Dalliance Day

What a good, but low-key (and weird), day. I got up and definitely felt better. Of course, my bowels did remind me all day that I was not completely out of the woods. Still, the fever and aches were gone - hooray! I had a small breakfast in the hotel lobby and then spent the morning doing things online. Eventually, we all headed out to see my grandmother. We had a nice lunch with her. Invariable, our manic genes all came out in someways. A few years ago, my mother, my grandmother, my sister, and I ALL tried to get things out to "help" get a meal ready. The kitchen we were in was literally 3 feet by 8 feet. Needless to say, 4 adults in that space doesn't work well. Today, it was mostly my mom and grandmother trying to out do each other, but I know that my sister and I both still feel the compulsion.

Lunch was great, though. It was leftovers from the party that I missed yesterday. My aunt came over when we finished. It was wonderful to see her too. After another hour of chit-chat, my dad, my sister, my daughter, and I headed out so grandma could do some "things" with her daughters. We headed to a local shopping spot in Duluth. It is actually a renovated brewery (Fitger's). My sister, my daughter, and I had a glorious time browsing the stories. We even did some window shopping outside (which is funny because the temp was below freezing) that lead us to some excellent chocolate. My dad called up a high school and college buddy. They decided to meet at a restaurant next to the shopping center.

The only "bad" part about my dad's plan is that it easily could have (and did) upset my mother. Their relationship constantly perplexes me. Like me, my mom seems to have extreme anxiety and tends to want to "take care" of everything. My dad, on the other hand, tends to be oblivious to how much he can upset her, or at other times purposely tries to antagonize her. Fortunately, by the time we picked up my mom, she had decided that the restaurant would be a good place to eat. Plus, my sister and I figured that she too would love to she their mutual friends. That is another trait I know that I share with my mother - the inability to allow oneself to enjoy a situation.

The dinner was good, but toward the end things got dicey. My daughter was completely out of place and wanted to head back to the hotel. Plus, my dad and one of his buddies kept talking to her, which she was not so keen about. Gratefully, we did get out of there before she completely melted down. Back at the hotel, I went swimming with her and had fun just hanging out. The hotel we are at has s'more cookouts every night. A s'more is marshmallows and chocolate between two graham crackers. Usually, you heat the marshmallows over hot coals. Not wanting to stand outside tonight, my daughter and I decide we would heat the marshmallows in the microwave in our room. Now, we are enjoying a quiet evening in the room.

Throughout the day, I did feel a bit ill still. I also knew that my narcolepsy was dragging me down some. But, I rolled with the moments and stayed present with each event. In many ways, I did very little, but I also did tons of things. I connected with people - online, in person, over the phone. I had fun in active and passive ways. I rested. I exercised (walking and swimming). It was a simple day and a great day. Far too often, those two are treated as opposites, when they are far better as synonyms. We head home tomorrow, and while I expect more tension (particularly from my parents), I also know that the journey home will be fun. I am looking forward to seeing my wife. I am also excited and hopeful about where this next year will take us.