Saturday. November 24, 2001

cousin toasts with TV as a background, camera in hand to capture her own visions of the day

"The wastepaper basket is the writer's best friend."

Isaac B. Singer

I get up and get a few things ready to take to Mom's. Leftover ham. Sodas. Other leftovers. My cameras. I get all the drinks out of the ice chest. At Mom's, my sister is pretty much ready to go home. We look at the paper and wait for the six people still in town to come visit. FFP is taking his parents to his dad's brother's funeral. It is his dad's 91st birthday. His 93-year-old brother has succumbed to heart problems.

Finally, folks show up. We have some drinks and games. Then Mom gives them ham sandwiches and pimento cheese sandwiches. We play another game and it's time for the Houston contingent to drive home.

My aunt and uncle who will remain until tomorrow go to the hotel for a nap. Mom and Dad and I visit and talk. My sister wants to know what to do about Christmas. I don't want anything, I assert.

Probably too early, but following the airline guidelines, we head for the airport to take my sister. I drive the van. At the airport, I drop them off with instructions to get her checked in and I go park.

They've done the bag check-in at the curb. I stand with my sister in a short line to get a boarding card, making sure they give her an aisle seat. They send a wheelchair to take her to the gate. It is way early. But we can't go with her. So we say goodbye.

My uncle has been talking about raw oysters. It occurs to me that the new location of Eddie V's near Mom's may have them. I call. Yes. I make a reservation. They will only give me 6PM or 8:30PM. I take the early one. I go home and FFP and I dress up a bit and we go to Mom's. We load them up and go to the restaurant. They are all quite happy with the food and drinks. FFP and I think the tuna could be better. And he has a wine by the glass that isn't very good. It's a steak place with fish as the emphasis. They even have the expensive sides. My mother gets asparagus. Dad helps. She takes home a giant container of take out with asparagus.

It's early when we get home. Can't find anything worthwhile on TV. But I finish looking at every unread newspaper and flipping through the six catalogs that arrived today. But after tomorrow, it's work again. The last two weeks, though, organizing my stuff, entertaining my relatives, doing stuff I've wanted to do, keeping up with the newspapers, has been great. Retirement, when it comes, will be wonderful. It will.

JUST TYPING
Airports.
Daunting for the able-bodied.
Must seem like vast.
Endless.
Unfriendly.
Labyrinths.
If you are disabled.