The Lady and the Haircut

Or random thoughts after being back home.
Where’s the grace?

I was away starting 9/28, for 9 days. Nine long days and about 1300 miles of driving. I’ve been both emotionally and physically exhausted since I got back home, so I haven’t had the energy to write. Unfortunately, that means I also don't have the energy to fly "out east" to see the new grandbaby.

The trip started with a drive through 75 miles of pea soup fog and a stop at a clinic so I could get an immunization. The doctor determined that I needed three immunizations which probably caused the fatigue I started feeling the next day. Then I had lunch with my best friend. I think of S as “grace.” I know she has and will accept me as I am, and she has been honest with me when she thought I’ve been off the deep end on some things.

Then I drove to an annual gathering of relatives. Seven of us spent two days laughing, eating, remembering a recently deceased aunt, and just enjoying each other’s company. Every year we wonder if and when this group will change since one of the members is 91 years old and one is very debilitated by a disease. We also went out to eat and to a museum, where we took in the “Omnitheater.” I really have a hard time with seeing the “you-are-there-flying” movies. I got stopped by a cop who told me that I had caused a car to swerve. This was unnerving. Actually, I had been forced to go back to my lane when that car was driving up on my so fast that I wasn't able to change lanes. I was also accused of "fleeing" from the cop. Hey, I was going about 5 mph for one block before I found a place to stop!

Then I drove east through rain, across the neighboring state, to visit three other elderly relatives. It is always a challenge to figure out when I can visit each one because they all take naps and go to bed early. I run a few errands for them, if necessary, and for one, I check on the care being given at the facility where she resides. I let myself get too anxious about this aspect of the trip.

I also attempted to deal with the insurance company, since I’m listed on the power of attorney papers, but they wouldn’t talk to me since I’m the alternate. HIPA rules, you know. The alternate is supposed to take care of business if the primary POA is unavailable. Well, that was exactly the case, but they wouldn’t deal with me without a notarized paper regarding the situation. However, the primary can’t leave her home to get a paper notarized due to serious illness. So, the insurance company was supposed to FAX some papers to deal with this in an alternative way. How long should a FAX take? That is a rhetorical question with no answer in this situation, because even after being told that they would FAX the papers on two different days, it never arrived during the week.

At least I had the files to review and I was able to make copies and write a letter to try to get the bills paid. This same insurance company had sent multiple letters saying that the claim was in process and we didn’t have to do anything. Yeah right. How about telling us that they were missing multiple papers? I sent them 26 pages of copies.

I took a longer-than-usual way home so that I could visit my sister, who has recently had serious surgery, but seems to be recovering, and see her daughter and her grandbabies. Going home, I had about 100 miles of fog again.

Where’s the haircut? Here it comes:

About 3 months ago, I got my hair cut shorter because I just didn’t have time to get appointments very often. I don’t like fussing with my hair at all. Since that time, wherever I’ve gone, people have commented on how much they like my hair. It is a nice, though odd, feeling to receive so many compliments, dozens actually, for so long a time.

I’m not responsible for the type of hair I have; I only do wash-and-wear hair dos. I’m not the one who cut my hair. I just smile and say, “Thank you.”

These compliments are somehow like grace: UNDESERVED. But I’ll take them!

The Lady and the Haircut part two: One of my relatives recently got a new pastor at her church. She hasn’t yet met the lady pastor, but has talked to fellow council members about her. It seems that the not-so-young pastor has short hair, so some of the people were “wondering” about her. Code word alert. Ah-ha. They found out that she has a husband; relief was felt by all.

So is “this” sort of thing the first thing that pops into people’s minds these days?