July The Third

On Father's Day, my father mentioned "It would be nice if you and The Boyfriend could go to Oil City sometime this summer. I'm sure they'd like to see you and meet him." I do feel bad about not being back to visit in a while; I have mentioned it on this site. Truth is, it's not an easy place to get to. It involves renting a car no matter how you slice it because it is not possible to get from the Pittsburgh airport or around to all my relatives without one.

So I decided we were going to rent a car and drive up on July 3. And I began to look at rental cars and ZipCars. Rental cars were a decent price until you add the $25 a day charge for not being 25, and reserving a ZipCar for three plus days at that distance was pushing the limits of ZipCar regulations.

Nevertheless, I called Grammie and let her know we were coming. This was the Sunday before last. I asked if we could stay at her house, even jokingly calling it the Howard Johnson. She laughed and asked if those still existed. She said that it would make her happy if we came to visit.

About an hour after that phone call, I got so frustrated with figuring out the rental car situation, that I called my Dad for advice. That's when he told me "Oh, you don't have to do that!". And I cried. I was frustrated. I was trying VERY HARD to do something 1. I wanted to do 2. Knew I should do and 3. Knew he wanted me to do. But since the Father's Day guilt trip, my mother got onto his case that it was ridiulous for us to make a 6 hour each way car ride in three days. She didn't think it was necessary trip, and the idea made her nervous.

We decided to stay here and go to my company's Fourth of July party.

***

Grammie had a stroke on Monday.

My mother flew up on Tuesday with a one way ticket. Grammie is being released today, and a hospital bed was ordered for her house. They are going to keep her comfortable at home.

I was told NOT TO COME by my father once again. So we are staying put in the District.

Now, I'm sitting here thinking about how I thought I would be halfway on the road to her house right now. I never saw this coming.