When I got up, my dad was giving my mom her pills with a spoon. He was suprised at the progress she was making. I made breakfast for my mom and myself. Then I took a bath. Drying off, somehow I sprained my back. It seemed so senseless. I sat on the couch to read e-mail from awhile until the laptop battery power faded. Then I plugged it in and read a book, even as my mom was reading one of her Christmas books, while it charged up. I did not notice when my father started making lunch. He was almost done when I got up to help. Chris made me some salad dressing using the toasted sesame oil. It made my salad tastier. After lunch Kevin came over to clean and cook. Chris went to Martins to pick up a few groceries. Then he went to Barnes and Noble to get some movies with his gift card. I read some more, hoping my back would improve. Then Dad wanted to work on his Christmas cards. I am not sure how long we spent (an hour or more), but when we stopped for supper, nothing had changed. No more cards were stamped, or addressed, or sealed. Nor were any copies made of the Christmas letter. All he had done was to make changes to the address list, and record on it the current condition of each card. Kevin made two casseroles and Chris made chicken. Then we all sat down to eat together. Supper was a long-drawn out affair like every other meal. Dad either eats slowly, or finds reasons to get up, or something. Then Chris got out the remaining birthday cake (lemon/almond) and divided up amongst those who eat cake. I read some e-mail, but all too soon it was time to charge the battery again. Kevin chatted for awhile, and Dad and Chris cleaned up from supper. After Kevin left, Dad and I watched PBS. They had some very interesting shows about biodiversity and the dangers of monocultures. Apparently planting only one or two species of a flower, fruit or vegetable, is like putting all your eggs in one basket. Whatever bug or bacteria endangers one plant, endangers them all, ex. the potato famine in Ireland. Did you know that all McDonald's french fries are made from Russet Burbanks?
Dad got Mom ready for bed, and I joined Chris sitting in the livingroom. He told me that he thinks there will be less traffic on Sunday so it might be a better day to go back home. After Mom finished her bedtime pills, she and Dad came out here to say 'goodnight'. I posted a pic to yesterdays' post.
Last night after I went to bed, I thought of a dozen things I wish I had mentioned in my blog, but now I can't think of even one. Seems like there should be more to life than just recording the events of the day. Sometimes I wonder if anything really matters. Life just seems to proceed how it will, and no amount of worrying or trying to avoid bad things makes any difference. Change is the only constant. Things can't and won't stay the same; not in life, not in nature. Back in Korea I couldn't wait to see where we would end up. But there is no 'ending up'. We are here now (Richmond) and will be in Alabama next week. But next year? Two or three or ten years? One never knows, and maybe it would spoil the surprise. But is any one place any better than another? Is there a point to settling in and getting comfortable anywhere? Are all my strivings and cares for nothing?
* I did not take any pics today, so here is one from the party yesterday. This is my sister and her husband. *
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