Friday, November 11, 2016

What's Going On With Us Three Nights Post What Feels Like The Apocalpse


I had the fullest day. I wanted to cram it completely full to block out everything that was troublesome, worrisome, horrendous and hard. I couldn't sleep very well last night. I would drift down about one millimeter below the line of consciousness and then immediately and suddenly find myself above it again, back wide awake. I did this over and over and over again and so I wanted to wear myself out today and I guess I did.
I'm exhausted now.
I went to Lily's and picked her and Owen and Maggie up. Owen got his head wired yesterday for the EEG study and we had to take him back to get unwired. The neurologist's office is in the "professional building" which aligns with the hospital and shares parking with it and since Maggie was asleep, I dropped off Owen and his mama and Maggie and I parked on the top deck of the parking garage with the sky above us and we waited to hear from Lily so that we could drive back through the levels and layers of garage to pick them up again, which we did. Owen's hair was fierce from the glue they'd used and he was a little wild with it all. I have no idea what's going on in his head and I mean that in all ways. They will have results next week and we shall see where we go from here. I have a feeling that we'll be going down to Shands, the teaching hospital in Gainesville where they have a good clinic for epilepsy and we don't even know if it's epilepsy but I think they will be able to help us find answers.
Meanwhile, the boy is fine in all other ways. He is suddenly reading and being able to spell words and he just spontaneously does that, and it's such a beautiful thing to see. I think he is amazed at the way this is happening, as if by a sort of magic.
So. Next we went to a local park where Gibson was playing with his cousin, the darling Lenore. He spent the night at his other grandma's last night and they went to the fair. Owen, with his wired head could not go but he seemed to be okay with that because they had a family night at home with his mama and daddy and little sister and they watched some movie that he wanted to see but Gibson had obviously ridden his share of rides and had his share of fun because he had almost a complete break-down over the fact that he'd forgotten the Mountain Dew that his grandma had promised him at her house but he got over it and they had brought Owen a bag of cotton candy and oh- the sugar, the wildness, the boys.
Owen wanted to go to Japanica and so of course we did. Jessie and August met us and we had our usuals- our miso soup, our salads with ginger dressing, our sushi and bento boxes. Owen had two bowls of soup, two salads and a lot of sushi. So did Gibson. Maggie ate everything her mama would give her and August did the same and probably had more of his mother's salmon than she did and I gladly let him have my spring roll and Maggie some of my rice. Maggie loves to say, "Uh-oh" and she loves to drop things on purpose so that she has a reason to say it. August loves to sign for "more" and is frantic with it. "More, more, more!"
And of course, we checked out the most comfy couch in the world because that is what we do at Japanica.


Four puppies and you can't pose them at all.

Afterwards we went to the Goodwill bookstore and books were bought and some games, too. I even bought myself a copy of "Terms of Endearment" because I only seem to be able to reread books of Larry McMurtry's now and that's fine. It's okay. Who cares? Comfort is where you find it and I find it in the plain talk and beautiful dialog of McMurtry's people. It's like visiting with old friends who expect nothing of me. Nothing at all.

And after THAT, Lily and the kids and I went to meet Jason at a new grocery store over by the FSU campus which was having a grand opening. Rather ridiculous but hey! It was something to do. It's one of those faux healthy grocery stores and Lily did pick up some very good deals on organic vegetables and fruits. The loss-leaders, as you will, and I walked around in shock, so many people and so much stuff. Some of it was ridiculous- the make-your-own-trail-mix bar which which was nothing more than big vats of candy and dried fruit and nuts. Mostly candy. Samples of everything from gluten-free cookies made with all of the trendy hot ingredients to bacon. BACON! Owen wanted the bacon. And there was cheese and wine and beer and I looked around at one point to see people of every age and every color and size and form and shape and here we all were, simply gathered in one place to see what sort of food and drink this new place was bringing us, just human beings hoping for a free taste of this or a good deal on that and I teared up bad because all day I've been checking the news about who DT is calling together to act as his advisors, his cabinet, and it is so bad.
How can THOSE white men represent us?
Well. They can't and that is the answer and I don't feel like talking about any of it right now.

I kissed my babies and my daughter and my son-in-law good-bye and they all went home in Jason's car and I came home in mine, actually stopping at Publix if you can believe it. I was numb, it didn't matter, but I needed things like shower spray and fuck if I'm going to buy all natural shower spray that doesn't work for too much money and I needed toilet paper and wasn't interested in buying wheat straw toilet paper although I'm sure it's awesome and will save the planet but I just got what was on sale at Publix. I talked to my friend who is recovering from breast cancer treatment and I found a little pink shoe on the floor and delivered it to the mother of the little girl who had lost it and I bought a damn chicken to roast because...comfort.

And here I am. Dishes and clean clothes put away. My own chickens put up for the night. Do you realize that I am feeding twelve chickens and am only reliably getting one 3/4 size egg every other day? Perhaps I need to worm them.
I'll think about that tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Will I get back in the garden? Why not? Will I spend all day in bed reading? Ah, probably not. I could go to the festival that Hank has practically killed himself planning for the last two months. I don't know.

We'll see, won't we?

I walk through my house, one room leading to a next, this house which was built before the Civil War, another time in our history when it must have seemed as if The Great Experiment had completely failed and it should give me comfort because it still stands and offers me protection and a sense of safety but it really doesn't. This house may survive and stand through that which is upon us but I am not sure I will.
My soul feels too crushed to hold up to the forces of that which press upon us all.
They are singing at the church next door and I do not know if they are singing hymns of faith or of hope or of despair. It really doesn't seem to matter to me at all.

I hope I feel differently tomorrow.

We shall see. We shall see.

Love...Ms. Moon

17 comments:

  1. I love that black and white photo of you kissing August while engaged with Lily and Maggie. It's very artistic. You had a perfect sort of day as an antidote to the news out there. The love and connection and awareness you and your family share creates ripples of good that reach us all. I truly believe that. Sleep well tonight, darling Mary. Tomorrow will be better for all of us. And the next day, better yet. We are marshaling our strength. We will do what we must. And in the meantime, we will love with all our hearts. You are a wonderful example of that, the finest.

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    1. Jessie took that picture. You can tell it was taken by someone with eyes of love. And August was pointing to his beloved mother.
      You've made me cry. Again.
      Well. That's love. What you said about my family? That's what I love about your family. And I love you.

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  2. I don't know if I will either...it's gonna take a while. Hope they figure it out soon for Owen. Babies eating sushi makes me smile bigger than I have all week! I did have a few minutes of release driving home from work, singing at the top of my lungs along with Bob Dylan to "Idiot Wind, blowing every time you move your teeth" as I thought of the orange asshole. Then a few minutes later, "You're gonna make me lonesome when you go" came on and I cried thinking of our beautiful president.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. I'm glad you had those moments. I'm waiting for mine. I am sure they will happen.
      Obama is not going to disappear. I know that. He'll do what he can.
      Lord, I hope.

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  3. Hello Mrs. Moon. Not for nothing, but...my daughter started having seizures as a toddler because of a tick bite and Lyme disease. I know Owen is an outdoorsman; perhaps it might be worth it to have him tested and put on a course of antibiotics? I hope this maybe helps.

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    1. Wow! Thank you! That's something we need to consider and ask about for sure. Ticks abound here and we all get them. Thank you for this reminder

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  5. I think I am slowly adjusting. Your reference to the Civil War was helpful -- to realize we've been through far worse than this before, and the country survived. (Surely we won't have to go to such extreme lengths this time!) I wonder if Owen's brain isn't just growing and wiring itself -- I really know nothing about brain development but it sounded like some of your previous commenters had similar episodes in themselves or their kids. Maybe it's just a thing.

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    1. I don't have any answers, Steve, but I do know that although we survived the Civil War, we are still dealing with the fall-out and that's just the truth. I am hoping with all of my heart that it's not going to be as bad as that but I am realistic in thinking that it's not going to be pretty.
      And as to Owen- may it be nothing but yes, his powerful brain developing. But you know we have to try and figure it out. We just have to.

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  6. I spent the day working on some new small castings. it needs my attention so my mind doesn't wander too much but then at the end of the day, he is still the president elect. heaven help us all especially if they impeach him like is being predicted or he gets tired and quits which I can totally see happening and then we get Pence. another nightmare.

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    1. Pence may in fact be a worse nightmare with his feelings about women's rights and the rights of our queer family members and communities.
      We will fight this. All of us. One by one, incident by incident, law by law. We will fight.

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  7. I haven't been blogging or reading blogs because everything just seems so sad and pointless right now. And then I feel bad because I don't even live in the US for fucks sake. I really am worried and scared for all my blogging friends though. And I am worried about how you are all coping.
    Like when there is a death, there is nothing to be said. Nothing. Except that I love you and hold you in my thoughts and in my heart.

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    1. Thank you, dear Birdie. I don't really have any words either. Just those- thank you. Because I know you mean it.
      Love to you and to your fellow country people who are as horrified as so many of us are.

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  8. Mary, I am sorry that I have missed so much here. Owen having seizures? I am sorry and hope that there is good news about what caused the issue. I am still reeling too. But also getting organized with the local activists. We are planning on working towards 2018 to elect progressive people at the local/state level. It is like a nightmare though.

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    1. Syd- any hope that I have for our country comes from knowing that there are people like you who are incredibly intelligent and enlightened and determined. Thank you.
      I have missed you.

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    2. And it's okay about Owen. He's had two incidents and we are on the path and in the process to find out why and what and how.
      He has a strong and determined family who loves him so much. As you know.

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  9. Mary, I am sorry that I have missed so much here. Owen having seizures? I am sorry and hope that there is good news about what caused the issue. I am still reeling too. But also getting organized with the local activists. We are planning on working towards 2018 to elect progressive people at the local/state level. It is like a nightmare though.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.