Day 79: Human

Working so much has taken it's tole on my sweet little condo. Everything has been feeling cluttered, disorganized and dusty; not a good thing for a hoarder's daughter to feel. We spent the afternoon cleaning, arranging and prepping for Christmas company. My older sister will be spending the holidays with us, which has caused a bit of family fun (sarcasm!)

I spoke with Dad today, his hip is healing. It is a slow and very painful process for him. His pain level is around a 9.9999, he says. He masks it well, behind his cheerful voice. He is in a convalescent home for a couple weeks to manage the pain and allow him to have physical therapy. The home is about 30 miles away from his hometown. It makes me sad that we won't see him this Christmas. JE and I had a lot of time off because of all the happenings last winter It would be very difficult to take the 22 hours to drive one way in such an unpredictable winter. And Mom doesn't travel well, so her coming here isn't an option. Besides, then Dad would be alone.

We opted in September to take Gram's invite for Christmas. She is so amazingly positive and just plain fun to be around. My aunt and her beau will be there, too. It's a tough predicament to have to choose between spending Christmas with my aging, lonely parents and my 91 year old Gram. Who knows what the future holds, all I can do is hope to make a good decision and live with that choice.

Tonight we went to the Kettle in Manhattan Beach with BC. What is it about that place that is so comfortable and kind to the soul? Everything about it is simultaneously welcoming and nostalgic. It is a transparent place that is colored by whatever mood you happen to be in and brightens it.

We walked there from BC's. As we passed by a restaurant, I saw a transient man sitting at an outdoor table under an awning to escape the rain. As a cycle tourist, I met a lot of transients. Most were kind, friendly, and often very helpful. There were days on the road when I spoke with very few people and experienced a tiny bit of the loneliness felt by the transient populace. I think we all need social interaction to let us know we are alive, we are human, we are trying. I try to always say hello to transients.