A post in which it is time to head home

This morning the focus was on getting checked out and getting back. We pulled things together in short order and hit the K&W (which does a surprisingly good - and cheap - breakfast) before we hit the road. I had seen several new antique places on this trip, and because it was so early Mom asked if I'd like to visit a few before we left town in earnest. Well of course I did. There was a little nook tucked away almost behind our hotel that had lots of cool stuff. I found a bowl I wanted, that was pretty reasonably priced. I've been looking at these for a couple of years now, but every time I found one it was priced two to three times what it was worth. For $10, I was happy to buy this one, even if the book value on it is only $12. I usually don't like amber glass all that much, but I just really think this is a pretty piece.

Madrid 11" console bowl in amber by Federal Glass Company, circa 1932 - 1939

That was a nice way to start the day, and end the trip. We headed back inland, stopping at another antique place on the way, but I didn't buy anything there. We stopped in Florence for McDonald's frappes, Mom's latest addiction. They are tasty.

When we got to Columbia, I dropped Mom off, filled up with gas, and left a message for my buddy Chip, then headed on home. I got in about 4pm. I don't like having to come in late on a trip and rush around to have things half-organized before the next day. I had plenty of time today. I unpacked, cleaned all my new glass, hung my new wind chimes on the porch, saw to the cats, and put in a load of laundry. I should have gone to the grocery store, but I had a lunch in the freezer for tomorrow and just plain didn't feel like going.

I did feel like seeing friends tonight. dana had been through and left me a sweet card for my birthday, a gift, and a bag of Oreos. It was a nice thing to come home to. I sent them a thank you text, but it being Monday night, I figured they would be holed up. I sent out a general text to let everyone know I was back. I thought I might go to dinner with Russ and Billy, but Billy is out of town and Russ buries himself in work when Billy's gone.

I was trying not to get broody. I've really been looking forward to the trip, and it was of course a let down now that it's over. Seeing the ocean always makes me feel small, but I hadn't really gotten broody on this trip until tonight. Time is passing. Mom is already having problems moving from the arthritis in her hips, and that makes me sad. We talked a good bit about Granny over the past several days, and how her life has changed as her health declines. I'm still single, almost four years on. Being at the beach and seeing everyone there with their spouses just makes me feel like a late-comer to the square dance - everyone seems to be already paired up. I count my blessings like saying a rosary at this point, but that doesn't always work. I'm really not looking forward to getting the biopsy results back this week. I had successfully used denial to put off dealing with it until now, but I'm going to have to deal with it soon.

In the end, I had a modest dinner out of the freezer (appropriate after all the rich food I've eaten over the past several days), and turned on the computer and telly. I watched Hoarders while I answered a bewildering number of birthday greetings on Facebook.

Adding to the weirdness was seeing a picture of Michael with Juan Carlos on his Facebook profile. I knew that he was seeing the guy, apparently seriously, and that he has been to the Dominican Republic to meet his family and stuff; but it was just a jolt to see a picture of him with someone else. Michael has a lot more gray in his beard too. It just reinforced the time-is-passing-and-life-is-passing-me-by thing.