Back In The Saddle

So to speak, anyway.

The flights to the Midwest last Thursday were uneventful, although the heat and humidity which greeted us in St. Louis nearly made us go back onto the plane. But it was past midnight, and we'd already reserved a room at a nearby motel.

Unfortunately, my memory of which hotel would be a good choice was ... well, let's just say I chose poorly. It was straight out of a Mickey Spillane novel, complete with a blind desk clerk, and fixings for a coffee service in the room ... but no coffee maker. There was a fresh coat of paint, but many broken pieces of trim. The door locked, but didn't keep out any noise, like the janitors who began dropping galvanized buckets and various mops and brooms just after 0600.

It was a facility designed long ago by someone who'd read about motels, but had never actually seen one.


After a quick 5 1/2 hours sleep and a passable breakfast Friday morning, we were met by an old friend who provided us with a vehicle for our travels in Missouri.

The memorial service and the family gathering on Saturday were very nice. There were all three daughters of Mom's late sister; I hadn't seen the two younger ladies since 1984. I was surprised, in fact, by how the gathering of relatives pulled at me so strongly. I wanted nothing more than to just sit down and visit with the whole clan, but responsibilities kept me hopping back and forth between them and two other groups.

The return flights last night were affected by heavy smoke from the wildfires in British Columbia. The first leg, from St. Louis to Seattle, was nearly 90 minutes late taking off. Air Traffic was only allowing one plane to land in Seattle every five minutes, IFR only, which backed traffic up quite a bit.

Since we had arranged connecting flights with a 95-minute layover, there was a bit of tension about catching that last-flight-to-Alaska of the evening. And Sea-Tac Airport did what it does best: changed both the arrival and departure gates while we were in-route.

We arrived at the departure gate two minutes after the connecting flight was to have departed. But with divine help (and I mean that literally), the airline decided to delay that plane's departure for 30 minutes so we could all make the flight. Because of that delay, nearly everyone made it.

However, that fact wasn't announced. We had no idea that they'd wait for us, and the airport subway ride from one terminal to the other was accompanied by cries of "must go faster, must go faster" and "we can't possibly make it on time" ... and much prayer.

Once in the departure terminal, the muttering and prayer was replaced by running. Lots of running, which was neither wanted nor graceful. But we made it, and only after getting onboard did we become aware that the flight was being held for another 40 people from our flight who hadn't yet shown up.

The plane's captain announced his intention to "fly fast", got us to Anchorage on time, despite the half-hour late departure. So were were home and in our own bed (yay!) by 3:30 a.m.



My sister, who lives in the town where Mom lived, will bear the brunt of the responsibilities of settling the estate. I'll help as much as possible, but we're separated by 3,000 air miles or 3,750 driving miles. That complicates things a bit, but it's not insurmountable. Just the same, I would appreciate prayers for her, from those who are the praying kind.

There's a void where Mom (and Dad, who died in 2011) used to be. It feels ... weird, to have spent several days in her house, and her not there. Her presence was everywhere, of course, and that made the visit a little surreal. And I know my experience is not unique.

So now to remember where we were and what we were doing, when the trip came around. The answer is both easy and hard. We pick up the traces, and get on with the living.

Moving On

So we checked out of the Branson hotel a day early, and set out for my mom's house, some 90 miles away.

We stopped at the world HQ of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, because hey, why not? It's over 500,000 sq. ft. of wonderfulness, and we spent a solid hour in the NRA's National Sporting Arms Museum. It's been a long time since I had to fight the temptation to drool ... just sayin'.

As Yogi Berra (I think) once put it, "Don't miss it if you can!"

Then we had lunch, and now we're safely ensconced at my mom's place for the rest of the week.

Thanksgiving (Yes, in August)

I've not written about this until now, but my mom's heart has been bad for quite some time. On the cardiologists' 0.0-to-3.0 scale (3.0 being a fully-functioning, healthy heart), she was a 0.6.

Yeah, that bad.

Three days ago - after a seemingly endless round of tests - they gave her a new aortic valve, and she's on her way home tonight!

She's doing that good, already.  :)

We're all breathing sighs of relief ... and all I can say is, God is good!

Mom Update #3

My mother will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning, and sent on her merry way.
She does need a stent, but that will be done as an out-patient, a few days from now.

She, my sister, my family and I thank all of you for all your prayers and support. Our God is bigger than any medical problem, and He handled this one nicely.

Thank you so much, my friends.

Mom Update #2

Sounds like she needs a heart valve replacement.

My sister, the nurse, promises more details later. Meanwhile, her daughter is in the E.R. with back problems. Never rains but it pours.

Sheesh.

Prayer Request: Follow-Up

Looks like my mom did have a mild heart attack, but is in good spirits & resting comfortably in hospital. The medics have scheduled another test or two in the morning, and then we'll know more.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Emergency Prayer Request

To all my readers: if you're the praying sort, please lift my mom in prayer today.

She's on the way to the hospital with chest pains as I type this.

Light & Irregular

Posting, that is. My mom flew in from southwest Missouri last evening, and we're going to be visiting, driving, sight-seeing, and generally having a grand time for the next two weeks.

Y'all be good and play nice, hear? And don't forget to share.

Away Down South

Travel to Missouri went very well, yesterday, with all flights either on-time or ahead of schedule. There wasn't even much traffic on the interstate this morning.

I'm at my mom's in southwest Missouri, where it's sunny, very windy and 85 degrees. The weatherman is calling for t-storms tomorrow, and temps in the 90-degrees range. That's hard for an Alaskan to take - Friday was our warmest day of the year, so far, with a high of 57. 90 is pushing it, comfort-wise.

Mom's church is hosting the party ... yes, I said party ... for my dad on Tuesday. As Christians, we do not mourn the way some might: death is an escape from our temporary physical existence, and the Bible teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. My dad is in Heaven, seeing the face of God, and the last thing he'd want is for anyone to sit around weeping and wailing because he's made it there. So we're going to celebrate!

Mom, my sister and I have been looking through photographs today, trying to find a fair assortment of milestones from his life which the church will turn into a slideshow for Tuesday. My sister is pulling together some memorabilia for a small display at the fellowship hall: his books of poetry, Army insignia, his American Legion cap ... things like that. The Legion is going to do a very brief but proper military send-off for him, and then we'll all sit down to a big luncheon in his honor.

Mom's holding up pretty well, and I'm here for her. I'm taking her out for nice lunch tomorrow, and then we'll just visit for a few days.

Did I mention it's too hot, here? Oh, right ... just making sure. Anyway, I spent some time talking to my bride (it will be 31 years, this month) and wishing we could be together for Mother's Day. Sometimes, life interrupts your plans with things which are more important. Happens to us all, all the time.

It's how we deal with those interruptions that defines us. Y'all be kind to each other, hear?