Just in case . . .

I got a call last night during "Lost" (which is a major no-no) from my father. Apparently, he got a call from my cousin last night telling him that his sister, my Aunt Betty, is dying. She has been in the hospital for some time now, and the doctors have concluded that there is nothing more medically that they can do for her, so they are moving her to hospice care, which as many of you surely know means that death is likely not far behind.

As I've previously written about, my aunt was suffering from depression. Apparently, she has also been suffering from kidney failure, a fact which came as news to my father and me. When I was talking to my notoriously stoic (read: cold) father, I could hear the trembling in his voice as we talked about the situation and what he's going to do. Even though my aunt has been battling cancer for several years now, hearing that the end was actually near was surely more than my father had bargained for.

My mother just left on Wednesday for two weeks in Egypt with a friend of hers from Florida. So, my father is all alone with no one to talk to and no one to drive him to Virginia on Saturday to see his sister. Other than short errands and trips to and from PNC Park, my father does not drive much anymore. As well he shouldn't. He's a horrible driver, but he always has been. It's just compounded dramatically now that he's 74. I may have to drive him, which I am happy to do, except that I don't have anything that I can do with Sidney. The loss of freedom that comes with having a dog is something that I have struggled with ever since I got Sidney. But until now, it really wasn't a big issue. I have to talk to my father again today, but I may just have to drive him to and from Virginia this weekend, and take Sidney with me. I have limited other options, and that may be easiest course of action at this point.

More later.


It is also ironic that just last week it occurred to me that I had let my humble stock of business attire diminish over the years as I have not had many occasions to "dress up." So, after a job interview for a new job last Wednesday for which I decided that I did not have the right (and right fitting) clothes to wear, I ordered two pairs of dress pants from L.L. Bean over the weekend, and they are expected to arrive today. I remember thinking when I was online looking for dress pants, that it's always a good idea to have appropriate dress clothes handy. Just in case.