Wrapping Up

Yesterday was a day for wrapping things up down here. I am ready to be done here & go...probably mostly since I am so sick of packing & dread getting the house ready for sale. I am going to miss my friends here dreadfully, but I know that I will still be able to see them sometimes & will be in touch with them from Cleveland. I had lunch at Chipotle with Dave, my mentor from the UCC Church, & officially ended my internship (only a couple weeks early despite the move) over burritos in the sun. I really am going to miss that church, but I have every intention of staying connected. Dave had some recommendations for me regarding UCCs to look into once we hit Cleveland. He says that Liberation is Open & Affirming, meaning that they welcome straight folks. That might not work for me...I'd like more diversity, not only gay folks. I keep hearing Pilgrim mentioned, too, but it's IN Cleveland. Might be more of a drive than J wants. We'll be church shopping over the summer. Dave can't understand why I've stayed with the Presbyterians so long, while Brendan is urging me to attend a More Light Presbyterian church. There are 7 in the area, but I don't suppose I can straddle that fence anymore, not since I am going to be a pastor. I wish non-denominational wasn't generally code for ultra-conservative, gay-bashing. My views are so wide-open that sometimes I think I should be a Unitarian. But, the UU fellowships I have been to haven't felt particularly spiritual to me, but rather more intellectual than anything. And the pagan/goddess groups I've hung out with have tended to Christian-bash. Oy vey!

After lunch, I was headed for more errands when I got a call on my cell phone from the elementary school nurse. She thanked me for answering (does she have parents who duck her calls?) & explained that Pie wasn't feeling well, was very pale & running a fever. I immediately turned around & went back to get him. When I walked in, he was very pale indeed. He was sound asleep on the cot, drooling up a storm. He looks so fragile when he sleeps. He was hot & hard to wake, but I got him awake enough to get him home & tucked in bed with some acetominaphen in him.

Later in the afternoon, I ran errands, leaving Pie in the care of his brother, both of them napping & looking adorable. I signed my will, picked up J's "integrity" poster from her old HR manager in The Land of No Integrity, and got mirror boxes from the moving company. For $20 for 3 boxes, I am thrilled to pieces that I am getting most boxes from bookstores & groceries!!! What a rip-off! Once home, I worked on sorting out the contents of our cedar chest, mostly magazines and papers.

I made sausage & egg cups (in a muffin tin...like little breakfast casseroles), toast, & applesauce for dinner. Pie took 3 bites of applesauce & promptly went out in the back yard, starkers, to puke. Poor kid. I gave him more Tylenol & put him in the tub that Boot ran for him. He loved that & went to bed right afterward, with a bucket. No more throwing up, though. I'm not sure if they both had a virus or if they've both worn themselves out, but they are in good shape today. Pie woke up with a headache, but no fever or any other symptoms. I kept him home from school due to the 24-hour fever-free rule, but he is much better. Yay! I feel so terrible for them when they're sick. He had another bubble bath this morning, right after his bananas & oatmeal. He adores baths like I do. When he was in the tub this morning, he said to me, "You know, Daria, I love you as much as my dad, my mom, and Brother." I told him I love him so, so much & think he's fantastic. I said that I feel very privileged to be part of his life. Boot is less openly affectionate, but he has been really pleasant lately & helpful. Last night, he said he likes only having one pair of eyes watching them. He said, "Your consequences may be hard, but you can't see EVERYthing." I said, "And half the stuff I do see, I choose to ignore." He said he was glad. I figure that if they are not doing any harm, I can let small things slide. Gotta pick my battles!

I have spent the (very rainy) day packing up everything in the dining room. I made a room-by-room plan for myself & hope to have the DR totally ready to move by bedtime. Too bad many of the dishes have to go in storage. I can always bring them to the apartment if we end up having room for them. I am so thankful we have movers coming & I don't have to figure out how to move the hutch!!! That last move without movers, when it was me, my mom, and a U-Haul, was quite enough for me. I know she's glad she doesn't have to help with a move like that again, too! She has been so good to me, helping me through all kinds of crap. I wish everyone had such a loving & wise mom.

I wish everyone had a partner like J, too. I love getting calls from her. I got a letter today, too. She sounds so energized by her new job. It is incredibly heartening. I feel like I am getting everything I've been wishing for. Yes, the change is difficult in plenty of ways (I was looking at private insurance packages last night...UGH!), but I feel it's just what we need. Cleveland is going to be a good place for us. Not only the job, but being close to Jazzbo & Anne. Anne has invited us to a Mother's Day brunch she's doing Sunday. That will be fun! Her mom & sister are coming, too, along with her sister's girls. So, the boys won't be the only kids. Also, J said the pool is open, so we're taking our suits for the weekend! Have to remember to make sure our housesitter has a key before we leave!!!

I should get back to packing & make some cheeseburgers for Boot's choice dinner tonight!