Vacation time in the Humidity

My week of vacation was spent in the lovely hills of WV with family. It proved to be a very humid week in WV, much to my dismay. I was thankful for family and thankful for the time off from work though.
I went with Dad one day to the hospital to have two units of blood transfused. That took a while. As I sat there with him, I realized how stressful it was for him. He didn't even watch any of his usual TV programs, largely westerns. I don't even think he was aware the TV was in the room that whole day. I spent the first part of that day with Mom, at home, before going over to the hospital. Mom seemed stressed also, but no wonder I guess, now that I think about it. Getting old is just plain no fun, but it does beat the alternative. I wish somehow I could make it easier for them both. Wasn't it Dylan Thomas that wrote "Do not go gently into that good night..."
They are giving it a good fight, I am proud of them.
H is holding up well with his burdens too. He had to clean out the home of his beloved aunt during our week of "vacation" this year. He worked very hard and has the home ready to sell now. We've had a few lookers already, so it seems the home will sell readily. H is dealing really well with his emotions regarding the death of this loved one, I don't think I'm handling it as well as he is. (I've got issues to sort through.)
Back at work this week, its humid like crazy and I feel like I'm actually melting here in Maryland. I'm thankful for the routine of work.
On a lighter note, I love my iPod mini! Great entertainment! I'm learning to download Podcasts this week and I'm downloading some different kinds of music as well. Its great.

July in the City

Commuting just sucks. Its Friday of a 4 day work week, so I should, by all logic, be happy today. But it is really pouring rain here, 3 inches in the last several hours. I left the condo today to walk to Metro and got my umbrella turned inside out, my half-way decent hair day gone in the gusting wind. And I'm wet. I walked back to the condo and got my Goretex jacket. That actually helped a lot, but it was a little warm. The humidity here really gets to me, more than I ever remembered. I'm having trouble with that. H says I should start driving to work. Hell, we just spent well over half a million dollars to buy a condo within an easy commute of my job and I gave my car to my S. The whole idea was to get by with just one car, easier on our budget and easier on the environment. But it ain't easy. There is nothing easy about this crap. The commute is difficult even if I drove, then I would have to face traffic and parking and related auto problems. I wish I could wake up back in California in my lovely house, but no, that's not going to happen. So, I will have to figure out survival tactics for here.

Security on the Metro has been stepped up a bit they say, although it appears much like normal to me today. We are so sorry about the things that happened in London yesterday, it certainly gives real world perspective the the whole "bitch about my poor commute" thing. I pray for peace and sanity.

Next week I am on vacation. I'll go with H to our old hometown. There we will work to clear out the remaining personal belongings of his much beloved Aunt. What a stressful thing this must be for him. I know he is hurting and no one can ease it. We'll visit with family and have some good moments I know. Getting older is not for the faint of heart. Dad is scheduled to have a consult with an oncologist on Tuesday. I figure I'll go with him and my sis. I'm holding my breath that this turns out to be nothing. He is 88.

My big Maine Coon cat was frightened out of his wits yesterday by a bird that flew onto the little balcony we have at the condo. Cat is prone to panic attacks, has to be "talked down." He weighs in at over 20lbs. If he didn't look so scared and pitiful, it would be funny.