked a lot about her group of friends, who are very close, some of whom she has known since high school! It really made me wish we all lived closer together. :(

Comments

[Debbie]

Cha'sae, that was one of the things that was always very frustrating about BA Jerry & her diabetes...she never took care of it right. :(

Everything really went downhill for her when she lost her leg. A physical therapist wrapping her legs wrapped her "good" leg incorrectly. By the time they discovered it, it was too late to save her leg and she nearly died in surgery as well. So then she was left with her "bad leg" (which was already missing part of her foot). :( Just an awful, horrible mess.

[ChaSae]

I too am sorry to hear of your family's loss. Tell Scott too. The mother of one of my close friends has diabetes. It really bites. My friend tells me stories of when her mom forgets to maintain (only sometimes) and how scary it is. --prayer for all with diabetes--
For the most part she keeps on top of it. I've only been around her once when the bottom started falling through, but her family is VERY persuasive and got her back on track. It's very scary for someone who isn't around it all the time to see what can happen. But my friend reassured me everything was alright and explained a little bit of what had happened.

[Debbie]

I thought about Kyle when I wrote that. It really is an awful disease, something that you have to think about all the time...it's not like you can ever pretend that it's not there, yk?

I will tell Scott and hug him. I'm always looking for an excuse anyway. :)

Writing...*sigh* well actually I did have a little journal-ish thing that I was keeping up with for a while, with a template & all. Then we bought a house and I started working. I also have a story I'm working on in my head. Haven't written any of it yet but it's coming along quite nicely in my brain! Delivering pizzas gives me lots of time to think on it, but not much time to actually write it down.

I'll get to it eventually. It will just get to the point where I have to get it out and then I'll be obsessed with it until it's done.

[Penny]

I'm sorry about beautiful Aunt Jerry. I feel slightly nauseous hearing about some one losing the battle to diabetes. Crappy disease. Can you imagine taking shots several times a day FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? I don't think some people grasp the monotony and permanence of diabetes. Please tell Scott I'm sorry, as well. You can even hug him for me. (Like you'd mind.)

Also, you need to write more. I don't mean in here. I always remember what a good writer you were. This post just reminded me of that. Couldn't you squeeze out a little time each day on the Mac? Start with an outline, fill it in from there?