Back On The Internet, Back In Life

Candie, our friend and cleaner came yesterday and it was the first time I've seen her since my birthday. She brought me some sweet presents and that sign was one of them. 

I love it. Candie knows me oh, too well although she did admit that she was a little worried that perhaps I might find it somewhat offensive. 
Of course I did not. 
Mr. Moon hung it up for me last night. 

We are both doing somewhat better every day. He went to the gym today and I went to lunch with Jessie. Not quite the same but still- we both had outings. Jessie had taken August back to the doctor this morning because the croupy cough he always seems to get with any sort of sickness was getting worse, not better, and he has been started on steroids which is the general path which must be taken. The person who saw August said that he is not contageous (he has no fever) and so could go to school so Jessie took him after the appointment. She said he was so excited to be going. 
I asked Jessie if Levon had taken over the first grade yet and she said, "Pretty much." He also pleaded to go to after-school because he wanted to play with his buddies there. Levon is a very social guy. Jessie also said that both boys have been begging to go see their Florida cousins. I don't know if I already told this story but not too far in the distant past, I was with Lily's kids and Owen said, "It would be so cool if all the cousins could come to your house for a sleepover, Mer!"

Excuse me? 
But it would be cool. I doubt I'd have to do much beyond supplying them with copious amounts of food. They wouldn't need me at all. 

Even still, the thought is a bit alarming. Five wild children, all excited to see each other, could be somewhat stressful to this old grandmother. 

We shall see. 

Speaking of Owen, I got to see him this afternoon. I had texted Lily to see if she was working as I was going to her Publix. I knew that Wednesday is her day off but schedules do change. Nope, she wasn't working but since I was there, could I bring her a rotisserie chicken? She was making chicken and yellow rice for their supper. Of course I could! And her house is right on my way home. When I got there, I was pleased to see Owen who was already home from school. It sounds like high school is fine with him and I was so glad to see him. I told him, "Owen, not only are you getting taller all the time, you're getting more handsome all the time!" and he is. 
He has just recently become a patient of my beloved Dr. Zorn and saw him for the first time a few days ago. Almost my entire family has switched over to Zorn's care including Jessie and Vergil and their boys. Hank and Rachel see him and so do Lily and Lauren. 

But the subject had come up because during his appointment, Dr. Z had measured Owen's femur and told him that he will probably grow to be somewhere between 6'4" and 6'8". 

That's about what I would have said too. 

Owen will be getting his learner's permit for driving next month IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT! August asked his mom if Owen will be driving him around after he gets his license to which she replied, "Not right away." When she told me this my response was, "Those boys need to at least be out of booster seats before that happens." 

I'm thinking I need to get Owen a few of these before he gets his learner's permit:

He'd like that, right? What fifteen year-old kid wouldn't? 

And I guess that's about it. I hope to get out and do some yard work tomorrow. My soul needs it. Glen says that's what he's going to do so maybe we can get some things done out there and go to the river again. Why not? We're under no one's schedule. It's bizarre to me how long it has taken for us to truly realize that. Not work schedules or children's schedules or even social schedules. And although I am the Queen of Guilt, I do not feel guilty about that. 

I'm off to make some clam spaghetti. This morning as Glen and I were leaving the house to go to our separate outings, I said, "Let me know if you think of anything you'd like to have for supper."
This is a running joke with us because he can never think of anything but clam spaghetti or white-bean chili when I ask him for suggestions. As all of us who cook know, it's not the cooking part that's hard. It's the deciding WHAT to cook that's the problem. 

And a few hours after my request to him to please try and think of something he'd like me to make I got a text that said, "Clam Spaghetti."

And I laughed. 

It is just about the easiest thing in the world to make and I'll make a salad to go with it. I picked some Mexican basil and some Thai basil to go in it along with some of the arugula that has somehow managed to sprout and live in this heat. 

Just a little handful of that and the herbs will make the salad stand up and dance no matter what else I put in it. 

And that is enough. 

Oh! By the way- our internet did indeed come on very soon after 6 p.m. yesterday evening. I honestly was so surprised. And pleased, as one might imagine. 

Love...Ms. Moon