We are home....
We are home and it feels SO good to be here. I feel as though I was gone for weeks! It was, of course, a pretty tough move for Judi however. Difficult in so many ways and of course a tough trip for her physically as well. I got there Tuesday night. I drove all the way through even though I was way too tired. I knew that if I stopped overnight on the way though that I wouldn't have as much time to meet her friend Annie and that I wouldn't be able to take her to her last appointment with her oncologist---so I persevered. It took me longer than usual because I stopped and napped at a rest stop and took a lot of breaks but I made it.
Some of the Atlanta traffic on the way:
Wednesday was busy----visit to the Cancer Center---where Judi had to say good bye to her beloved Dr. Malik.
In the afternoon we packed my van and I wandered around her house trying to decide what we would take. Ernie and I will have to figure out how to get down there with a truck. She's been incredibly generous. Between the physical exhaustion and the mental wear I pretty much hit a wall on Wednesday night and left the house far too messy for Gina.
Gina. Well, what can one say. She and Judi are bonded in a very special way. When you try to thank Gina for all she's done she just waves her hand and says, "oh, if it hadn't been me, somebody else would have stepped up." That's true up to a certain point...but that point is WAY FAR AWAY from the point where Gina went. Gina was there for Judi in a way that few people are for others, no matter how much they love them. All of us that love Judi can never thank Gina, and her family, adequately for what she's done. I try to think of it as a 'pay it forward' kind of thing and hope that I will help others that need it more than I might have without this experience. So suffice to say, it was terribly hard for them to say goodbye to each other. Unlike me, who weeps at the drop of a hat, Judi is not a crier....however leaving Gina brought them both to tears. Here they are though, moments after the tears....
The first night we got as far as Murfreesboro, Tennessee. How on earth does one pronounce Murfreesboro? I find it awfully hard to say....does one actually pronounce the r in Murfrees? Anyway, through the kindness of a friend of my colleague Nancy, we got a pet friendly Hampton Inn at a good rate (thanks Renee!). And thanks to a generous check from my sister Debbie, I could actually AFFORD the gas and the hotel, etc. Bless you Debbie!!!!
Yesterday we made the rest of the drive home....not as quick as some trips but frankly I had forgotten to renew my license so I was driving on an expired license with some medicinal pot packed in the back of the van. So I, uh, drove the speed limit. Needless to say.....VERY happy to be back home.
And we came home to very excited boys. Owen was insisting that his hair be brown for Halloween so Ernie found some spray. Of course it says not to use on light brown hair but what the hell. He loves it. They made a stunning Han Solo and Indiana Jones if I do say so myself. Here they are with a friend of theirs...Aunt Judi on the porch....
Ernie took the boys off trick or treating and I made Judi dinner. She needs to eat by 6 p.m. or it screws her up so this will be a whole new challenge for me. As my friends know...I NEVER serve dinner early. It will be good for me. The boys got home, shared their candy. Judi went to bed. At that point Ernie and I were so tired that we skipped dinner and just ate some of the boys' Halloween candy. We're such good role models. Fortunately for me I'm the ONLY one who likes Butterfingers.....ahhhhh.
I'm off now to cook up a couple of batches of stew to have on hand for Judi and my mom. Then I'm going to poor a big glass of wine, sit in the front yard and collapse. It's good to be home....with all my guys and one sister....