Sorry about the lengthy “radio silence”. Lots has gone on this week, and despite my best intentions to catch up LJ yesterday, both my Manager and Admin assistant called in sick. They’re away again today, and I am multitasking like a champion, so I’m giving myself a wee break to journal my little heart out, lest things fall into the dusty oubliette at the back of my mind.

First thing: after last week’s Mum-car-crash drama, there was another serious parental mortality reminder this weekend. My Dad had an unsupervised fall in his care facility on Saturday, as I discovered from a message from Mum on Sunday night. She called me from the hospital, where she’d spent the whole day waiting with Dad to find out if he had broken his hip or leg. The results of his X-rays were “inconclusive” because it’s hard to make him understand he needs to stay still, so he’ll be going in for a cat scan later this week. We think at this point, given the range of motion he has in his leg, that it may just be a sprained muscle, but still. Scary stuff.

It’s Dad’s 73rd birthday next Wednesday, so I’m trying to think of something nice to get him. Any ideas?

While my Mum was patiently fretting and biting her nails in the hospital, Justin and I, all unawares, were gorging ourselves on crab and lobster courtesy of Uli and Paul. They took us out for a tasty meal and were rewarded with over an hour of uninterrupted whining from us about the woes of the house and how brokedy-assed it is. Shower not working. Lights need changing. Walls need plastering.

Blah blah blah. Money money money. Work work work.

Our conversation was *not* the most stimulating dinner entertainment ever. We were both sleepy and grumpy and in dire need of a “to do” list, to capture the endlessly circling flock of loose house/work/school tasks on paper. And we’re both cash-poor since our roommate (The Paintburglar) is yet again way, way behind on his rent, and I am in property tax/new mortgage/insurance/legal fees hell.

As an amusing addition to the evening, we had a creeeepy server, who hovered and danced manically about the table, leering at our buttery claws and garlic buns in a most unseemly manner. I have no specific complaints about him, just a general feeling of unease and nervous energy that he cast over the table whenever he came by. Which was often.

Coincidentally, he got off shift just as we were leaving the restaurant, and cracked a few awkward jokes in the parking lot like, “did we come here often?” and “maybe we should take him home and make HIM dinner!” which fell impossibly flat. We backed slowly away, and made no sudden moves.

To be continued…