Slipping

I haven't said much about my grandfather lately. It's not for lack of news, in fact there's entirely too much. He's been to the hospital numerous times since I last posted about him. He's fallen and hurt himself many times as well. Last week Monday he had a stroke and went to the hospital again. Since then they pulled a blood clot out of his brain. He was sedated and intubated most of the week. The tube came out on Friday and he's been awake but limp since then.

He can almost swallow.

He was adamant that he never be put on machines to keep him alive, and that's where he is right now. The doctors don't have much hope that he'll recover to the point he was even a week ago. As I type this, my mother, uncle, and two aunts are at the hospital discussing how to go forward. 

Preemptive cancelation

On Saturday, we got a late email saying church was going to be cancelled due to the impending snowstorm. By the time we would have gotten home, the storm hadn't yet arrived.

Lame.

Then late Sunday, we got an email saying school was cancelled for today due to the impending snowstorm.

I swear my school busses were cutting a path for the plows, meanwhile the kids now get off school at the drop of a hat.

Any hat.

On location

So a part of my church assignment has me traveling to other areas to speak to other congregations. I've only done it about three times, but seeing different people means I can use the same written talk more than once.

It's a bonus.

But yesterday, someone was taking pictures of me from the back of the room. I didn't notice (I only need my glasses for distance, so I kept them off so I could see my notes), but the bishop said something to me afterward, and when I asked this person, apparently I gesture and make funny faces when I'm up there. They sent me the pics, and honestly I'm kinda funny.

No, I'm not posting them here. 

Wrestling.... schedule

My son, who chose wrestling, was supposed to be getting a shuttle to the high school athletics wing where they could use the legit, purpose built wrestling room. But due to persistent schedule conflicts, their normal start time is delayed.

No shuttle. I have to go home, and 45 minutes later drive him to the high school. Practice is long enough that it's impractical to stay for it, so I go home for the duration. Of course I gotta pick him up again. Coach says this should last through January.

I still wish they had a proper room setup at the middle school. It's getting difficult to accomplish anything.

Wrestling

My youngest son has chosen to join 7th grade modified boys wrestling. Despite him being in middle school, this takes place in the high school after hours. Despite having a late bus, they won't put middle schoolers on the high school late bus.

Yes, I have to pick him up every single school day.

My daughter has chosen ski club, which also requires a parent pickup, but that's only one day a week and it's at the same middle school her brother attends. It's close enough to walk, but not at 8pm with no crossing guard, so I'll get her anyway.

Meanwhile my wife is doing taxes and won't be around to help with any of it. My younger self would have been bothered by having to run around so much, but honestly I'm glad my kids are taking advantage of these opportunities.

To choose REM

I can count on one hand the number of times that I decided to just go to sleep instead of staying up for new years. For the most part I just stay up, wherever that happens. Once I was extremely sick (that was 2003), and about 2 other times I was just too tired to bother. 

So last night, opting to turn in at 9:30 was something of an anomaly.