A Gift

This morning I will be heading home to New York. I hope the ride back goes as quickly as the ride here. I did everything on my list and more. Since it rained most of yesterday, we took a 2 hour train ride to the end of the Cape. We saw cranberry bogs and historical sights. It was the baby's first train ride and she stared out the window in amazement. She is a happy girl and adjusts to every situation, After the ride, we spent the afternoon at the indoor pool. She learned that splashing is a lot of fun. We went to an early dinner because all  4 grandparents were going to babysit while her parents went out to have an anniversary dinner. As they left, we all looked at each other and hoped for the best. Just as expected, our baby played for a bit, then fell asleep in grandma's arms. She slept soundly until her parents returned. She is a real gift and made this weekend another fond memory.

The Cape

After a 5 hour trip, we arrived at the Cape yesterday afternoon. The ride was a smooth one, but the last 3 miles had us going in circles. The GPS never got online and it was a good thing I printed out the MapQuest directions. As soon as we arrived, we jumped into our bathing suits and went to the pool to see our granddaughter. She looked at us as if she sort of recognized our faces. I guess without a computer screen framing our faces (Skype) she was confused. We swam and played in the sand until dinner time. We then drove 40 minutes to eat "the best lobster rolls" in New England. Too bad 500 other people also did that. We waited one hour and the food was as good as promised. We then went to "Sundae School" for ice cream cones. The baby was so good and smiled and babbled through it all. Even though they say rain for today, it is sunny and beautiful. I can't wait to see our little "doll" at breakfast.

The Cape

This morning I am leaving for Cape Cod. It should take between 4 to 5 hours to get there depending on the traffic. It will be a well needed rest. My son planned this trip to be a special visit. Today is his 7th wedding anniversary. The years flew by. He wanted to spend this day with the people that mean the most to him. They are his wife, his daughter, his parents and his in-laws. My son is not the type that says much, but when he talks we all listen. He has a wonderful heart and is just an overall good person. When he planned this vacation he had no idea that I would need it so badly. The last few weeks have been upsetting, but now things are looking up. I can't wait to get there.

Sleeping Baby

Last night we went out to dinner with my son, his wife and their baby. They had been out all day and the baby was tired. We put him into his stroller and went to Friendly's for sandwiches and ice cream. He is a good baby and will sleep through mostly anything. He was sound asleep when all of a sudden the staff came out clapping and singing Happy Birthday to someone at the next table. The baby got so startled he began to scream. After a few minutes he calmed down and went back to sleep. That is when the staff came out again clapping and singing Happy Birthday to someone at the other table next to us. Again, the baby was startled and began to cry. By that time there was no consoling him and we just kept passing him around the table so the next person could eat. I guess that sleeping babies and happy birthdays do not always mix.

Deep Sleep

I am not the best sleeper. If I get 3 solid hours a night, I am lucky. This has been my pattern for 30 years. I was blessed with children that never slept more than 3 hours at a time, so my body is trained to think that three hours is a full night's sleep. After having a few weeks of worrying about my father, I found that I was sleeping less than my usual amount which really means not sleeping at all. Last night, after tossing and turning, I decided to do something I rarely do. I took 1/2 of an Ambien. I must have fallen asleep pretty quickly. I am a noisy sleeper. Not from snoring, but from jewelry. I sleep with 2 charm bracelets, filled with charms. I am always "clinking" when I walk and when I sleep. I never take off these bracelets and have even tightened the locks so they cannot fall off by themselves. One bracelet is so hard to take off that I have to slowly push it off of my hand centimeter by centimeter until it is pried off. I only have to do this if I have a medical test that requires no metal. I woke up this morning and my bracelet was off my hand. It was neatly placed on my nightstand. I must have done this while in a deep sleep because I would never have removed it otherwise. I find it very scary that I could do something that took so much coordination and effort and not even know that I did it. I will not be taking an Ambien again. Who knows, I could wind up in Mexico.

Rude and Crude

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Yesterday, a man walked into my office. He was not one of our patients but he bolted up to the front window. The man was well dressed and looked about 60 years old. My receptionist was entering a medical claim and finished typing the last line before she looked up. It took about 10 seconds. As soon as she looked up, the man started yelling at her. He was screaming at a very high pitch, saying that she was rude by not immediately acknowledging him. He said that he expected that from the younger generation but not from someone her age. She is over 55. We all stood there, not saying a word, as the man was being irrational. Then, he asked what floor suite 202 was on. Really? We never answered him and he stormed out the door still mumbling about our rudeness. He was not one of our patients. I think he should be.

Heritage

Since my grandchildren were born, I have wanted to create a family history for them. I am lucky enough to have my parents still alive and they are helping me fill in the blanks. If I do not gather this information now, it will be lost forever. Through my research, I have found out a lot about my great grandparents. I know when they arrived in America and who lived in their home as far back as 1910. I have learned what their occupations were. I have learned what towns they came from and when they became naturalized citizens. Certain information that we thought we knew, was incorrect. I am trying to put the pieces together while I still can. It takes time, but it will be well worth it. Family history is important, even though it doesn't really change a thing.