It’s the first Saturday in December! We are now 10 days out from Belinda’s procedure. Time to think about packing and things like that. I was a little concerned with how to pay for food while we are in DC (I’m working to get insurance to pay a per diem, but that will still be reimbursed after and we don’t really have cash on hand), but I found that my snap card will work there, so that’s a relief. We can at least go to a grocery store or little convenience store to pick up food that we can heat up in the room. YAY!
So back to “December Journaling If You Feel Like You Haven’t Achieved Much This Year.” Today we have Memories from the year that make you smile, no matter how ordinary.
My brain isn’t what it used to be; I’ve had brain fog since I had Covid in December 2020, and although the curcumin is helping, it’s definitely not what it was. So it’s difficult for me to think back on things. But…I do a reasonably good job at keeping up with facebook posts and a fair job of keeping up with my livejournal, so I can look back at those memories and see what that triggers!
Okay, first thing that came up from my livejournal (latest posts first) was from November, and it definitely made me smile.
Copy and pasted right from my lj —> Yesterday afternoon we played trivia after cake and ice cream for Mom. I got a few that I was very proud of! I knew Exxon Valdex, lorem ipsum, and a few others that I sadly can’t remember now. I should have kept notes, lol. But I was mostly proud of this one: The question was who said at the OJ trial, if it does not fit, you must acquit? I knew exactly who it was and I couldn’t think of his name! I could think of OJ Simpson, Kato Kaelin, Marsha Clark. I even came up with Mark Furman, and then I remembered in the movie I watched about it, the John Travolta guy saying “Bob” very disparingly, so I thought it might be Bob something until I finally realized now, that was Robert Kardashian (Ross from friends was him in the movie). I knew I could get it but my poor brain can’t do anything anymore! So I sat and thought. I had to put my fingers in my ears to concentrate. And then someone mentioned South Park. Lenora said she thinks it was her, saying 6-7. And that made me think of a song where the person was mentioned. I could hear the song going “I got OJ fre-e.” And it was South Park. No…no…it was Book of Mormon! It was Spooky Mormon Hell Dream! So I started singing it and then I got to the part Genghis Khan, Jeffrey Dahmer, Hitler, JOHNNY COCHRAN! Hooray! It wasn’t even for a pie but oh how proud I was that I came up with that!!!! And Travolta was Robert Shapiro and I had to look that up after and I had to look it up now but I got it!
Before that, it was how happy Sarah was when the band did such a great job at competition, and she hugged me, and thanked me for making her do band! That was very very happy!
I also smile when I remember being at Northwestern when we were helping Belinda get moved into the dorms, and the kids wanted me to take a picture of them – Lenora, Bennett, and Belinda, sitting on her bed. And then I turned around and took a picture of the always good sports, Mia and Ben R, who were leaning on the wall behind me and waiting for their spouses.
Oh! And Bennett and Mia got married this year, on January 25! That makes me smile and I also smile at how they decided to marry that day and it was my parents’ wedding anniversary. It made me very happy to see Mom’s wedding topper on the groom’s table (it was also on the cake at Lenora’s wedding, which was also happy but was last year.)
Right now I’m smiling while I’m in the dark car in the parking lot, typing on my laptop using my hotspot. I’m waiting for the Christmas musical show that Bennett and Mia are in to begin. Bennett wanted me to drive him here ahead of time, so I did that but then I had a couple of hours before the show started. It’s been very nice to just sit here in the dark listening to Christmas carols on the radio. Ben is giving Will a ride home from the hospital and Sarah is with Mom, another good thing. [Edited to add that I found out later that Karlene actually ended up coming over to sit with Mom, and Sarah got to go to rehearsal after all!] I’m very glad I get to support Mia and Bennett at their performance, especially because they’re both sick but the show much go on. I’m also thankful that Krislyn let Ben miss rehearsal last night and is letting Sarah miss it tonight. She is such a help with the Mom caregiver thing. So is Ben, Karlene, Sarah, Kevin, and Gary. And Lenora and Ben. And Bennett and Mia. And Belinda!
I have such a joyful, blessed life. I do complain quite a bit, but I really shouldn’t. This life is very good.