Thursday, January 12, 2017

We Ate A Lot


So have you ever been to a Busy Bee rest stop?
I have discussed this before but it's worth re-mentioning. It's a gas/convenience/food/gift kind of place on the interstate and this is the bathroom. I hear it is referred to as the Stalls Mahal. No shit. Las Vegas lighting, living plants, real doors into real rooms.
No stinkin' stalls at the Busy Bee!

You can buy just about anything at the Busy Bee and we bought a few items when we stopped on our way over to Jacksonville. Honey mustard pretzels, coffee, a game of Crazy Eights, a bag of rocks.
Don't ask.
Mer was feeling loose with the money and generous with the spoiling.
I could have bought a set of china there but it wasn't in a pattern I particularly liked.

It was awesome.

So the drive was very pleasant. Owen said twice, "I'm in heaven!" as he ate his beef jerky and pretzels and listened to Harry Potter and played a game on my iPad and had my full attention for two hours. We got to Jacksonville early and found a little park right near the clinic which was just super and a perfect place to let Owen and Maggie get some ya-ya's out.


The clinic was well organized and the view from the waiting area was of the St. John's River which was extremely peaceful and pleasant. We didn't have to wait too long but the actual EEG took awhile as there was an equipment glitch at first. But it got done and we'll go back at the end of the month to speak with a neurologist.

We were all starving, despite the snackage in the car, when we left the clinic and found a nearby Mexican restaurant that wasn't too bad. We all ate too much there. Also, Maggie knocked over a cup of water and then, in solidarity, I knocked over my cup of tea.
"I bet they'll be glad when we leave," said Lily.
I bet she was right.

The drive home seemed to take longer and Owen never did fall asleep in the car. In fact, he got a sort of second wind and went a little crazy but it was okay. We stopped at the Busy Bee on our way home because we needed to pee anyway, so why not pee at the best place?

Here. I took this picture of Owen.


Yes. You can buy alligator heads at the Busy Bee. Also, back scratchers made from the feet of small alligators. I know. Disgusting. Whatever. I like the picture.

And now I'm home and absolutely exhausted and tomorrow's going to be another long day. Both Lily and Maggie have doctor appointments, both just regular check-up things, and so there will be baby-sitting and kid-picking up and more baby-sitting and it'll be fine. We might even fit lunch in there somewhere.

Owen held up like a trouper today although he said that the EEG leads on his head actually hurt (they wrapped his head in gauze to hold them in place firmly) and when he came out of that room, he came right to me and crawled up into my lap. He'd fallen asleep during part of it, and was supposed to be awake for part of it and when they woke him up, he did not want to wake up at all. He was dead tired, so that was troublesome and miserable for him but I cuddled him for a moment and then he was all right and ready to rumble.

Maggie was a good baby girl. She slept most of the way there and some of the way back and toddled around the waiting area and charmed everyone and we shared pretzels on the way back because of course WE BOUGHT MORE SNACKS AT THE BUSY BEE ON THE RETURN VISIT!

I feel like I may never eat again.

Oh wait. Mr. Moon needs some supper.

Frozen pizza for that man tonight! Let us continue the theme of processed foods!

I am very proud of my boy. He was brave and he was funny and he was happy and he was sweet. And okay, a little manic but that's what happens when you're sleep-deprived and sugar-overloaded.

We all survived and truthfully, there were some mighty fine moments in the day.

You might even say...heavenly. 

Love...Tired Old Mer

20 comments:

  1. I'm so glad the day went okay and this part of the exploration is done for Owen. Of course he is a good, sweet boy because he just is. I'm sorry for the discomfort he experienced but glad he had his Mer to go to for comfort. I never heard of Busy Bee but it sounds awesome! Your kids are lucky to have your non-failing support. I feel tears at the love in your family.

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    1. There was a woman in the waiting area with three children who had to be under the age of five. She had no one with her but the children and two of them were distraught and crying and NO ONE is in the pediatric neurology clinic for fun. I felt so bad for and we all realized how lucky we are to have a family who can support each other and our boy. Our good, sweet boy.

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  2. I'm so glad it went well as it could, so glad you could be there for Lily and Owen and Maggie. I've been thinking of Owen all day, and sending love.

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    1. Thank you so much. I could feel all of the love. I could.

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  3. This reminds of when my son was about a year old. He had a heart murmur and had to go to the children's hospital. I can't remember all the circumstances but for some reason I had to give him Gravol. It might be called something different in the US. It is that anti-nausea stuff that is makes you sleepy. People take it before flights. Anyway, I gave it to him and it had an adverse affect. It made him hyper. So, this is the boy who made a noise like a lamb when he was born then went to sleep. He has barely moved in 21 years. He is so laid back. Again, anyway... it made him hyper. He went absolutely nuts. He was laughing and screaming. He was jumping on the bed. He turned the light on and off about 5,000 times. It was crazy! This went on for about 6 hours. He finally fell asleep around three in the morning. He never had Gravol after that. Now, red licorice. That's a story for another time. He isn't allowed to eat red Licorice

    I love that picture of Owen.

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    1. It's called a "paradoxical effect" when drugs have the opposite effect on people. As you probably know already. But Jeez- your son sure had one. You should have tried making him drink some coffee!

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  4. I was wondering and thinking on your day today, knowing it was THURSDAY. Sounds like it was heavenly.

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    1. It was surely as good as it could have been, Jill. Thank you.

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  5. Glad Owen has completed this part. Hope whatever comes next is easier.
    Love the "only in Florida" gator head picture. There's a chain in Texas similar to Busy Bee called buc ee's. Same luxury restrooms! love to you and your clan.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. Probably the same company owns both chains. Or maybe not. But they are startlingly amazing, aren't they?
      Thanks for the love!

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  6. Ah, all of you did it so well – even Maggie! (Maybe I shouldn't say
    "even", but she IS young...)

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  7. Dear Tired Old Mer,

    You guys rock!

    Love,
    Tired Old Elizabeth

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  8. that is one snazzy bathroom. We have Buckie's here. same sort of place with big clean bathrooms that are real little rooms with real doors but they aren't nearly as fancy smancy.

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    1. Well, these ARE fancy schmancy. I mean to tell you! Elegant!

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  9. That IS a crazy elegant bathroom for a highway rest stop! The Busy Bee sounds like a pretty amazing place. Glad Owen came through OK. :)

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    1. It's almost worth taking the interstate just for the stop at the Busy Bee, Steve.

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  10. Aw, Mary. I'm glad it all went ok.

    Lily is so funny. I love her deadpan pronouncments.

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