Splendid

Someone said the word splendid to me recently and I liked it. It's not used enough.

A splendid day today ~ slept well, I got in to work obscenely early as my attempts to hypermile continue, caffeinated coffee is brewing. I got letter #3 in the mail to Adam. Life is fine. Really fine.

A friend with whom I occasionally car pool showed me a non-trafficked back road home the other night; this delights me as it is fewer miles and avoids the foul foul traffic on 28S. I went to Guest Blogger’s for dinner; we did a crossword and finished – a night time rarity; we are rarely on point in the evening and crosswords suffer in the attempt. We are both of us morning folk.

This weekend, road trip! Going to meet up with the Brain Tail to watch the new XFiles movie “I Want to Believe”. Our plan is to meet up at 10am, find a Starbucks (nothing else will do; Starbuck was Scully’s nickname given to her by her father) chat ourselves stupid, then go to a noon showing. I'm bringing Shiner Bock up for Lacie's husband to enjoy later. Shiner Bock was consumed on an XFiles episode. I'm an obnoxious font of mindless trivia having spent a few years lounging in the OBSSE Abbey.

After that, I’m going on a solo adventure, driving to the Naval base to see my son on Sunday morning. Then, I will sob my way home, eight hours. Know what? Every mile, every tank of gasoline will be worth it. I’m going to see my incredibly brave friend who is facing still more surgery with grace and faith and courage. And then I’m going to see my boy. I’d do it twice.

Splendid. It's all splendid.

First Picture

Got some pictures of my son this weekend. Apparently, one of the Officers-in-Training had a girlfriend come to visit; she took pictures and Adam asked if she would send them to me. She did. In his uniform. Gets me all verklempt. Indeed, last night I cried.

Adam is fourth from the left, fifth from the right. He has clearly lost weight, and has such a stern look now. He's a very different young man now.

Knee Brace

Almost as soon as I had posted regarding "Run Silent Run Deep", the navy submarine thriller did I get call from my son in OCS (center of the picture).

He called me last Sunday; I had missed his call. For a mom, this is tough stuff, made more so by the fact that he left me a message on my cell phone. You see, he needed something, and I wasn't there to help.

Broke my heart. He needed me ~ even if it was just to vent for a moment and have me calm his emotions ~ he needed me and I wasn't there. Awful.

However, we talked for a good 45 minutes today, I gave him information that he needed and all is well. He sounds wonderful - still hoarse, but good. He is undergoing the most rigorous mental and physical challenge of his life ~ he's enjoying it...it's the hardest thing he's ever done...but he's enjoying it. He has been labeled "Knee Brace" by one Drill Instructor because he has to wear them when he runs. He's been labeled "Red" by another DI because of his coloring. They are preparing for a major inspection. Pray with me that he does well.

I'm proud when I think of the institution he has embraced. The kid who at 3 years old knew every hot button on me and pushed them with glee. The two year old who confronted me while I was chatting with the cable man, pointed a toy gun at me and silently shot me dead, walking away unbowed. The baby who would curl up with me on the couch and sleep. Who copped a strut while he crawled; a tough guy with a bottle dangling from his mouth like a Lucky Strike.

*Sigh. He's the Navy's now. But he'll always be mine.