August 7

I got up late this morning, had some coffee (and this time I didn't have to battle the coffee maker since Bobby and Reaya are back), chit-chatted with Bobby a bit about our mutual interests (namely die-cast cards), and then drove mom back over to Baltimore for an appointment.

It didn't make much sense for me to drive back to Bobby's after drop-off nor did the weather want me to do any city exploration (it poured for a spell), so I sat in the car in a nearby Burger King's parking lot. After I ate a Whopper Junior, I stared at a bug on the windshield, texted some friends, tried to make a few calls, read some of a book on my Kindle, and then resorted to making faces at myself. Glorious, right? Glorious.

After we got back, we had Ledo pizza for dinner. (Yum.) And now... TV time. 

There was really nothing remarkable about today at all, but it was calm and generally uneventful and good enough. And I am thankful for "good enough."

August 6

Today. Today, today. It was a very low-key, mellow day.

I got up later than I want to admit and successfully failed at operating Bobby's coffee maker. (It was tragic. I managed to get it to spit out about half a cuppa joe, but that was it.) I sat with mom for a little while as she ate her omelet and orange slices, and then we watched TV.

Bobby et al returned from their trip at about 1, and that's when I learned that my poor niece wasn't feeling particularly well. She was whisked off to her room and --later on-- to the doctor for a check. Not sure what's going on there yet, but crossing everything and praying that it's just a summer cold. (Oh, and the top picture is me sneaking a pic of camera-avoidant 16-year old Brendan, who was working on the puzzle mom and I started.)

While they all unpacked and relished being home, mom and I went for ice cream (red raspberry with rainbow jimmies for me this time -- good, good, good -- and twist with way too many chocolate jimmies for her), and then over for a socially distanced visit with my grandma (who had told me that I wasn't allowed to leave until I came to see her. The bottom photo actually includes all three of us: if you look hard, you can see grandma through the open window. She's sitting on her golf cart and wearing a green top.) 

Anyway, that's about it for today. Nothing super exciting, but mostly good nonetheless. And I'm always grateful for the good.

August 5

I think I've mentioned this factoid before but I am not a morning person, so getting up at 5:30 to take my mom to Baltimore for her next round of chemo was a bit of a shock to my system. But I persevered: we began with a run through the Mother Ship drive thru (duh, like I'd drive a 70-mile round trip at 6 AM without caffeine) and I got her there right on time.

As we passed by Camden Yards and along a succession of streets, I remembered how beautiful Charm City can be. And I felt a sense of gratitude.

I spent most of the rest of the day at Bobby's house napping (because 5:30 AM) and watching old game shows on Buzzr. 

Then this evening, after mom's friend dropped her off post-treatment, I ordered and picked up dinner from the Hornet's Nest. While I walked along main street, I noted that though a lot has changed in this town over time, it still felt much like it always did. And again, I felt a sense of gratitude, this time for nostalgia.

Fortunately Mom --who looked pale and said she was very tired when she got back-- felt better after eating, so we decided to work on a 1,000-piece puzzle. She's still sitting at the table next to me wrestling with the tiny little pieces. I'm... taking a break. (Mostly because there's one single piece of border that we can't find and it's making me nuts.)

All in all, it was a pleasant enough day. And I'm thankful for the hours.

August 4

It was, in sum, a lovely sort of day. It started with my very first (and decidedly rain-soaked) trip to the new Damascus Mother Ship and a quick hop, skip, and jump through Dunkin Donuts (because there were more flavors I needed to sample while I'm here). 

Then it was off to Target to pick up some groceries my mom requested, and back to the house (where I nibbled on morning donut number two --a tasty apple filled number-- for "lunch"). 

At 2, I headed out to meet up with Gretchen, who is one of my very oldest friends. (We go all the way back to the first grade.) By then the rain was over and the sun was out in full force so I sustained a significant sunburn on my shorts-wearing legs, but the conversation was well-worth the burn. She's an amazing, brave, kick-butt gal and I'm super proud of her for executing some pretty serious changes in her life of late. I hope she keeps on remembering her awesomeness!

Then I went back to the house for a few hours before heading over to my mom's to bring her back to Bobby's for the rest of the week. I spent the latter part of my childhood in that house and I haven't been here during the summer months in quite some time, so I was amazed by the size of some of the trees along the road. Although I'm sure it's a lot of work to keep them maintained, it's beautiful, and I took note. 

So that's where we are now. Today, I'm grateful for time with kick-butt women --like Gretchen and my mom-- and I'm hopeful that getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow won't be too hard on my night owl self.

August 3

I got up later than I will admit this morning (at least it was still technically "morning") and scooted off to Dunkin Donuts, which is yet another establishment that we don't really have nearby in CA. I ordered a chocolate glazed donut (and then immediately wished I could also have a strawberry glazed one and an apple one because, well, donuts) and also cheated on the Mother Ship by getting a coffee. (I know. I still feel bad.)

I had a little back and forth exchange with Eileen, a friend from my junior high days, enjoyed some down time, and then I went out in search of Jerry's Subs. That mission failed miserably, but I changed course and got myself a small Ledo pizza for late lunch/early dinner instead. (And Utz crab potato chips, since my aim was to become a regional Food Stereotype. So Utz. And crab.) 

And then at around 5 PM, I headed back over to Jimmie Cone, where I met up with Eileen and her two cuties for some ice cream and a very quick, very rainy catch-up. (It was like a monsoon was rolling through. Given that there's a Tropical Storm warning in place tonight that shouldn't surprise me, but since it doesn't rain at all in Northern CA during the summer, it was rather shocking.) I hadn't planned to see many people while I was here, but the timing lined up perfectly and I was happy to have the chance to talk with her a bit (and to finally meet Casey and Miles, too). 

So tonight, I'm thankful for the gift of unexpected meet-ups and for the ability to taste (and re-taste) foods that I can't usually get ahold of. Small things, but big blessings!

August 2

Bobby, Reaya, Brendan, and Brianna headed out late-morning on their vacation, so I had most of the day to myself. Completely and entirely to myself. The hours that have passed since their departure have confirmed a few things I already kinda-sorta knew. 

1) I find the initial hour of solitude intoxicating. I drove to the Mother Ship and Target and Walmart and did a little bit of light shopping and loved it. Rolled-down-the-windows-and-shouted-along-to-the-radio loved it. It almost made up for not having a like-first day of school occurrence to look forward to on the calendar. 

2) Jimmie Cone is still delicious. Childhood institution visited: check. A twist cone with chocolate jimmies (or "sprinkles" for all you non-initiated folks) seemed like a great idea for lunch. So that's what I did at around 2. I even walked around the block while I licked my rapidly-melting cone. And I didn't even mind the sticky chocolateness that trickled between my fingers. (And just for you, BearBear, note the ya van in the background. You're welcome.)

3) I still like driving on country roads. I took a post-ice cream detour through my old-old neighborhood, just to see how it would feel. (Verdict: none yet.) 

4) I still like Roy Rogers. I decided that I'd try to get food that I can't get back in California while I'm here, and tonight's pick was Roy's. Huge roast beef sandwich plus giant, overfilled box of fries: check. 

5) My niece and her hamster are amazingly well-matched. 

And finally, 6) I am an extrovert. (Don't laugh.) I've always been a middle-of-the-roader when it comes to personality, but being alone for a day has confirmed that I like being around people. I like talking (chit-chat is okay but deeper stuff is my bread and butter). I like listening. I like engaging. I like having others around. So I spent some extra time praying. 

So there ya go: my day. As I turn off my laptop and find something else to focus on, I feel a sense of gratitude for increased self-awareness. And for all of you.

August 1

I began my day in California and am ending it in Maryland. Here's a visual representation of said reality, as my kiddos gathered to say farewell and my brother Bobby welcomed me by trying to shove a finger up my nose (in jest. We're not teenagers anymore, after all):

My brother and his family have vacation plans this coming week, so I came back east to help my mom. 

It was a long, long day. The flight was uneventful (save the 18-month old in front of me who screamed bloody murder 80% of the time, but hey, I've been there). My sister-in-law picked me up in great time, I heard about my niece's plans to redecorate her room (and was given a primer on taking care of Hampton the hamster whose name I am mentioning solely so I won't forget it), and had a long chat with Bobby. 

And now it's very, very late and I'm beyond the point of tiredness, so I'm trying to turn in, but not before I express gratitude to my brother for letting me use his house, and to God for a nice, long flight that gave me lots of time to myself and lots of time to reflect and read and listen to music and pray for lots of different things.