First Ride of the New Year (and other stuff)
Yesterday I took my first bike ride of the year. Not a long ride by any means -- just out to work to grab a book I needed and to fill out the tuition waiver for Angel Baby (he's decided to return to school!) -- but it was a lovely ride. Earlier in the morning, between reading and fixing some coffee, I watched the frost melt off the Jeep windows, using the slow disappearance of the tiny ice crystals as the gauge for when I could get the bike out and go for a ride. Temps near 50 and sunny with barely any wind to speak of -- yep, I wasn't going to let the day slip by without some kind of ride, even if it was just to Uptown for reading time at the coffeehouse.
Today, another beautiful day, with sun and warmth. Another opportunity to get out and ride somewhere.
When I arrived home from my ride yesterday, I found a package in my mailbox. I figured it was for Lovely Beautiful Daughter since I haven't ordered anything that needed to be delivered. I'm really trying to cut down on what I buy online, and I've been doing really, really good, so when I saw my name on the package, complete with my restored maiden name, I started searching the recesses of my memory to see if I had actually bought something during the last two weeks. I came up with zilch. When Lovely Beautiful Daughter has something delivered, it's always in her name, so I was stumped and decided to go ahead and open the package. Inside, I found a beautiful clock, the background a bicycle with colorful birds sitting on the handlebars and front tire. Above the bike is "Life is a beautiful ride," and below the bike is J.K.P. How cool is that!? But there was no note, so I don't know who the incredibly thoughtful person is who sent it to me. I have an idea I know, but it's just a hunch. In any case, thank you to the person who took the time to find this gift for me. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness. The clock is hanging above my desk where I can see it while I'm working. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
Lovely Beautiful Daughter stopped in a couple of nights ago to chat about her time in Tennessee. She spent a long weekend there, visiting family. Her dad included. A man she and her brothers haven't seen or talked to in several years. When she described driving up to the house, a flash of sadness washed through me. For an instant, I felt what she must have felt as she approached what used to be her home. Only it really wasn't the same home. Not even close. The beautiful mobile home we'd bought right after Funny Delightful Son was born had been repossessed not long after the kids and I left. The only place for their dad to live was a small storage building he had built, an 8' x 10' room. And that's where he's been living for the last nineteen years. From what I understand, he built another room onto the original space, but that's all he has. LBD said there's a toilet somewhere, but she's not sure where it is. After describing the piled up trash bags outside the front door, the numerous cars sitting in the yard, and the absence of appliances inside, LBD said, "It's a hovel."
Before LBD went to Tennessee, we talked a bit about her seeing her dad. Through the years, I've not pressed the kids to see or talk to him, but I've nudged them here and there to get in contact. They've always responded with they have absolutely nothing to say to him. I've never really said much about their dad to them as I want the kids to make their own decisions about who he is, but I did tell LBD I still to this day have no idea what happened to their dad. It was like he became a totally different person right after Funny Delightful Son was born. We were so excited about having our second child, a boy, but once the child was actually a part of our lives, things turned upside down. LBD said, "Mom, I'm pretty sure it was drugs."
I know she's right. I had an inkling at the time, but I didn't have solid evidence. All I had was the change in behavior, the people he was hanging out with, the never having any money though he was working a contract job that paid incredibly well. I remember one specific night I received a call from him to come get him. He was very obviously high. He claimed someone slipped him something.
Now the drug use has taken its toll. Lovely Beautiful Daughter told me her dad had been in the hospital recently. Kidney failure. I'm not sure what this means long-term, but what I know about kidney failure makes me think he has a tough road ahead of him.
Today, another beautiful day, with sun and warmth. Another opportunity to get out and ride somewhere.
When I arrived home from my ride yesterday, I found a package in my mailbox. I figured it was for Lovely Beautiful Daughter since I haven't ordered anything that needed to be delivered. I'm really trying to cut down on what I buy online, and I've been doing really, really good, so when I saw my name on the package, complete with my restored maiden name, I started searching the recesses of my memory to see if I had actually bought something during the last two weeks. I came up with zilch. When Lovely Beautiful Daughter has something delivered, it's always in her name, so I was stumped and decided to go ahead and open the package. Inside, I found a beautiful clock, the background a bicycle with colorful birds sitting on the handlebars and front tire. Above the bike is "Life is a beautiful ride," and below the bike is J.K.P. How cool is that!? But there was no note, so I don't know who the incredibly thoughtful person is who sent it to me. I have an idea I know, but it's just a hunch. In any case, thank you to the person who took the time to find this gift for me. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness. The clock is hanging above my desk where I can see it while I'm working. It makes me smile every time I look at it.
***
Lovely Beautiful Daughter stopped in a couple of nights ago to chat about her time in Tennessee. She spent a long weekend there, visiting family. Her dad included. A man she and her brothers haven't seen or talked to in several years. When she described driving up to the house, a flash of sadness washed through me. For an instant, I felt what she must have felt as she approached what used to be her home. Only it really wasn't the same home. Not even close. The beautiful mobile home we'd bought right after Funny Delightful Son was born had been repossessed not long after the kids and I left. The only place for their dad to live was a small storage building he had built, an 8' x 10' room. And that's where he's been living for the last nineteen years. From what I understand, he built another room onto the original space, but that's all he has. LBD said there's a toilet somewhere, but she's not sure where it is. After describing the piled up trash bags outside the front door, the numerous cars sitting in the yard, and the absence of appliances inside, LBD said, "It's a hovel."
Before LBD went to Tennessee, we talked a bit about her seeing her dad. Through the years, I've not pressed the kids to see or talk to him, but I've nudged them here and there to get in contact. They've always responded with they have absolutely nothing to say to him. I've never really said much about their dad to them as I want the kids to make their own decisions about who he is, but I did tell LBD I still to this day have no idea what happened to their dad. It was like he became a totally different person right after Funny Delightful Son was born. We were so excited about having our second child, a boy, but once the child was actually a part of our lives, things turned upside down. LBD said, "Mom, I'm pretty sure it was drugs."
I know she's right. I had an inkling at the time, but I didn't have solid evidence. All I had was the change in behavior, the people he was hanging out with, the never having any money though he was working a contract job that paid incredibly well. I remember one specific night I received a call from him to come get him. He was very obviously high. He claimed someone slipped him something.
Now the drug use has taken its toll. Lovely Beautiful Daughter told me her dad had been in the hospital recently. Kidney failure. I'm not sure what this means long-term, but what I know about kidney failure makes me think he has a tough road ahead of him.
***
My break is coming to a close. Just today and tomorrow remaining. I've enjoyed every single second of it, for sure, and am kind of sad I'll have to leave the coziness of my apartment each day. But, there are a few things in the works that'll make the semester fly by -- a couple of my poems being part of an art/writing exhibit to happen in February and March, helping the PTK students polish their Honors in Action report then going to Florida for the annual PTK conference in April, and preparing for an exciting hiking trip scheduled for the end of July/first of August. In between will be some biking, writing, reading, learning to play the ukulele, and other things. So, so much to see, learn, do.
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