Yes. I Have Dropped Off the Face of the Earth

Well Earth, as I have known it now hitting 56 years.

We started our drive back to reality early Sunday morning, arriving at Normal Earth Monday afternoon.

We unpacked, trimmed the grass and grabbed a gallon of milk.

And here we are now, a good 48 hours back in looking out at the bright green grass and already bloomed out daffodils drop their last petals.

Yesterday morning I learned my last favorite aunt passed away at the age of 92. This same lady lost her son two years ago, when my brothers took him in and nursed him until he passed the night of Bob's spinal surgery. The same one who worried about her eldest son last year, when he lost his precious bride of 20 some years at the "not fair" age of 50. She was a gracious, gentile woman who used to watch me as a kid because she didn't birth a daughter and you could just FEEL that she had always wanted a little girl to teach her how to be a gentle woman. Unfortunately I have never been a girly girl. Aunt Nancy needed a girly girl.

But in the meantime, since we left here two days after Christmas, I can tell you we experienced life like we didn't know could exist. I finally saw Bob relax and enjoy life like never before. Even during some stressful times. About two months ago, they had to take his mother into a nursing home (I'm sure they are called something nicer now) with stage 4 dementia. We have known something was wrong for 4 or 5 years now, but getting someone help is never as easy as it seems, especially when they still have enough of their faculties to convince some unconcerned doctor.

We were relieved she was finally getting the care she needed, but we were not the ones facing the wrath of a strong woman who believed everyone was plotting against her to force her somewhere she didn't want to be. But her health and that of her husband was much better served with her being placed somewhere safer.

And then tomorrow I'll head south with a handful of my family to honor a lady who thankfully had her sharp wit up until yesterday morning when her health finally gave out.

I haven't quite settled in here enough to tell you that I feel like I'm home. I know the stress is back and that is never fun. And certainly not how I want to live out my final days.

I set out the bird feeders and bird bath today, weeding the landscaping and cut back the dead clematis. May is wonderful in Indiana. Yeah, I know it's a couple days away.

I'm counting the days until we drive back to the Un-Reality.