Morning Glory

 

 

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U of I Hospital: The Playground Chronicles

I am so behind on picture posting (two birthdays from June, the summer reunion, the rest of Ontario trip), it's pathetic, but I'll get in the final photos from last Friday. Only one week late!

After two plus hours in the car, the kids were ready for some physical activity.

First step? Lose the pesky shoes...


Playground tag! Somewhere in that blur is...Nolan, I think.


Hiding on the playhouse roof...
...sure, why not. We're at the hospital, after all.

Once in a while, ya gotta rest.


Trevor, doing his "possessed" impersonation. Hope Limbaugh doesn't see this!
(I posted this on Facebook...nobody got it there, either)

Completely natural and un-posed.


Completely worn out.


Completely cool reflective windows.


The kids had two sessions of vigorous activity during the 2.5 hour procedure. So in-between times--while they were reshaping Derek's lung and all--I took the kids up to the surgery waiting room. Once they even got snacks out of a vending machine!

Carolyn informed me this was a new experience for her. I glanced nervously over my shoulder.

It's one thing to withhold vaccinations and public/private school. But sheltering kids from vending machines, come on! I could be put away, for that.

Luckily, no one overheard.

After visiting Derek, we got home safely with the aid of a Diet Coke. The rest, is continuing history...
 

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Shades of The Great Escape

It's almost as if Steve McQueen is sitting in solitary, bouncing the baseball against the cement floor and wall; catching it in his mitt.

Except, it's Nolan, bouncing a tennis ball out in the addition, against the chipboard and sheet rock; catching it in his mitt.

I'll leave you to guess who is in the cell, and whether it's small and padded, or comprised of four floors.
_______________

On the Derek front, today's x-ray shows no lessening of the air pocket, and inconclusive as to whether it's getting larger.

Another x-ray is scheduled for tomorrow. In the meantime, Derek is staying at Ardith and Justin's, and taking the rest of the week off from work.

In fact, word on the street is, "If he shows up at work, he will be driven home and the air let out of his tires."

Apparently, friends don't let friends drive pnuemothoraxy.
______________________

We watched the first game of The World Series, last night. I thought it was going to be a cantankerous evening, since all but one were rooting for the Giants (except me, of course...I don't actually care, that much...though one does hate to see Nolan Ryan looking sad).

HOWEVER, partway through the game (our) Nolan switched over to the majority (and the winning side, coincidentally enough), making all of our lives much---more---enjoyable.

The usual World Series rules apply:

--eating supper in the living room
--staying up a little later (though the youngest two don't usually see the ends of games)
--skipping the before bedtime reading (sometimes they ask me to read to them earlier in the day, but this year they haven't thought of it yet...we'll see how long it takes...)
________________

In rodential news, I caught five mice, right before the The Bomb storm hit.

I guess they decided it would be easier to face Ma's traps, then the 50 mph gusts of wind.

They lost. It was rather exciting for the boys, as two traps were sprung while they were getting their breakfast.

The Lord provides in mysterious ways, I always say.
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Getting back to Great Escapes, Loren and I will head out on another "undate," tonight. I've a hankerin' to see RED. I know The Social Network is quite popular, but I dunno...there's just something about arrogant twerps showing disdain for their elders that leaves me cold, as opposed to, say...old folks coming together for one last "hurrah." While attired in evening wear.

You go, Helen!
 

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Tree Watching Sunset and Wishing It Could Drink Cider

 


I am a lot like this tree:

Can't change the weather.

Don't get around as much as I used to.

Probably won't get smaller, any time soon ;-)

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WIND was the weather word of the day. It was nice to wrap up in a blanket, instead of looking for a cooler part of the house in which to eat chocolate do school with the kids.

Several things to report on the medical front:

First off, Derek is still incarcerated in the University of Iowa Children's Hospital.

True, he's not a 'children' any more, but Dr. L. says that once he gets his clutches on a youngin', they're his for life, heh, heh.

Still waiting for the 2nd x-ray of the day, but the one this morning showed no change in the size of the air pocket.

Derek did get a loaner laptop from the library, however, so now we can send emails, as well as talk on the phone.

He is in good spirits and feeling well, just not allowed to leave until they can be sure the pneumothorax is both gone, and not coming back.

Secondly, today was a big day for Derek's cousin, Andrew Hoyt, in Oklahoma. Andrew had had spells when he wasn't feeling well, and after getting a better cardiologist, he was referred to an electrophysiologist. That doctor ran Andrew through extensive tests. Things looked pretty normal until they did a 30-day (I think) heart monitor, where they picked up episodes of v-tach. This, added to the early death of his father--Loren's brother Galen--and all the family history, led them to advise placement of an ICD in Andrew.

This took place today and he is doing fine and recovering in his hospital room, aided no doubt by his lovely wife Ellisa, who is a nurse :-)

Loren's brother, Mark, also has an ICD, and of course, Loren had various models over the 9-year period before his heart transplant in 2004.

Our family: keeping Medtronic Inc. alive, so they can help others.

Hoyts care.

Personally, I'm ready for some baseball à la World Series, popcorn and cider.

Starting tomorrow.
 

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So...

...they won't be releasing Derek, today.

The last x-ray showed the pneumothorax had not lessened in size since this morning.

And what I just found out is that Dr. L. pulled out the tube, this afternoon (painful, but quick). It was hoped that the hole had healed and that the air pocket would continue to decrease. And if it did decrease after the tube was pulled out, that would mean he was definitely on the mend and could go "home" (his apartment in CR, not up here).

But Derek will have to stay in the hospital at least until sometime tomorrow.

Loren is driving home, right now, since his last immunosuppressant meds were taken, this evening.

We had thought of meeting up somewhere, with me bringing extra pills for him, but since we don't know when they will let Derek out...what's the point?

Ardith and Justin can pick him up after discharge. Since Derek's not in ICU anymore, it's not as necessary that someone be there.

He'll always have Kindle!

____________

In other news, I took the kids to the libraries today and did the shopping. Always a long day.

We arrived home later than usual because I stopped in Ackley to pick up a mum from an older lady who's son just passed away from cancer. His sister has been keeping up this memorial garden, started by their family, but she lives in Minnesota and can't be doing that anymore. So I volunteered to be responsible.

It shouldn't be too hard...just the four beds alongside the four walls of a park shelter.

Anyway, I planted the mum tonight, while it was getting dark, because rain is forecast for tomorrow, not to mention 30-40mph winds. I wanted to get it done this evening, if at all possible, and it worked out pretty well. I THINK, anyway...it was getting dark :-)

Only thing left to do is read more Lemony Snicket to the kids and put them to bed.

Oh, and divide up two 10lb tubes of hamburger. It was on sale for $.99 per pound, and whoo-ee...that does not happen very often, these days!

We should be all beefed up for the next 3 weeks.
 

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The Derek Update....

...or as is commonly referred to, "Why I am like my father."

The last wayward air that needs to come out of the space ex lungo, is playing hard to get.

So it looks like Derek will remain in ICU for most of the day.

These Hoyts...always a problem!

They could suction out the remaining air from the pocket, but that would be painful, so they are trying other means, such as moving and repositioning Derek. It will be a slower process, but less traumatic.

Let's pray this method works!

For some strange reason, I am reminded of the first time Loren had his ICD replaced, approximately 4 years after the original operation. It took the good Dr. H. over 5 hours, and after the exhausting procedure, he came out, plopped beside me on the waiting room couch and commented, "I've only had one other patient give me this much trouble....his name was Loren Hoyt."

Fast forward a few years to a time after Loren had repeated shocks from his defibrillator: the doctors at Mayo (by this time Loren was on the transplant list) changed his heart medication. Wouldn't you know it, Loren was the 1 in 1000 people who got hiccups from taking Mexiletine.

So we can clearly see that there is SOME-thing in the Hoyt genome that prefers long odds.

Almost makes me sad that I can only be an onlooker, and not a participant.

But getting back to the 19-year-old, if things go as they have been well, Derek will be downgraded to a regular hospital room, later today. He'll still have to remain until tomorrow (at least). I think we can safely say that Loren's overnight bag, packed on Friday, has maxed out.

But this is America, people! We have Wal*Mart, fer cryin' out loud! Time for a few replacement socks and...stuff.

As for me, yesterday's migraine has returned. Time for a nap.
 

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Glitch

I tried to put this on Facebook, but it wouldn't post...

Derek's pneumothorax has increased in size. The the nick to the lung is just big enough that more air escapes than can be treated with the current therapy of extra oxygen.

So they went in--I'm assuming it's done, since it's only a 5-minute procedure and I heard this about an hour ago--with a needle or tube to let the air out, that way.

Standard procedure calls for Derek to stay in ICU overnight, so Loren was getting ready to move Derek's stuff.

It's not supposed to be a big deal, so this therapy should take care of things and hopefully Derek will be cleared to go home, soon.

{11:30 update} The procedure's been done and most of the air is out. Derek is in ICU and the whole business was pretty uncomfortable and he's been given morphine. Loren was supposed to be given permission to leave after a bit. The tube will have to stay in until they are sure no more air is becoming trapped outside the lung.
 

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The Joys of Being Hoyt

Sorry for the delay. Just a bit wiped out. Finally decided to plop some pictures up of the main event and leave ones of the kids running-around-like-crazy-banshees-on-the-hospital-playground, for later.

The surgery got started late, due to an emergency in the cath lab. However, an OR room opened up, so they decided to take Derek up there. I think the procedure finally started some time after 3:00.

Afterward, Dr. L. came and took the massive Hoyt hordes into a side room, to talk about how things went.

Then he grabbed Derek's heavy backback, which we'd been guarding, and carrying it, escorted us to the floor where Derek would be staying, overnight.
I mean really...how many doctors do this? Doc L. is one great dude!

While waiting for Derek's gurney to come down the hall, we got to cool our heels in the family lounge....oh look! FOOD,.
The kids descended like a hungry mob that hadn't eaten since 11:15.

Which they hadn't. Well, except for those cool snacks they got out of the vending machine.

I don't want to say my kids are sheltered or anything, but all one or two of them had never procured eatables from magic machines, before.

After posting lookouts, we spied Derek gliding down the hall, and I'm sure he wasn't embarrassed by his younger siblings greeting him with wild yells and smiles.

At all. (it wasn't that bad, really)

Minus the scrubs, Doctor L. showed us Derek's x-ray, which I didn't really comprehend, other than recognizing the rib cage.
Something about a "pnuemothorax." Hmmmm, I've heard that term before...I looked it up this morning and discovered it meant...

Sometimes it's good to be ignorant. This is probably why doctors use the terminology 'pneumothorax,' as opposed to, 'collapsed lung.'

It's only a very small bit. There's an air bubble on the outside of the lung, which pushes against the lung. They are giving Derek oxygen by mask to combat it. Shouldn't be a big deal, but since it was still there this morning, he'll probably have to stay one more night.

Anyway, I do appreciate how Dr. L. just took us all right up to the nurses station and showed us everything. Dr. L. and Dr. H. (Loren's first EP in Iowa City) are the best, in Ma's book!

Time to look in on the patient.

We walked into the room while Derek was proclaiming, "I am in total control. I'm completely rational. I'm actually feeling grumpy, rather than cheerful."
Wow, sounds normal to me :-D

He'd said that because we were joking about hearing him sound goofy from his meds. I remembered seeing Loren right after an angiogram and he was downright chatty and cheerful! In other words, not like himself.

But apparently Derek decided that was not going to happen, with him :-)

And he was more alert than he appears in these pictures...
...which, by the way, I had permission to post on the blog.

His throat was sore from the intubation, and he was really wanting a drink, but had to hold off for a bit.

As of this morning, he's feeling quite well, not needing any pain medication.

When Loren called me, Derek was reading his Kindle and Loren was regretting leaving his laptop at Derek's apartment, where Loren had spent the night.

But Derek should be checked out by tomorrow (at least), and Loren home then, too.

More stuffs to come, including daring feats by the kids on the playground equipment, or as I refer to it, "Go ahead...at least we're already at the hospital."
 

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Things are Good!

Pacemaker's in.

Derek's fine.

Kids and I are back.

Discharge is tomorrow.

Loren takes him back to CR apartment and returns home.

More details, later.

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Just Another Day, Tomorrow...

...or not.

Oh we'll buckle down to school in the morning. The boys will grumble, as usual, and try to sneak off to their Legos for more refinements to their howitzer-wielding combines.

But then I'll pack the kids and a Coke in the Lincoln and drive to Iowa City. There, we'll hob-nob with Derek and see what life's like when you're nineteen and they slice you open to stick in a pacemaker.

It's not major surgery, just a simple tucking of the device under the skin and a slightly less simple screwing of the leads into the heart.

But we would appreciate your prayers.

Prayers for safety as Loren goes down early to take Derek to check-in.

Prayers for the rest of us as we follow, later.

Prayers for Derek and the procedure to go well, with no complications.

Prayers for safety getting back home.

Prayers for Derek's quick recovery and smooth return to a workable lifestyle.

Thank you for your prayers.
 

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Poetic Irony:

Taking the play tent outside on a blustery day....forgetting (or against?) the express wishes of one's maman....having it blow 1.5 miles away and then retrieving it while parent listens amusedly to all of Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown and most of Ride Like the Wind.



Life is just too funny, sometimes.

After awaking from my non-nap, I was met at the top of the stairs by Nolan who enumerated with the help of his fingers, "There are two things about today: One, I took the tent outside, and two, it blew awayyyyy!....*commence wailing*..."

After further reports from the disapproving siblings, I found out it had blown all the way across Mr. Frey's field where it became stuck on the fence, then torn and tumbled off, further east.

I scolded Nolan into his shoes and we took the Green Dragon Lady Lincoln out for the search and rescue. Even if it was all beat to pieces, it wasn't going to clutter up the landscape, if I could help it.

We found it as we drove one mile east of our house, stopped by another fence halfway across another field.

"How are we going to get it?" asked the completely unassuming boy-of-forgetful-waywardness.

"You're going to walk across that field and drag it back," replied his mother-with-no-heart.

It probably wasn't much more than a quarter of a mile, but plodding back to the car with an open tent, against the wind, was not the easiest of tasks. Thankfully, it only has a small rip.

Despite the huge combines harvesting in the field next door, Nolan chose to come in, sit quietly on the couch, and draw.

I wonder if it's too much to hope that this lesson will be impressed upon his mind?
 

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Master Gardener and Commander

Ma's got a MG gig, tonight.

I'll be sitting in for the Hardin Co. Extension Coordinator at the Master Gardener class, since he has a commitment to moderate a forum at the local community college. It doesn't involve much really, besides showing up. The class is via Adobe Connect from Iowa State College.

Adobe Connect is where they illustrate the concepts of the class through a video feed of ISU professors manipulating small, sun-baked, clay bricks. Tonight's topic: Landscape Trees and Shrubs.

I'm assuming they've used extra straw for the shrubbery bricks.

ANY-way, Melinda and I are heading over after an early supper. We get to apply these hours to our continuing education requirements.

("Please...nobody ask me a question...I don't know that much...")

And on Thursday, I'm meeting with a lady from Minnesota (or is it Wisconsin? I always get them mixed up...) concerning a small garden in a local park. She and her husband have been responsible for its upkeep, but it's getting to be too much for them, and I volunteered to take it over.

And I'm serious about taking it over...it's going to include armaments, SCUD missles...the works!

Ha, ha. OF COURSE I am kidding.

SCUDs are so passé. I would definitely go with laser-based weaponry.

*sigh*...no, it's upkeep along the lines of weeding and mulching. Not a big deal, since it merely involves four sides of a small building.

I think even this aging matriarch can handle it.

But back to tonight, the kids always love it when I'm away, since that usually means....VIDEOS!

The first possibility didn't exactly pan out. The "Long John Silver" DVD from Goodwill didn't play properly, so now we have the exciting drama of picking out a new movie.

I'll let them fight it out, after I leave to conquer the Seven Seeds.
 

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Every day can be a GOOD(WILL) day :-D

Well, if I ever go on my dream sabbatical of touring the United States (just the lower 48) with a U-Haul and hitting as many Goodwill stores, as possible.

Of course, that's completely implausible.

I'd need a LOT more than just one U-Haul, for instance.

And besides...I ought to take another year off first, just to read half the books I already own.

Just as soon as that whole "put-your-family-in-stasis" goes beyond the concept stage.

Here's a smattering of the loot Ma came home with, today:


From left to right:

The Children's Book of Faith edited by William J. Bennett -- $.89

Scholastic Children's Dictionary -- $.89 (648 pages!) These two books are gorgeous hardbacks in near mint condition :-)

Night by Elie Wiesel -- $.89 pb

Revenge of the Middle-Age Woman --$.89 pb (yeah...I pretty much couldn't resist that one :-)

Then there were several VHS tapes, which go for $.79 each:

Live and Let Die
The Spy Who Loved Me (I always liked Roger Moore as Agent 007, and thought I should introduce Carolyn to James Bond)
Howards End (don't know anything about this one, but hey...with Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson, shouldn't be half bad, eh?)

And then, as if that weren't enough, I spied,

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark! Another absolutely lovely hardback for which I paid a whopping $1.49.

:-D

*sigh*
 

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Annual Church Fall Party

Autumn continues apace. And this week promises more activity but the details can wait.

Here is Ma's pictorial account of the Allison Bible Church Fall party, held yesterday afternoon and evening. Good times, had by all :-D

Only 22 pictures, so relatively painless.

Church Fall Party 2010

 

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It's Been a Saucy Day

We took off significant school, today, in order to put up applesauce. I figure it will all come out in the end, seeing as these kids' mother is too mean to give them any snow days.

As usual, applesauce day is a family affair. No one escapes work (though one or two are not above trying).

First step, washing the apples. Nolan demonstrates the correct way to not look at the apple while you are washing it.
I was not that sad when he decided to stop, as his washing technique seemed less than meticulous. But Nolan did a fair amount of work and floated around to most every station, so I was pleased.

Trevor, picking up clean apples to take to the table.


Here is where Trevor spent most of his time, halving the apples, or as I like to refer to it...
..."Little Twerp With a Big Knife."

The halves then proceeded to Melinda, who cored them and sent them to Carolyn...
...who took out bad spots and sliced.

Sliced apples went into the pots, which were cooked with water until mushy.


Mush was then put through the ricer, and Ethan did the lion's share of this job, today.
He became quite adept at watching the pots and just being in charge of stove and sieve.

Ethan worked longer than all the other kids, and I was plenty happy to have him do it. Left me free to take one of Loren's hammers to the freezer, where so much frost had built up, the lid was in danger of not closing. HAD to take care of that before adding new quarts of applesauce.

Carolyn serenaded the crew with Transformers and Casino Royale, courtesy of her laptop.


I think the kids finished cutting just after 2:30, but it took until 4 for everything to be cooked up, processed, pans washed, and the 2nd laundry load of cover-sheets, to be started.

That's about the time this ol' Ma felt ready to drop. Which I did. Into bed. For a lovely hour and 15 minute nap!

Here sits the finished product, cooling in large pans.
(I really hope I can get Trevor and Nolan to stop being so shy around cameras, some day)

Speaking of which, these lads ladled all the sauce into freezer containers. Course, they asked to do it just as I was getting ready for my nice, hot bath, but hey...guess we shouldn't discourage initiative and enthusiasm.

Ended up with approximately 34 quarts. Not banner, but still OK. That's slightly less than half of our apples, so another exhausting sauce day awaits...
 

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Some Days...

...it's enough to just get through school and take a nap.

And get lunch and do the dishes.

And fix supper.

And take a 4-mile walk "around the block."

Oh, and I cleaned off the cluttered table in the kitchen, which the boys immediately appropriated for their army guys.

Sorta makes you wonder whether cleaning is really worth it...
 

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My Day

I may not be the *wife of a president, but I can still come up with a mundane title, faites-vous pour ne pas savoir !

This is going to be another busy week. I managed to get Carolyn set up for the practice PSAT, which is on Wednesday. The test is taken for real in the junior year, but our local guidance counselor has offered our kids the additional chance to take it in their sophomore year, for practice.

However, I forgot to inquire until Sunday, and then discovered the wonderful Mrs. D. had retired. But she put me in touch with the equally comparable Mrs. H. who says there will be an extra test for Carolyn. Sounds copacetic!

The first Dreaded-Day-of-Applesauce needs to get going, and I've slated it for Thursday. That leaves Wednesday evening for the great undate with El Hubbo.

Speaking of which, Loren's traveling up to Mayo tomorrow since--for the first time in 6 years--he forgot to take one of his anti-rejection meds at supper, last night. They are doing blood work, to make sure his white count is just as copacetic as Carolyn's test opportunity. Should be no big deal.

But I'll tell you what IS a big deal....during my last two shopping opportunities, I have NOT gone to Goodwill. Talk about your self-control!

What I did notice, clothes-wise, were several of the fashionable stores at the mall. You can get a good look-see when you're walking around in circles for 90 minutes, let me tell you. And I think I've got this new look, down. The layers, the scarves, the dangle-y necklaces...and just as soon as I lose 25 pounds and turn 18, I will be smoking cool, style-wise :-)

Hey, it could happen. I already have 2 neck scarves, fer instance!

And while we're on trendy subjects, I have some ex-TREME-ly exciting news, Beiberly speaking. Yes, the J-Twerp has inspired his own line of nail polish!

*squeal*

Could anything be more incredible?!?

I don't know...maybe Justin Beiber inspired orthopedic hip replacements?! Baby!

One's mind races at the possibilities.
_________________



*for history newbies, Eleanor Roosevelt had a newspaper column entitled, "My Day."
 

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Another One, In the Can

This could refer to several things:

--someone's in the slammer
--Ma's been putting up tuna
--an unknown item has been flushed down the toilet

OR,

Progeny #6 just completed her SAT.

Let's go with the latter.

Rising before dawn, Ma stumbled about the house in an attempt to get ready without falling down the stairs or knocking something over in an unusually noisy way.

This task was made all the more arduous, having inexplicably woken up before 4 o'clock. It was then I remembered neglecting to contact the local guidance counselor concerning Carolyn taking the PSAT for practice.

I believe it's coming up this week, and once I thought of it, I couldn't go back to sleep, ARGH!

(in retrospect, setting two alarm clocks was probably unnecessary)

We got off in decent time, but it was a sleepy drive.

After heartlessly dropping off Melinda, Ma went to the mall and walked six miles. BABY!

I was gettin' plumb tuckered out by the end. Probably won't be able to walk goodly in the mornin', but that's OK...jes as long as I kin hobble up to the pi-aner, at church.

(feeling tired and old makes me channel Aunt Eller)

Après walking and changing into clean duds, I had a very profitable morning in two different stores, both of which will remain nameless, due to finding a few Christmas presents at said sites. I can reveal, however, that neither of them were Goodwill.

The test was sup-posed to be over between 11:30 and 12:00, but I knew that was optimistic. Every single year it goes long. Even so, I was the good little Ma and showed up by 11:45 (you'd think 4 hours would be enough).

Well, I sat out there cooling my heels in the hot car for ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES!

Apparently, the test not only costs more, each year, but it takes longer, too.

We were in desperate need of the soothing therapy of fast food...Arby's, to be specific.

From there it was a quick stop for milk and then another sleepy drive home.

And of course, immediately upon entering the house, I was accosted by young boys wishing to watch a video. I declined, but mollified them with store bought cookies and milk, which left me free...

....to take a nap.
 

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It's Havest-time Again, in America

A small picasa album-of-harvest, instead of putting up 15 pictures in one post :-)

(don't worry, Mom...I'll post individual photos, later)

Harvest time 2010

Thought I better get this up before the snow flies. I'll resume reports on The Shakespeare Project, in a bit.

Incidentally, I read through Much Ado About Nothing today, in preparation for Carolyn and I watching the movie, tonight. Should be good times!

And then tomorrow, it's early rising for Ma and Melinda. Time for ye olde SAT teste.

Personally, I think a 7:45 check-in outrageous, particularly when you're driving in from 55 minutes away, but that's what you get when you live in the middle of a cornfield.

I've already warned Loren I'll be stumbling about the bedroom around 5:21, heh, heh.

He may not have trouble getting back to sleep, since he was gone ALL DAY to Wisconsin and back, picking up a new acquisition from Ebay. Something about a diesel motor...or as I like to refer to it, "Why-I'm-absolved-from-getting-him-any-presents-for-the-rest-of-his-life."

When people are hard to buy for, let them buy for themselves, I say.

And that's why I'll be hitting the Barnes & Noble, tomorrow!
 

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The Shakespeare Project - Act 5, Scene ii

After a refreshing one hour of sleep, Ma arose quite early on Friday morning. 'Twas 3:30 Indiana time, but 2:30 Iowa time. Nevertheless, I had no trouble rousting myself out of bed, partly due to the efforts of daughter Kendra.

Now, I won't say that she is obsessive, necessarily, but there were two emails in my inbox, as well as a Facebook message, AND a phone call on Thursday night, all suggesting I set two alarms.

Of course, I am the one who told her about this little technique...Kendra, who's middle name is "Snooze-button-Susie."

But I digress.

The first clock easily woke me up, partly because of the flashing light that accompanies the beep, but mainly because I was wide awake and waiting for the alarm to go off.

And not that Kendra was worried or ANYTHING, but she called me just after 4:00, while enroute to campus. At least I assumed it was her. By the time I halted the car and dug around in my purse for the phone, it had stopped ringing. But I called back the number and discovered it was indeed my OCD helpful daughter and not an accidental wrong number from David Tennant, as I'd hoped.

Suffice it to say, I was the first one at the prearranged meeting place. From there we divided up into two vans and headed for....Canada, or Ca-NAH-da, as it is sometimes pronounced.

After several hours of dozable travel, Ma spied this promising sign...

It's like the "Bridge to the 21st Century," only longer.

The "duty free" part means vans just have to pay five dollars.

Hold onto your hats....we are going over the bridge from Michigan into Canada!

Okay...you probably had to be there.

Ma made sure she was in the first bench seat, to prevent any possible car sickness.

Once you get across the bridge, it's time to "arrêt!" and show your passport.
From our experience, the Canadian border agent was MUCH nicer than the American one we encountered on our return. But more on that, later.

From there it was a very long trek across road 401 of the Trans-Canadian Highway. With the abundance of corn and soybean fields, it was not unlike being in Iowa, only on a much larger and more boring scale :-p

I gotta say, though, they know how to do up their rest stops, right proper. Every one is integrated with about 5 eating establishments. Very handy. And they give out this cool money too, with a a very pleasant-looking lady's picture on it.

You just don't get that in the United States.

(tune in next time for scene iii, with news about plays and even....FOOD!)
 

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The Shakespeare Project - Act 5, Scene i

By Wednesday night I had things all packed and felt so efficient and organized that when I left close to noon on Thursday, I didn't even bother to look at my list.

This would have been a crucial moment of neglect, had I not suddenly remembered my passport a short distance down the gravel road.

That was close!

By this time the novelty had completely worn of my departure, since I'd almost forgotten the promised apples, too.

It was beginning to look to the kids as if Mommy would never leave!

My first stop was in Waterloo, where I returned to the Goodwill for one more search in the "Perfect Shakespeare Play Attire" department.

This may sound like an obsession, but when you've spent 27+ years as a stay-at-home mom, there's a definite dearth of suitable Shakespeare outfits, lying about the house.

After increasing my vest supply by two, I ended up at Wal*Mart where I purchased one of those very cool scarves that are all the rage.

They were quite popular with all the chickies on the trip, so Ma may have something new to collect instead of books ;-)

It was onward to Indiana, then, with help from several oldies and country radio stations along the way.

Got held up around Chicago, but then, it just wouldn't be Chicago unless you had a traffic slow-down.

And when I paid the 60¢ toll, my dime dropped to the pavement instead of the attendant's hand, but he waved me through with a, "It's not going anywhere..." even as I attempted to grab another bit of coinage.

Another good omen, to go along with not forgetting my passport.

Somewhat late-ish, I pulled into Sharon and Stacey's cozy chicken coop, where we yakked and laughed and they helped me put together the final clothing ensemble from my potential accessories.

What can I say...I'm going through that "girly stage" a little late in life.

Then it was off to bed in the floor mattress, as Sharon assured me she'd swept and hadn't even seen a spider, except in the kitchen, where incidentally, I was not sleeping.

And to aid in my rest, they'd prepared dark chocolate brownies. Yummo!

I'd been so good through the day, eating-wise, I felt no deterrent to snarfing the rich purveyors of deliciousness. Besides, after three Diet Cherry Cokes, who's gonna sleep, anyway?

Thus concludes Act V, Scene i. Tune in for scene ii, tomorrow.
 

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