4 posts tagged “family”

The Menu:
    Roasted Red Pepper and Ham Quiche
    Waffles with choice(s) of maple syrup, whipped cream, raspberries, raspberry sauce, butter or chocolate sauce
    Cornbread
    Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin Cake
    Cherry Pastry Bites
    Espresso Coffee with choice(s) of real cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce or sugar
    Liquid Candy Cane Green Tea (see also: any Tea Geeking post)

The Players:
    Me (well, DUH)
    Frank
    Mom
    Her Dude
    The Brat
    Denise
    Steve
    Amy

Our biggest brunch yet.  Started on a down note when the beast wouldn't start due to a dead battery.  But, quickly went into high notes when Mom brought out the dog treats.  Fluxx was played after the table was cleared and fun was had by all.

Last weekend Frank and I headed up to the great wilderness of upper lower Michigan to join a part of my family on their property.  Fun was had by all - on the drive up, during our stay and on the way down.  We took the temporary truck (don't ask...) and it's a 81 Chevy LUV diesel.  It goes at a top speed of 70.  If you're going downhill.  Down a steep hill.*

Anyways, we left Friday afternoon and snail trailed our way up to Hawks.  Getting "lost" thanks to faulty directions (there IS no F109 (road signs), just to let you know) but thanks to kindhearted locals, found our way into the wilderness.  I got ice cream.

We arrived before anyone else, so we broke out our hammocks and built a fire.  I promptly fell asleep only to awaken to find my sister leaning over me, staring at me.  It's not a thing you want to wake up to from a deep sleep (I was really really tired after driving almost the entire way and getting a good sunburn to boot) and it didn't help that it was combined with my mother peering over HER shoulder.  It took me a while to calm down my heartbeat.

The next day, instead of relaxing, we headed out to some art fair/carnival monstrosity in a nearby town.  I say monstrosity, but in all fairness (ha, get it?  it's a pun!!  okay, I'm lame.) it was pretty cool.  Better than the local horror of an art fair - pretty much because this had some fun rides.  We strolled around the art fair part, losing bits and pieces of the family as we walked but rejoining in the breaks.  Most of the time was spent riding the rides.

I had a blast.  Screaming on The Loop.  Laughing as my family made crude jokes on the Merry-Go-Round.  Freaking out on the Tilt-O-Whirl because the certain car my mom and I occupied seemed to be possessed and was whirling with the intensity of a thousand jet rockets.  Even her stomach flipped on that one.  Possessed I tell you.

The best part of the day though (at least, in the fair hours) was on the Ferris Wheel when I was paired with my ex-step-father (again, if you have to ask, don't).  There's been a few issues there and it was really nice to "reconnect" over good memories of the past.  If nothing else, the trip was worth that.

But then we all went back to the property and built a huge frakkin' bonfire (in one of those portable firepit/grill things - I never knew they could handle a fire like that - I saw blue flames).  Frank was his normal charming self during dinner and had the table in stitches over the word "fuck".  We topped off the night by toasting s'mores in the dwindling fire and watching the stars pop out in the sky.  We pointed out satellites to each other, commented on the wild ducks in the area (and the fowl stench), argued over who saw the Milky Way first and where (I won) and even saw a few shooting stars.  It was a truly amazing night.

We found out the windshield wipers didn't work.  Thankfully before we hit the road on Sunday and were able to fix them, at least to the point of some usability.  And drove home in the misty rain.  Yay home.

OH!  I almost forgot the absolute best part of the entire trip.  Our truck, we admit, looked a bit like Jeepers Creepers truck (there's a meat hook on the back end...) but it was nothing compared to what we ran across when we got off the main highway.  We're driving along, minding our business when a sign catches our eye.  Mind you, we saw all of this in the space of only a few seconds.  The sign said "The Adult Store" but the building was an old gas station.  The building had a shack to one side with the real Jeepers Creepers truck half in and half out of the shack, with a blue tarp hiding part of it as well.  It was very disturbing and a bit funny at the same time.

It feels good to be home.

*we think.  the speedometer is "broken" because of tires that are a couple of sizes too large for the vehicle.  The speedometer topped off at a paltry 57 - but we were passing a few vehicles.  Maybe three.  And they passed us the next time we went up a hill.

How strong can one person be?

I didn't post much about it last time.  I wasn't here... here didn't exist back then.  It was February of 2004 and I was a somewhat regular on Blogdrive.  I posted simply that I was alive and well.

Today I think I'm just going to rant until it's all out of my system.  Or as out as it can be.

I found out recently that a pap smear was once again "abnormal".  Something any woman regrets to hear out of the mouth of her OB-GYN.  I'm no exception.

In that horrendous February of yesteryear, I had not only a colposcopy with a biopsy, I had a LEEP as well.  A very bad one.  The details are a bit hazy.  I can remember feelings just like they were, indeed, yesterday.  Fear being perhaps the biggest feeling of all followed by confusion.  How could this happen to me?  I'm sure this is felt by many women in my position... but how many of them have lived with congenital nevi?  To hear that nature has struck you with possible cancer in the lady parts (and if left unchecked there will be nothing possible about it - it's to be certain) when all your life you expected it to strike in your skin... well, it takes you off guard in a major way.  I felt body slammed by a 280 pound wrestler.  It didn't help matters when the pain was deep and intense during all of the procedures and then I didn't stop bleeding after the LEEP which led to yet another visit of probing and prodding.  At least it's curable, right?

Which leads me up to today.  I'm scheduled for a colposcopy in two weeks.  I'm researching it a heck of a lot more than I did back then, although it doesn't help my anxiety over going back under the knife, so to speak.  It's not so much anxiety over cancer, but of the pain and healing process.  It knocked me on my ass last time... what will it do this time?

Of course, last time I also remember my doctor telling me that they took so much off of my cervix during the LEEP that if I were to have it done again, no matter how much they took, I would have to have a C-section if I were to get pregnant.  It's a minor thing, really.  After all, I'd still be able to have a child.  But to know they are taking that much of your flesh??  That's the part that doesn't quite sit well in my head.

Back in 2004 I didn't have anyone at my side and didn't tell but a few people until it was pretty much over (and I was an emotional wreck).  This time I have Frank by my side and a support network that is pretty wide of a net.  No pun intended.  Okay, so maybe it was intended.  I appreciate all the love and support my online friends have given me, as well as the offline friends and my family.  Without them, I don't know what I would do.  With them, I know that I will get through this a stronger person yet again.

We are traveling somewhat today to visit with as much family as we can in one day.  I'll tell you all about it later.  I wish everyone lots of love and presents.