A post in which I have dinner with the 'rents

I hadn't seen Dad and Eve in a couple of weeks, so I knew I had to go tonight, although by the end of the day I was feeling conspicuously charm-free. It wasn't that hard of a day, although I've had nine new clients dumped on my desk this week, but I just feel worn out and frazzled. I don't seem to have gotten my puff back from the weekend yet.

I went to the house though, and dutifully admired the new foxglove Eve had put out, and we went on to the Olive Garden. They had their new "passion for Parmesan" menu they had been advertising, and I was keen to try it. But when we looked it over, there was only one seafood dish in the new section, and it was shrimp with tails on (I've developed Billy's total distaste for shrimp dishes served with tails on). But they did have the fabulous new fried shrimp scampi they are serving (somewhere, an Italian chef is turning in his grave), so I had that with some pasta. I really wanted salad and bread anyway. Now that the port is out, I'm eating pretty much what I please. My arm hasn't bothered me much.

After a supper in which I was more quiet than usual (they didn't seem to notice) we went back to the house for a visit. Through dinner and on the way over, I'd felt unusually impatient with going tonight, but I did relax at the house and chat for a while before I took my leave. I stayed almost as late as usual, but did leave a little early, just because I feel so worn out. I feel a bit guilty because I've been pretty tired the last couple of times that I've been over there.

It worries me how frail they have both gotten. Dad finds it hard to walk at all, and Eve isn't much better. They're just in the sixties, but they act much older - particularly Dad. I hope that his hip surgery helps as much with his mobility as they expect. It would be good to see him getting around better again.