Sunday 30 November 2003

Three months ago my sister said I talked too much about wanting a woman in my life... that I had other problems with which to deal first and that diving into a relationship hasn't exactly been good for me over the past few years. She's got a point.

My family has been worried about me for quite some time. I am happy to report that over the past seventeen days I have been host to nine visitors. (This compares to eleven total during the thirteen months I spent in my Prison Cell apartment in Onalaska.) On the 14th my mom came to visit overnight. I made supper for her Friday night... she mentioned that it was the first time I'd cooked for her in such a long time and seemed very grateful. I've described Mom as an angel-on-Earth. She's a very kind soul. Naturally she took care of her boy by buying me a plant (she's an ivy that cheers me up over coffee each morning), a new lamp for my living room, and about $80 worth of groceries. I told her (and she agreed) that that was good enough for a Christmas present. If she gets me anything for the holiday I'm gonna swat 'er.

On the 21st Dad came to visit for a few days. He took a two-week vacation to visit "up north" from Arkansas, and it was the first time I'd seen him since August, 2001. I'm worried about him. I honestly believe this was the last time he's ever coming up here to visit... the normally 13-hour drive was made in sixteen over two days and it took a lot out of him. On the 22nd he and I picked up Catherine at her mom's house and brought her here for her first overnight at Daddy's house since Kari broke up with me. (With the frame of mind she was in I didn't trust having Cathy on that side of the state, and each placement period I've had with her over the past fourteen months has been at my mom's house.) We had a great time together. Saturday night I made a lamb roast for the three of us and it went over really well.

Dad stayed three nights and we had plenty of time to catch each other up on stuff. He never knew before seeing my apartment that I painted, and was particularly intrigued by Andromeda hanging in my living room. I'm not sure how much of it was a father's pride, but he did make me feel as though I've at least a spark of talent.

On Monday he and I went to Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, to visit some friends of Dad's I hadn't seen in years. We spent the night there, then he lent me his car for the day to return here to see Cathy marching with her Girl Scout troop in the Appleton Christmas Parade, held each year the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. Wednesday morning I drove back down to Lyndon Station to pick up Dad and go to the next place on his vacation itinerary... "home." There we saw family and old family friends.

The week after Mom came to visit me she had an accident at work, tripping over a computer cord, falling, and breaking her foot. She had surgery the following week and is pretty much stuck for a bit. She gave me a call to help her out as she was planning to host for Thanksgiving, but with her injury would not be able to spend time in the kitchen. So, Wednesday night my arrival was doubly nice... not only was Mark home, but the cavalry had come to save the day for her.

Continue...