Checking in.

At the Peter Pan Diner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Damn, those pancakes were good.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments and your good wishes for Evangeline and Nate. It's a good feeling to see them taking that leap of faith into the future together.

The new year started out quietly enough, and I had almost made up my mind to like 2012 when BAM, on January 6th my mother fell on the bathroom floor and broke her pelvis. 2012 is going to have to really work hard to regain my trust and affection.

Mom spent 72 very long and confused hours in the hospital. She expressed her confusion and dissatisfaction loudly, in clear and ringing tones, around the clock. Her poor roommate must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when the discharge order finally came through. Mom is back home now, being uncooperative with the physical therapist and having to be reminded over and over again that she broke her pelvis, ergo,  she cannot go down in the basement to look for the cat or out in the backyard to feed the birds.

Josh and I had scheduled a trip to Florida for the MLK Jr weekend, and we decided to go ahead with it despite Mom's accident. She is being well cared for by my sisters and brother and the aides.

So that's where we are right now. Fort Lauderdale, specifically. In our friend Reggie's very cool and retro apartment overlooking the beach. We are flying home tonight. I have lots of fun pictures from our day at Shark Valley in the Everglades, and I can't wait to show them to you. I am in love with the Everglades. Fort Lauderdale, not so much.

 

Comments

[Margaret]

Ah...excellent choice to take your trip. :)

[Belle]

Oh, geez, sorry about your mom's mishap. Always something but hopefully it doesn't cause further problems. Glad you still went on your trip. I love Florida this time of year...summer, no way.

[Margaret]

If it's not one thing, it's another. I'm to the point where I'm trying to enjoy life, while looking over my shoulder nervously. Ya know? At least you got away from the cold in FL. I could use some of that--instead I decided to visit Ashley in NYC for President's Day weekend. We'll have a good time though, even if we end up sitting in coffee shops out of the cold. :)

[Maureen]

Oh no! I am so sorry about your mom. You have been dealing with so much lately, I am glad you were able to take a mini break to Florida. Like Belle, I love Florida in January, it is always amazing to me when I step off that plane into warm weather, when it is -10 at home. Seems like a miracle!

[FC]

What is it with gravity and older parents? My dad is still not walking after his last fall and now your mom has fallen. I hope she heals well and quickly, and I am really glad you went ahead with your FL plans. You needed the break.

You notice all the old people in that PHOTO?

Not you of course.

[Cathy S.]

As a Floridian, I have to agree with you. Everglades, yeah. Fort Lauderdale, boo. Now, when are you coming to the WEST COAST (of Florida) which is much better than the East Coast. I happen to know you have two friends there who would love to host you and Josh.

[Pam J.]

Excellent idea to go ahead with your trip (although I note that it certainly wasn't a guilt-free trip since you felt you had to say this: "She is being well cared for by my sisters and brother and the aides.") About the everglades: got some book recommendations for you. "Lost Memory of Skin" by Russell Banks. Most of the novels of Carl Hiaasen, including his young adult novels. And finally "The Orchid Thief," nonfiction by Susan Orlean. And seeing the movie "Adaptation" doesn't count -- it's a quirky enjoyable movie based on the Orlean book but doesn't give you the flavor of the everglades the way her book does.

I know that your life is completely full and maybe reading isn't something you can indulge in very often. Or maybe you read non-stop and just don't blog about it. Whatever. After a trip and some new scenery it's always good, in my experience, to reinforce it with some good reading.

And it's been as cold as a witches tit up here so you picked a great long weekend to get away.

[Pam L]

Sounds like fun, good for you! Question: Are there sharks in the Everglades? just wonderin.

[Anne]

So glad you slipped away, in spite of mom's pelvis problem. To me, that requires more strength and fortitude than hanging around the folks' place, wringing your hands and fretting and nagging. Sometimes it's really, really hard to do what's best for yourself.

So, good on ya!

[liz]

Your mom sounds extremely tenacious -- trying to do ANYTHING with a broken pelvis does not sound like fun. Glad you got away someplace relaxing and warmish. Hope it sustains you through the winter.

[the bee]

I laugh when you note your mom and her clarity of voice because my own mom is very vocal indeed. The voice is the last thing to go.You look fabulous and just like a teenager at that eating establishment. I need to go there. You beg mom to take it easy and I beg you and Josh to stop getting eaten by nature. Life is a circle.

[Maggie]

So sorry about your mom. My father uses a cane and should really be using a walker because he keeps falling and breaking bones. Yet, he refuses to admit he needs to use the walker and my mom thinks this is all just fine. UGH. So glad you took your trip, it is well deserved and needed.

[Vicki]

I'm sorry to hear about your mum and hope she mends enough to enjoy more of this life. Most excellent that you've gotten some well deserved sun and R&R. And yes to the everglades! Here's a link to a great photographer of the Everglades; you need to come back and stay at his place for a bit. http://www.clydebutcher.com/

[Anne]

Hey! Are you still at that diner in Florida?

[Anne]

It just occurred to me that another crisis may have unfolded. I hope that's not the case.