For a multitude of reasons being away from home is usually more trouble than it is worth. Going out to dinner or being invited to a friend’s for a meal often feels more of a chore than a treat. Traveling is never simple with fast food and gas stations as your main dining options it’s better to just bring your own.
Right now I am in the San Francisco Bay Area. I come here at least once a month to see my doctor who I love and keep trying to convince to move to Tahoe. He loves the outdoors and skiing. It would be perfect an my life would be so much easier!
Getting to the Bay Area is the first hassle. It’s about a four and a half hour drive. I often have to drive myself because my husband has to work two jobs to not even be able to keep us afloat, poor guy has worked 27 days in a row this month already. When I drive myself I always do fine for the first two or three hours. After that, honestly I shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car. My cognitive function drops dramatically.
I arrive exhausted and typically get greeted by my 18 month old niece, who I love to pieces, but that means a nap is not an option for Auntie. My family loves me and they understand that I am sick. They do not understand my needs.
Luckily for me I didn’t have to drive myself down this month. Unluckily that means I don’t have a car. I greatly appreciate my grandparents letting me crash on the couch. Their generosity would is astounding, my sister and her daughter also currently live here, as does a cousin who just started at a local college.
So that is two senior citizens, a toddler, a single mother who works ridiculous hours, and a 6’3″ 300 pound teenage football player. The refrigerator is full, but trust me there is nothing for a Lymie to eat in there. I’m not even going to share with you what I have eaten today, you would be horrified!
I am glad I got the ride but it also means an extended stay in the house of chaos. Teenagers go to bed late and grandparents wake up early! I’m scared of dinner, although it can’t be much worse than lunch.
When I have my own car here at least I can go buy my own food. In my grandparents eyes I am still a child who does not know better. Trying to convince them that I don’t eat anything they have would seem as illogical to them as my trying to convince them the sky is green not blue. Facts are facts and according to them their food is fine and healthy for everyone.
Have I mentioned that I can’t drink the water here? There is so much chlorine in it sometimes I breakout in a rash from taking a shower! I gerenally don’t bother taking my pills when I am here either. There is no where to put them, everyone has questions and opinions about what I am taking or should be taking and why am I seeing that quack doctor? I should make an appointment to see their GP, she is wonderful. Right thanks for the advice.
I brush it all off, cast it aside and wish that my brother lived closer. Visiting him is exactly opposite. He loves when I come, I do all the shopping and cooking. He sleeps til 10am too!
On the plus side when I come here I get to see friends. Last night I went dinner with five other amazing women, all Lymies. It was wonderful and makes staying in the house of chaos totally worth it. I also will get to go to my favorite support group meeting tomorrow night and see most of these ladies again and even more friends. Grandma gave me frequent flyers miles to book flights to New York for my husband and I to attend the Turn the Corner Gala in November. I also have to admit that I love seeing my niece, it makes me feel very special that she screams her little head off whenever I leave the room.
I suddenly have this theme song running through my head so I changed the title of the post-
You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Life, the Facts of Life.
And that seems to fit the way I am currently feeling perfectly.