Visitors

More of my year outside the box.

Michael’s sister phoned last month to let us know that her son, his wife, his three-year old daughter and their infant son were ready for a rode trip. They were planning to stay with the twin for four days then with us for two days. Overnight. Kids.

I love my three-year old friend Winnie and her mom but there is no way that I could have them as house guests for a few days. After a couple of hours, Winnie’s energy wears me out.

There is no way that I can have that many people in the house

for that period of time.

She also said that he wants us to meet his wife and children – they missed us the last few times we were in LA. She also said that he wants to “show us off” to his wife. Guess he likes us, the house and where we live.

In previous years, we would have declined to see them all together: too many chances of germs and too much for me to deal with physically.

I felt like kicking down a side or two of my box. They are such a happy family and I really wanted to see them.

So, I told Michael’s sister that we would love to have them for an afternoon and lunch. She also told me that his wife is in nursing school and would talk with them about the realities of my illness. They would then understand why they were not going to be able to stay with us.

Now I had to break it to Michael, who is the keeper of making sure I don’t do too much.

I waited until he got settled and had dinner. He began to make the face (whenever he doesn’t like what he is hearing, he makes a face of a crinkled nose and a quick shaking of his head). “Stop. Don’t give me the face, yet!”

I talked him into the visit. For the afternoon. For lunch.

The next morning, Michael suggested that we take them down the Coast to the place we took his mom for the great soup and to show the kids the famous goat farm.”

I won’t even have to cook!

They are due at the end of the month and I am really looking forward to their visit.

Another box crunched.