Homesickness

I'm alone. Gloriously alone. Wallowing in my aloneness.

Sunday the 6th I picked up Ruben from his dad, and he was out of sorts.  Headachy, and vacillating from whiny to excited.  I thought perhaps it was pre-camp jitters. I gave him an ibuprofin, put him in the bath and packed his bag.  We got to Portland where he was to meet the camp bus in plenty of time.  He played and chatted with his cousin Matt who is 4 years older and also going to camp Howard.

Ruben with his cousin Matt getting ready for the fun ride to camp.

He got on the crowded bus last, had a hard time finding a place to sit and my internal mom voice said uh oh.

Not dwelling on my internal mom voice I went home and experienced the joy of aloneness.  Fred is helping out at mom's house for a few days putting in a french drain.( I promise its not like this.)

I sat on the couch, cleaned a little, laid on the couch, lifted weights, snacked, and laid on the couch.

Monday I had big plans. Meet some of my students at the library, teach a martial arts lesson, and have madrigal rehearsal. Tuesday I was planning on leaving to Springfield to hang out with Jeremy and go fishing, and visit Jodi.

This is what actually happened:I called and thanked Polly for the beautiful Tibetan Singing Bowl she gave to me.  I went to the library but it was closed.  Always closed on Monday, go figure. Taught a great martial arts lesson for my friend LeRina and her kids, and received in payment a Polynesian dance lesson.  She has a basement studio (AKA: Dungeon) that was cool. Madrigal practice was cancelled due to excessive heat in our practice location, and Jeremy told me that his kids would be home and fishing on Tuesday wouldn't be an option.

Singing Bowl

On my drive home I got a call from the camp nurse that Ru was throwing up and had a terrible headache so I drove to camp (1 hr 50 mins) and gave him hugs, calmed him down, and made sure he was ok. He went back to his cabin with his counselor Patrick and I went home just after 9pm. I started driving south and was nearing Woodburn when I get a text from Ru that his headache is back and he thinks he might throw up.  Seems every other kid was asleep and his counselor was out doing patrols.  I called the nurse and left a message to please check on him but he panic/sick texted me for some time.  I had pulled over to text him, but he soon stopped texting and I assumed he fell asleep.  The nurse called back as I was entering Salem and she said she'd go check on him.  At midnight she called me back. (this woman is a saint) saying she gave him some Tylenol, and he was still awake but it seemed to be a classic case of homesickness.  Needless to say I didn't sleep very well, and I doubt Ru did either.

Tuesday I woke up at 6:30 and watered the garden. Then I went for a walk with my friend Elizabeth. It was a lovely morning for a walk, but already hot. I mean I didn't even need a jacket and that rarely happens. Afterward I called the nurse to check in and she said she hadn't seen Ruben yet this morning but she'd call me if he was still having issues. So I went to Walmart in search of a fan, which they didn't have, and went home.  I was starving by the time I ate breakfast at 10am.

July garden