Calm After The Storm

Well today was a surprisingly good day. (Yes, you heard right.) I can’t believe it myself. It started out a little rough. I had a doctor’s appointment in Panama City, and I usually allow 2 hours travel time, to be on the safe side. However, I forgot about the 4th of July traffic in the seaside town of Destin. Bumper to bumper traffic, inching our way along. (I had to reschedule the appointment because there was no way I was going to make it in time.) After what I’ve been through lately, a little traffic was no stress at all, and neither was having to cancel the appointment.

I made the best of it by going to a large thrift store, that I had spotted many times on my way there. It didn’t have much in the way of glassware today, but I hit the jackpot on books, teaching tapes, audio books, and movies. I had so much fun browsing for a couple of hours. It was the first time in days that I had felt the stress leave me. One of the sales girls, who was stocking books and movies seemed to enjoy making conversation, so I chatted with her off and on, during the time I was looking. It was like being in another world, after the events of the past week. Very quiet and peaceful.

I found lots of Christian tapes, and several good books. Then I drove back to our town, and ate at a new Panera Bread that just opened. I have been to the one in Destin and Pensacola many times, and now we have one!

While I was eating, Rob called and told me that he had just been to the nursing home to visit with Betty. To my amazement (and his) she was not hostile. She seemed fine. That was good news, as I had decided to go by on my way home, and bring her a couple of blankets that I had purchased, because she said she gets cold there. I didn’t know what to expect after yesterday.

I walked in and said, “I came bearing gifts.” I showed her the blankets, and put one on her bed for her, and one in her cupboard in case she needed it later. I bought her 3 boxes of honey buns (a sure cure for the night-time lows, and her favorite bedtime snack at home.) Yes, they’re “legal” for preventing lows. In fact, I’ve been concerned, because they have not been giving her a snack after supper, while she’s been in the nursing home. If she doesn’t get one, she can get really low blood sugar in the night sometimes.  I also handed her the latest People magazine with the “hot off the press” news about some movie star’s nervous breakdown. Blankets, buns, and a breakdown…who could ask for more? LOL!

She was unpacking her suitcase (from the hospital) when I walked in, and I helped her. We watched the last part of “So You Think You Can Dance.” The other lady in the room is so nice this time, but she is going home tomorrow. I hope Betty gets another good roommate. That makes such a difference.

Then I dived right into a calm discussion about the disagreement that Tony and I had. I told her how I had been very hurt by his accusations of “over the years developing a low opinion of him.” I explained how the night before our disagreement, he had called me while I was in the grocery store, and we were even laughing about the “wacko” room that they had first placed Betty in.  He never calls me, and I think that most probably he intended to let that be the nasty phone call, but since I was in the grocery store, he thought better of it. So I told her that I didn’t know what could have possibly changed overnight, by me asking what kind of charger her phone took. At any rate, I told her that I loved him, and always had, and I don’t know what to do to make it any clearer. This was a very sincere discussion, and it went well. I told her that I had sent him an email with the details of the ER fiasco the other night and signed it “Love, Lonnette.” (I decided to make the first move to reconciliation.) Then yesterday, when Rob phoned him to discuss Betty’s situation, he was very sick with a bad cold, and I told Rob to tell him that I loved him. (Another attempt at mending things on my part.) Today he had to call me about Betty’s car keys, and everything was cordial. So I told my mom that we seemed to be okay. (Rob suggested that maybe sometime Tony and I should sit down and discuss whatever it is that has made him feel that way.) I am truly at a loss. The only time we even had slightly harsh words was many, many years ago, when my mom was sick in the hospital, and wanted to see him so badly, and he wouldn’t go see her. I just called and told him that she really wanted to see him, and he needed to go. I’m sure my tone was a frustrated one, but it wasn’t a scene at all. As far as I know, that is the only  time I have ever been insistent with him about anything. He was away from our town so long, that we never talked.  We don’t have a lot in common. And I have been nothing but glad (super glad) that he came home, got close to Sam before he died, and changed his life to a great degree. So, we’ll see. I am one of those people who believes in talking things out, and it’s hard for me to carry on if I don’t. I think that is healthy.

Anyway, then I came home, talked with Rob,  played on the computer for awhile, and did some writing for my freelance sites. It was indeed a very good day! (Grin.) I could use more of those! So I thoroughly enjoyed the calm after the storm…

Please see other articles that I have written here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/109497/lonnette_harrell.html