I may be too soon in saying this (which explains the clever "counting chickens before they hatch" reference in the title; and you thought I was mental), but I think the three of us have reached the apex of illness and are on the mend. I feel better today, and so do OH and OC. The fact that I feel better could be due to getting a solid six hours worth of sleep, as opposed to the previous nights' three hours. There is no way to feel good after only three hours of sleep. I am just not that young anymore.
It's not that I went to bed late because I was knitting or something. No, I actually went to bed at a decent hour that would have allowed for a good night's sleep. It's that my dearest husband is still sick, and has this hacking cough the poor guy. The coughing woke me up, and after many many instances of this, I just couldn't fall asleep again. My body's adrenaline system is strong. But last night? I took a melatonin and the other prescription sleepytime pills which make everything better.
This weekend we will go to the Oregon Coast to stay in our oceanfront condo. It was my family's timeshare condo, where we spent two weeks every year, one in the winter and one in the summer. My mom sold the summer week, but I've bought the February week for us to keep. At first I didn't know if I would want it at all.
The place has a lot of memories, and I wasn't sure if it would be a good experience to be there or not. Last year was the first year I stayed there alone with OC, and I was most trepidatious at the thought of sleeping in the main bedroom, the room where my parents used to sleep. I wasn't sure I could do it. I was prepared to sleep on the couch, or if need be, drive another hour south to my aunt and uncle's house for the night.
Although I avoided the bedroom as long as possible before finally going in, the time we spent there was wonderful. The memories were comforting. I remember how my dad would be in the kitchen cooking, and I can see my mom sitting in the chair and crocheting or reading in front of the big window overlooking the ocean. The basketball hoop where my sister and I played was still there. I felt familiarity surround me, somethat that had been missing from the previous year and a half after my dad died and my mom sold the house and moved away. (She did what she needed to do, and I respect her for it, it's just that at the same time I missed the connection and comfort that a familiar place brings.)
It was particularly gladdening to share the experience with OC, to be in the space that my family had so much fun when I was growing up. OC, OH and I will spend time there together now, experiencing the memories while creating new ones. When OC gets older and asks me about what we used to do, I will happily tell her those stories. She will be able to visualize them happening and feel a kind of comfort from physical proximity to the place the stories occurred. Hopefully she will feel a connection and enjoy the tradition.
Ya'll, this condo is great! It sits on a cliff overlooking Depoe Bay and the ocean. You can see the Spouting Horn, watch the boats go in and out of the harbor, and it's all within walking distance to the town. You can also go out and walk around on the rocks and see tidepools. It's a truly lovely setting.
I'm looking forward to relaxing in the quietness, enjoying the hypnotic ocean waves and smelling the salty sea air. I plan to bring a knitting project, some crocheting, and a book or two. Should be just the thing: to rest, get well, and time to enjoy doing the things we never have time to do.
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