My Trip to the Farm
I'm such a jerk! Last Wednesday night while hanging out around the pool with Mom, Dad and Janice, hubby calls to tell me that we have to leave in the morning for Colorado. His grandpa is in the hospital and the doctors are only giving him 24 to 48 hours left to live. We had already planned to go for a visit later in the week but under the circumstances needed to get there ASAP. To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to the trip and although I had nothing planned, I was not at all excited about leaving early.
The thought of his parents, Great Grandma, the kids, hubby and I packed like sardines in my van for 12 hours straight just didn't appeal to me. In fact, I was convinced it would be nothing short of pure torture. And how we were going to get every one's luggage plus Great Grandma's wheelchair in the back would be a feat in itself. Knowing that most of the family would be flying or driving in, I was also worried about the sleeping arrangements. I asked hubby's parents a couple of times if they knew who all were coming and if their house could accommodate everyone. They didn't know and weren't all that concerned. All I could think about was that they'd pretty much be at the hospital around the clock and I'd be stuck with the kids and great grandma at the house. On top of it all, I'm still having stomach issues from Mexico. Needless to say, I was NOT a happy camper.
I asked hubby and grandma a few times "Wouldn't it be better if I stayed home with the kids and great grandma," praying they'd have mercy and let me off the hook. To me it only made sense, the kids would have their toys and I could babysit great grandma in the comforts of my house while they said their goodbyes and made funeral arrangements there. How self-centered can you be?
Last summer, they all went for a visit and had a blast. I didn't go because mom was in the hospital trying to get through her last few radiation treatments. I rationalized it out that with Great Paw Paw on his death bed, this trip would not be the same as the last. No one saw it my way, so I gave up and started packing.
We all piled in the van along with all our stuff Thursday morning and drove straight to Colorado. It really wasn't too bad. The kids watched TV while I started a really good book, Barbara Walters life story Auditions. Listening to the radio sometime that morning, we heard that Farrah had passed away. I couldn't help but worry about Mom and how she would take the news. I checked on the Colon Club to see what they were saying. Like so many, she fought so hard to live. Later that day a couple of hours from Maw Maw's house, we heard that Michael Jackson had passed away. I couldn't believe it!
When we made it to Maw Maw's house, 7 other family members were already there. We loaded up pretty quickly and headed for the hospital. He was in ICU hooked up to a bazillion tubes and wires. He came to when we walked in the room, recognized everyone and carried on a conversation. Even with life support, his breathing was labored. It was hard to watch hubby and his dad standing by his bed. Maw Maw had the doctors keep him hooked up until all the kids could be there. Although it all could be seen in their faces, they only made small talk pretty much about nothing.
That night back at Maw Maw's, we slept on the hideaway bed in the living room giving his parents and Great Grandma the only bedroom left. The kids slept in sleeping bags on the floor. The next morning I felt terrible. Although I slept good, I was still tired and my stomach was really upset which had me in and out of the bathroom. Not wanting to go back to the hospital, hubby and his parents decided we'd go sight seeing. So after driving 12 hours here, we all loaded back into the van to drive up the mountain. We left about mid-morning and with the exception of a couple of bathroom breaks and lunch, we did not get out of the van until we made it back to Maw Maw's around dinner time.
They all love to take drives, I don't! I'd rather fly than drive any day of the week. Anyway, there I sat in the back of the van with the kids winding up the mountain trying to pretend to "sight see" but truthfully getting sicker and sicker with each curve of the road. When we finally made it to the top of the mountain, I literally had to run for the bathroom. Oh and while the temperature was in the 80's at the house, it was raining and barely 40 at the top. We about froze in our shorts and t-shirts. Luckily, I grabbed jackets for me and the kids before we left that morning. Coming down the mountain, I didn't even try and pretend to sight see but put my head in Little Man's lap and fell asleep.
For the first few days, I didn't feel good, stayed grumpy and pretty negative (if only in my mind) about everything from the relatives and their small talk to the huge pile of manure dumped right behind the house. They pretty much have a farm here with cows, pigs, chickens, ducks and a garden. The manure is fertilizer for the garden, why it's dumped right out back rather than down by the garden, I have no idea! The house does not have air conditioning which is no big deal at night but pretty miserable during the heat of the afternoon sun. The windows have to stay open all the time. With the big pile of manure directly behind the house, well you can imagine the smell inside and out. YUCK!
I guess I've not given it much thought but when you are with all your family the conversation usually turns to your past. With my family, that would be music, church, and old friends and family. It's gotta be pretty boring for my husband being that he wasn't raised in church, his taste in music is a far cry from the country, old rock, and church hymns we usually wind up singing and he doesn't know most of the people who end up in our conversations. Now the shoe's on the other foot as I sit watching and listening to them.
After a few days, I started feeling better. I noticed how much fun everyone was having. Paw Paw entertained Baby Girl outside with all the farm animals. Uncle George was a hit with both the kids. Now get this, he's a graduate from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College, where ever that is. His clown face is trademarked so that no one else can wear the makeup like he does. He's also retired after serving 20 years in the Air Force. He entertained Baby Girl off and on this week by singing and playing the guitar to John Denver songs. Little Man was entranced by Uncle George's magic tricks. He even taught Little Man to do a few.
The adults socialized on the patio in front of the manure during the day and played cards at the dinner table each night. The kids, hubby and Paw Paw went to the rodeo. Uncle George's kids flew in from San Francisco on Sunday. His son is a really cool kid. He's 19, loves the outdoors which automatically impressed Baby Girl and loves video games which won Little Man's over. He and Baby Girl caught a little bunny yesterday out front and today Little Man stayed by his side playing DS Gameboys all day. I'm not sure how much fun he is having but he's being a great sport and the kids are having a blast!
And the biggest shocker of all, I'm having fun and would gladly come back. We went shopping in Estes Park (a little resort town an hour from here), enjoyed the sights and didn't get sick while riding back up the mountain (well at least half way), went to the rodeo fair, rode in the side car of Uncle James' motorcycle, and even enjoyed the company of my relatives out in front of the poop pile. Uncle George performed a gob of amazing magic tricks, he's really good. I thought being family and all, he would share some of his secrets with me, NOPE. Sure, he'll teach my son a few but not me.
Yesterday everyone went to the hospital while Baby Girl, Great Grandma and I stayed at the house. Baby Girl watched TV, I grabbed my laptop and Great Grandma dosed in the chair next to me. When she woke up, she insisted on taking a bath. She can't do anything but thinks she can do it all by herself. I told her, "No, you can't take a bath," but she just kept on and on. She kept getting out of the chair and I'd make her sit back down. Finally, I made the chair recline to keep her from getting up. This didn't deter her one bit. Not able to figure out how to push the chair in, she started sliding out of the chair to the floor. Lord, she about tipped the whole thing over on herself. Giving in, I took her to the bathroom, stripped her down, and got her into the shower. Great Paw Paw's chair was in the tub which made it easy. I took the hand held shower head and gave it to her. When I turned my back, she aimed the water right at me. Not only did I get soaked but also the bathroom. My question is this, "Is the joke on me or is she really totally out of her mind?" About that time, everyone returned and Grandma came in the bathroom. She said that she gave her a shower this morning. I explained how determined Great Grandma was to get a shower and get this. With a straight face Great Grandma said, "I didn't want to take a shower." That stinking liar! Like bathing her was at the top of my list that afternoon. Geez!
Great Paw Paw is still hanging in there. Today, they are moving him to hospice and then will take him off everything. The doctor who gave him 24 to 48 hours is now giving him a week at best. Little Man asked to go see him. Reluctantly, I let him go with Daddy and Paw Paw. Great Paw Paw looks pretty bad but I guess it went well because Little Man only had good things to say about the visit.
If nothing changes, we'll head for home tomorrow. Tonight I'm with the guys, the kids and Great Grandma while the rest have gone to the rodeo. Hubby just got grossed out sitting next to Great Grandma. Evidently, she went to the bathroom earlier (not on my watch, I might add) but didn't get her pants up right. With her depends up her butt like a thong and her pants down, he totally got mooned. See what I mean, maybe she's bored and needs a good laugh. Hubby was NOT laughing. But he did laugh when the cow started mooing and I thought it was Great Grandma snoring beside me. While there's no doubt I'm no farm girl, I have enjoyed the visit here.
The thought of his parents, Great Grandma, the kids, hubby and I packed like sardines in my van for 12 hours straight just didn't appeal to me. In fact, I was convinced it would be nothing short of pure torture. And how we were going to get every one's luggage plus Great Grandma's wheelchair in the back would be a feat in itself. Knowing that most of the family would be flying or driving in, I was also worried about the sleeping arrangements. I asked hubby's parents a couple of times if they knew who all were coming and if their house could accommodate everyone. They didn't know and weren't all that concerned. All I could think about was that they'd pretty much be at the hospital around the clock and I'd be stuck with the kids and great grandma at the house. On top of it all, I'm still having stomach issues from Mexico. Needless to say, I was NOT a happy camper.
I asked hubby and grandma a few times "Wouldn't it be better if I stayed home with the kids and great grandma," praying they'd have mercy and let me off the hook. To me it only made sense, the kids would have their toys and I could babysit great grandma in the comforts of my house while they said their goodbyes and made funeral arrangements there. How self-centered can you be?
Last summer, they all went for a visit and had a blast. I didn't go because mom was in the hospital trying to get through her last few radiation treatments. I rationalized it out that with Great Paw Paw on his death bed, this trip would not be the same as the last. No one saw it my way, so I gave up and started packing.
We all piled in the van along with all our stuff Thursday morning and drove straight to Colorado. It really wasn't too bad. The kids watched TV while I started a really good book, Barbara Walters life story Auditions. Listening to the radio sometime that morning, we heard that Farrah had passed away. I couldn't help but worry about Mom and how she would take the news. I checked on the Colon Club to see what they were saying. Like so many, she fought so hard to live. Later that day a couple of hours from Maw Maw's house, we heard that Michael Jackson had passed away. I couldn't believe it!
When we made it to Maw Maw's house, 7 other family members were already there. We loaded up pretty quickly and headed for the hospital. He was in ICU hooked up to a bazillion tubes and wires. He came to when we walked in the room, recognized everyone and carried on a conversation. Even with life support, his breathing was labored. It was hard to watch hubby and his dad standing by his bed. Maw Maw had the doctors keep him hooked up until all the kids could be there. Although it all could be seen in their faces, they only made small talk pretty much about nothing.
That night back at Maw Maw's, we slept on the hideaway bed in the living room giving his parents and Great Grandma the only bedroom left. The kids slept in sleeping bags on the floor. The next morning I felt terrible. Although I slept good, I was still tired and my stomach was really upset which had me in and out of the bathroom. Not wanting to go back to the hospital, hubby and his parents decided we'd go sight seeing. So after driving 12 hours here, we all loaded back into the van to drive up the mountain. We left about mid-morning and with the exception of a couple of bathroom breaks and lunch, we did not get out of the van until we made it back to Maw Maw's around dinner time.
They all love to take drives, I don't! I'd rather fly than drive any day of the week. Anyway, there I sat in the back of the van with the kids winding up the mountain trying to pretend to "sight see" but truthfully getting sicker and sicker with each curve of the road. When we finally made it to the top of the mountain, I literally had to run for the bathroom. Oh and while the temperature was in the 80's at the house, it was raining and barely 40 at the top. We about froze in our shorts and t-shirts. Luckily, I grabbed jackets for me and the kids before we left that morning. Coming down the mountain, I didn't even try and pretend to sight see but put my head in Little Man's lap and fell asleep.
For the first few days, I didn't feel good, stayed grumpy and pretty negative (if only in my mind) about everything from the relatives and their small talk to the huge pile of manure dumped right behind the house. They pretty much have a farm here with cows, pigs, chickens, ducks and a garden. The manure is fertilizer for the garden, why it's dumped right out back rather than down by the garden, I have no idea! The house does not have air conditioning which is no big deal at night but pretty miserable during the heat of the afternoon sun. The windows have to stay open all the time. With the big pile of manure directly behind the house, well you can imagine the smell inside and out. YUCK!
I guess I've not given it much thought but when you are with all your family the conversation usually turns to your past. With my family, that would be music, church, and old friends and family. It's gotta be pretty boring for my husband being that he wasn't raised in church, his taste in music is a far cry from the country, old rock, and church hymns we usually wind up singing and he doesn't know most of the people who end up in our conversations. Now the shoe's on the other foot as I sit watching and listening to them.
After a few days, I started feeling better. I noticed how much fun everyone was having. Paw Paw entertained Baby Girl outside with all the farm animals. Uncle George was a hit with both the kids. Now get this, he's a graduate from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College, where ever that is. His clown face is trademarked so that no one else can wear the makeup like he does. He's also retired after serving 20 years in the Air Force. He entertained Baby Girl off and on this week by singing and playing the guitar to John Denver songs. Little Man was entranced by Uncle George's magic tricks. He even taught Little Man to do a few.
The adults socialized on the patio in front of the manure during the day and played cards at the dinner table each night. The kids, hubby and Paw Paw went to the rodeo. Uncle George's kids flew in from San Francisco on Sunday. His son is a really cool kid. He's 19, loves the outdoors which automatically impressed Baby Girl and loves video games which won Little Man's over. He and Baby Girl caught a little bunny yesterday out front and today Little Man stayed by his side playing DS Gameboys all day. I'm not sure how much fun he is having but he's being a great sport and the kids are having a blast!
And the biggest shocker of all, I'm having fun and would gladly come back. We went shopping in Estes Park (a little resort town an hour from here), enjoyed the sights and didn't get sick while riding back up the mountain (well at least half way), went to the rodeo fair, rode in the side car of Uncle James' motorcycle, and even enjoyed the company of my relatives out in front of the poop pile. Uncle George performed a gob of amazing magic tricks, he's really good. I thought being family and all, he would share some of his secrets with me, NOPE. Sure, he'll teach my son a few but not me.
Yesterday everyone went to the hospital while Baby Girl, Great Grandma and I stayed at the house. Baby Girl watched TV, I grabbed my laptop and Great Grandma dosed in the chair next to me. When she woke up, she insisted on taking a bath. She can't do anything but thinks she can do it all by herself. I told her, "No, you can't take a bath," but she just kept on and on. She kept getting out of the chair and I'd make her sit back down. Finally, I made the chair recline to keep her from getting up. This didn't deter her one bit. Not able to figure out how to push the chair in, she started sliding out of the chair to the floor. Lord, she about tipped the whole thing over on herself. Giving in, I took her to the bathroom, stripped her down, and got her into the shower. Great Paw Paw's chair was in the tub which made it easy. I took the hand held shower head and gave it to her. When I turned my back, she aimed the water right at me. Not only did I get soaked but also the bathroom. My question is this, "Is the joke on me or is she really totally out of her mind?" About that time, everyone returned and Grandma came in the bathroom. She said that she gave her a shower this morning. I explained how determined Great Grandma was to get a shower and get this. With a straight face Great Grandma said, "I didn't want to take a shower." That stinking liar! Like bathing her was at the top of my list that afternoon. Geez!
Great Paw Paw is still hanging in there. Today, they are moving him to hospice and then will take him off everything. The doctor who gave him 24 to 48 hours is now giving him a week at best. Little Man asked to go see him. Reluctantly, I let him go with Daddy and Paw Paw. Great Paw Paw looks pretty bad but I guess it went well because Little Man only had good things to say about the visit.
If nothing changes, we'll head for home tomorrow. Tonight I'm with the guys, the kids and Great Grandma while the rest have gone to the rodeo. Hubby just got grossed out sitting next to Great Grandma. Evidently, she went to the bathroom earlier (not on my watch, I might add) but didn't get her pants up right. With her depends up her butt like a thong and her pants down, he totally got mooned. See what I mean, maybe she's bored and needs a good laugh. Hubby was NOT laughing. But he did laugh when the cow started mooing and I thought it was Great Grandma snoring beside me. While there's no doubt I'm no farm girl, I have enjoyed the visit here.
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