Last week, Arun, Manoj and I began dealing with the same bug that Anjali had just gotten over from the week prior. At first, it seemed to be nothing other than Ye Olde Standard Ebola. By Friday, it felt as if a bomb had gone off in my head. I staggered into urgent care Saturday morning, showing up just before they opened because I was so desperate. An hour later, I was diagnosed with an double ear infection and the doctor threw in eye and sinus infections for good measure. I picked up the resulting prescriptions and staggered back home. I have a dysfunctional eustachian tube in my left ear anyway and this ear infection has only served to turn my head into a vast cavern of cacophonic din ringing with white noise.
Sigh.
Later on, Saturday night became a nerve-wracking one for much of the Kansas City metro - we had thunderstorms in all directions, across multiple counties with reported tornado touchdowns here and there. Sirens going off at 11pm made even the most stoic of us nervous as we fired off jittery Tweets and Facebook messages to each other.
Manoj slept through it all.
However, Saturday was nothing, absolutely nothing compared to what Joplin faced the next day - just 160 miles south of us. A tornado 3/4 of a mile wide?? I doubt there are many folks in Kansas City who aren't thinking of Joplin today. You realize how bad things are when you feel lucky that you have a direct line into helping, into doing something. Lucky! My friend Ruth has a friend whose family lost their home. I am running some supplies over today to Ruth to pass to her friend so that she can take them down on Thursday. It's an odd emotion to be grateful that you can do something other than the obligatory donation to Red Cross.
I'm still wrapping my around that discord of emotion.
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This weekend, my sister Maureen are heading down to Branson to meet the parents. I am going to spend a silly weekend relishing my family, eating barbecue and listening to bluegrass music and cute hillbilly schtick. I am also going to do my best to be patient with these two little monkeys.
I am going to give them hugs all damned weekend long.
Everyone, have a good weekend and remember to love your loved ones.
