Settling In

Some things are the same and some things are different. I have changed and so has the family. It is hard to put my finger on the differences but just the fact that the girls have grown makes it different. The Chickenhawk has been on red alert for months and now has to get used to me being independent in most ways yet in the house all the time.

I am just trying to settle into a sense of normalcy. I feel good most of the time but fatigue easily. I've been wanting to contribute to the home as much as possible so I've been looking for ways. Although the CH is a great an awesome chef she has taken to the easy way to keep the family fed during the last few months. Mac and cheese and hot dogs have been the fare. Since I have been home I have been cooking dinners. This evening I made a killer beef stew. Yes, I had help from the CH with a couple things but it was mostly me.

Yesterday we went to the grocery and I shopped for about four meals to make. This is a big deal for me in two ways. First, the trip to the store took hours and I was worked by the time we finished. Second, I don't cook, or at least I haven't for the last few years. In our house there are pink jobs and blue jobs (by agreement) and cooking has been a pink job for a long time. Now things are different and I am happy to do some cooking. It is actually good exercise for me. My arms get a workout from the lifting. I am on my feet for extended periods of time and my balance is improving by leaps and bounds.

I've got my first trip back to Stanford on Monday. My dear friend Janet has volunteered to drive. I am really looking forward to spending the day with her. All of the foreseeable dates for trips down to Palo Alto got filled up by volunteers after I sent out an email to the LoCo care network. I also got tons of phone calls from folks offering to drive. I can't believe how lucky I am to have so many people willing to help me out.

Lately I have been feeling a real sense of optimism. It has been a long time since I have not had to fight to feel optimism, now it just happens. Feeling better has a lot to do with it but there is more. Last time I got political on this blog some of my readers complained. Really, this is not a political blog but I have got to say that with the way that Obama seems to be doing, we are on the verge of a new era. The Bush years have been toxic for this country and it seems to me that there is a real chance for healing for everyone right now.