A post in which it is dinner out with the folks

I made plans for Gary to come up to see me Friday night - YAY!  I'm so excited.  His schedule sucks, but I'm trying not to be all negative about it.  I'm really looking forward to seeing him.

I had to go back for my check-in at the cancer center today.  As the time got closer, I got more keyed up.  It is still hard, over a year after my release from treatment, to go back there.  But I know I have to go, so I went.  Aside from them using me as a pin-cushion trying to get blood from me, it was fairly uneventful.  The doc wants to schedule a PET scan for me, but that was expected since I put it off last Fall.  He did say "I can tell by looking at you that you're fine." but told me we still needed to do it, which I knew.

While I was there I talked to Patrick.  He is such a nice guy, but I think he's lonely.  It's so obvious to me why, but he doesn't seem to see it.  It makes me wonder if others can see some glaring reason why I've been alone all this time, and have just not said anything.  Can everyone see what's going on but me?

After seeing the doc, I went back to the chemo room and visited briefly with Cassie.  She's as sweet as ever, and was glad to see me.  After they petted and fussed over me a little, I headed on back to work. 

Tonight was my dinner out with Dad and Eve.  We were celebrating her birthday.  I'd had the heads-up from Lisa that they were pissed at me (Dad making the comment that they "never hear from your brother any more" - this despite my calling them both last week), but I persevered.  I had the gift and the card.  To touch all the bases, I stopped on the way to buy flowers.  Generally, the store on the way to their house has a good selection, but the cheaper bouquets were all picked over, and mostly gone.  They had a ton of flowers in for Mother's Day, but the majority of them were either mum-heavy, or made up of garishly dyed Gerbera daisies.  I hate dyed flowers.  They look fake, ugly, and toxic. 

In the end, I settled for a smaller bouquet that didn't have dyed flowers in it.  It was kind of pitiful, but I wasn't about to shell out $20 for dried-out looking roses.  The saying is that "it's the thought that counts".  I thought to myself as I left well that's a good thing, cause it's gonna have to.

When I got to the house, they seemed to be in a pretty good mood.  Eve wanted Don Pablos tonight, which was fine 'n dandy with yours truly.  Their Cantina Nachos are transcendental.  Dad and I had one of the advertised 'moonshine margaritas'.  It was supposed to be orange-flavored, but mine tasted cloyingly of artificial peach flavor.  There was so much artificial flavoring in it I could barely drink mine (although I soldiered through), but Dad seemed to enjoy his.

The conversation went well, and I plowed through an enormous trencher of nachos with no trouble at all.  Eve ordered dessert, so I had the sopapillas.  They have the best sopapillas I have ever tasted.  I had thought Dad would help me, but he was being good, and I didn't lead him into temptation.  I ate the whole plate.  It is just disgusting to eat that much food.  I consumed (I checked) 2,218 calories at one sitting.  That's not even counting the drink or the chips and salsa.  Gee, I wonder why I have a weight problem?  Oy.

I went back to the house and visited for a while, and things went well.  They're going up to Wilkesboro to see Grandma this weekend and take her to lunch, so I volunteered to go up with them.  I haven't seen her since her birthday last October, so I'm due to go up.  Over-due actually. 

On the way home, I called Gary, just because I wanted to hear his voice.  He very patiently listened as I rattled on about family crap for a while, but he sounded sleepy.  I let him off the phone and got ready for bed.  He sent me a text thanking me for calling, and telling me I made his night.  Oh yeah, I really like this guy.