Yes, at nine in the evening I have felt a little oomph in my body, as opposed to a little ooph. Yesterday was busy with a trip to the doctor’s office which involved a really big wheelchair and a pulled-over desk to support the leg. After Dr. Warrener looked at it, he sent us to the laboratory down the hall and around the corner. “You know where it is, don’t you?” he asked. Well, yes I did. It was in the same place it was when I was in there with Mother. I was stressed I guess and my mouth quivered and tears dropped down my cheeks.

But the lab news was good and now we wait for the leg to clear of clots and the pain to subside. Speaking of pain medicine, Der Bingle told him he would appreciate a pepperoni pizza as much as anything . . . so after I got him home and Cameron over to the dentist, I brought home two from Little Caesars. Poor Cameron – he came home with a numb mouth.

We have been using the shaved ice feature on the refrigerator – something I thought would just be a fad – quite a bit with this illness. A tall glass of shaved ice with a straw struck in and then a gatorade product or iced tea poured in works well for when it comes to both cool and soothing. Of course, you just have to remember to stick the straw in before you pour in the liquid.

That refrigerator is part of all that has happened this fall. When Mother died, and I mean when she died – like right after the hospice nurse pronounced her and the funeral home came for her – we sent Robert and Cameron to a movie and Der Bingle and Summer and Alison and I drove over to the Sears store here and bought a refrigerator.  What were we going to do? Sit there in the house and stare at each other. Summer was only two months into the being 13 business. I think Der Bingle opted for the shaved ice one because of her. And he himself liked the bowed out shiny black front. I remember I started feeling a little shaky and sat down at a table while they filled out the paperwork. I wondered whatever was I doing, buying a refrigerator right after Mother had died. But I think Summer remembers two separate things: my mother dying and the day we got the refrigerator. And it is good we have shaved ice.

This is a heck of a post, not really saying what I mean in the best way. And now I must add: If I die tonight, do NOT go out and buy a Jenn-Aire stove; they are not of the quality they were 10-15 years ago, according to various reviews. Just order a new burner cassette, they still make them.