* Flipflops are not meant to be running shoes -- as dh discovered a few days ago. He was chasing the Little Princesses around my parents' back yard, tripped and fell, right onto the cement patio. He broke his glasses, scraped his browbone, cheek and knee and now has quite the purple shiner around his left eye. (I call it his Alice Cooper look.)
* He says it looks far worse than it feels, and I feel very, very lucky for that. It brought up all those feelings of vulnerability and fear of being alone that I think many of us childless-not-by-choice women feel from time to time. What would I do without him?? :(
* You never know when you might need a backup pair of glasses/contacts...!! Fortunately, for whatever reason, dh decided to tuck his next-oldest pair of glasses into the glove compartment just before we left home, just in case... The prescription has not changed much and he will be able to wear them on the road home. Thank goodness!!
* Time just whizzes by when you're retired... and when you're on vacation. I keep having to think, really think, about exactly what day it is -- of the week, never mind the actual date.
* And speaking of the date, what happened to July??!!
* Whenever August 1st rolls around, I am inevitably reminded that August 5th & 7th are not too far behind. :( Not sure if we'll be home by then, but it would not be the first time we were on vacation for Katie's special day(s). I know she is with us, wherever we are, but it still feels weird not to be there and not to be able to carry out our little anniversary rituals. You don't stop being a parent just because your child is dead, or never took a breath -- but there's so little you can do, AS a parent, for your child when they're gone -- and not being able to do some of those few things can be frustrating.
* No matter how long your vacation, there is never enough time to do everything you want to do, or thought you were going to do, and see all the people you want to see. :(
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
What happened to July indeed?!
ReplyDeleteGlad DH is okay. Yes, I also have that feeling of vulnerability and fear of being alone. I think once we've faced trauma, we recognise our mortality more than we did before. Or maybe it's just being older!
Occasionally I remember to take an extra pair of glasses, but not always. I shudder to imagine what would happen if I didn't. Or worse, if my husband didn't, because his prescription is much higher, and he just wouldn't cope without them.
Holidays (okay, vacations) are never long enough in my view! Or perhaps that's just because I haven't had one in a while.
I'm glad DH had his spare specs with him! I never go anywhere without my spare pair, I'm horrified if I forget them - can't see anything without my glasses. I know what you mean about the vulnerability: my other half is into jumping off cliffs and doing ridiculous headfirst dives into shallow water (despite being totally untrained/unfit for any of it) and I have to find a way to stop him doing it without being a killjoy.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll find a meaningful way to mark your special days this weekend if you are away... that's not easy.
We had a week long vacation in July, and I think it lasted for about 5 minutes, and the month in total for about 20 minutes. It went by ridiculously fast! Hope you continue to enjoy yours, and keeping you in my thoughts on your special days.
ReplyDeleteSo glad dh is okay! Wowser on the accident. Flip flops are a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteIt sucks you won't be doing a traditional celebration for Katie. But I agree with you that she's with you. Hence I'm also wondering if you can find away to mark these days. I know it won't be easy.
Holding you in my heart, as always, this Friday. That is so scary about DH. Since breaking my glasses last summer, I've had a spare pair in my bag. BUT that trip -- I had taken the spare pair out before we left to save room in the bag. Never again.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which one of us came up with the idea, but we both agreed it was a good one. I did remember reading an essay/cautionary tale about someone who was travelling & breaking their glasses... maybe it was your post!! So thanks for the inspiration! ;)
DeleteI love that you called them Flip flops! They are not thongs. :D Glad your DH is ok. I don't take back up glasses with me, though usually I will have a pair or two of contacts.
ReplyDeleteI hope the rest of your holiday is good and no more mishaps.
*hugs* Thinking of you and your Katie.
I used to call them "thongs," but it seems the term has fallen out of favour these days. We called the cheap rubbery things we wore when we were kids "thongs" -- never heard of "flip-flops" back then. Dh's are actually leather, or imitation leather, with a fairly wide band across the feet. "Athletic sandals"?? I think most people use "flip-flops" as a catch-all term for any kind of sandals with minimal straps these days.
DeleteI'm so glad that DH is okay! Also, kudos to him for taking his spare set of glasses! I would have never thought to take mine (realistically I don't think I could even locate my spare set).
ReplyDeleteThinking about you as you mark Katie's days. I hope you are able to honor her and yourselves despite not being at home.
Thinking of you today as you remember Katie. You may not be able to perform your usual rituals, but one thing stays the same - we are here to support you and to let you know that we are thinking of her too.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Naomi (a long time reader but rare commenter)