Today I am wearing a shirt that is almost work-appropriate

It’s been a rough couple of weeks at the Tiny House.  As I wrote about starting way back on 07 August, a little over 2 weeks ago Biff came down with a thing, which I then got the next day.  The thing required both of us to go to the Doc for meds, which in my case meant a Z-pack and an albuterol inhaler.  If you know anything about medicine, you could likely have devised from those meds that I had a respiratory thing, and you’d be right.  This particular brand of thing involved the following: wheezing, chest rattling and squeaking, mucus, phlegm, paroxysmal coughing, snot, fever, chills, and sore throat.

Among other symptoms.

It is now over 2 weeks later and I am still experiencing what are called ‘productive coughs,’ term that means exactly what you think it might.

So, at least I can say that for over 2 weeks STRAIGHT I’ve been productive.  It’s a new world record!

A week and a half ago the Things were in SC attending their paternal grandma’s family’s reunion.  The aunts and uncles and cousins (LOTS of cousins) and associated and affiliated kin gather to eat and chat for a couple of hours, then disperse.

They don’t need a whole weekend, really.  They pretty much all live next door to each other.  It’s really more of a chance to get the few out-of-towners into town to evaluate their fashion choices and make the eat okra.

So, the Ex and boys drove down in their fancy clothes in order to impress the SC contingent with their urbanity and to visit with those family members they recognize and to try to avoid eating okra.  It was a good time and they enjoyed themselves as you do at those things.

Four days later, their grandma had a stroke.  Her friends at the retirement place got worried when she wouldn’t answer her door to go to breakfast.  There’s no way to know how long it had been since she’d had the stroke, but the films didn’t look good.  It was a big one, in a bad place. 

She passed away Monday morning.

Now, I’ve told stories on her here before (she of the polka-dot dress comment), but always with love.  She was a true southern woman, the unofficial mayor of Dover Delaware (where she will be put to rest next to her husband), a lover of family and friends, a dedicated supporter and employee of the public schools, warm and inviting, and will be missed.

Turns out, 82 years isn’t really long enough to be alive, after all.

In happier news, we had a visit from Biff’s daughter and fiancée this past weekend.  Quick in and out, with hardly enough time to lie around and watch movies.

Oh wait, we did do that.

We also went out and heard Biff’s band play on Sat night, which was fun and better because it’s always more fun to go out with other people.  Then Sunday we went mini-golfing (I won, I’m sure) and ate barbecue the right way with slaw on top, then they flew back to the airport (literally, in a little plane!) and that was that.

Raleigh put on such a great show Saturday night that there’s talk of them coming back for her 21^st birthday this fall so they can ride the Trolley Pub and visit all the cool clubs around town.  Believe me, you could ride the Trolley Pub for hours and not hit all the clubs and venues Raleigh has to offer.  It’s like Little Wisconsin or something down there, with the booze and bands and such.

Then the next morning we’ll take them on a Segway tour of downtown.  Heh.  Hungover on a Segway.  Now that’s good times.

That’s about it from here.  Monday starts school again for Thing 2, so there will be much prepping going on this weekend, I’m sure.  At the very least dude needs a shearing…that moptop look he’s sporting went out years ago.

Tiff out.