Well, here it is, the last full day at home before I have to be re-incarcerated. The day is gloomy and a bit damp, a perfect day to spend curled up under a blanket with a good book. We have some light shopping to do and may get some lunch but I want to spend as much of the day at home as I can.

We went and had lunch at Panera Bread. I ordered a truly HUGE bowl of cream of potato soup and a side salad, and the soup came out hot, thick, full of potato chunks and bacon and was delicious. Yes, I ate all of it and was actually a bit peckish for something more after we finished our shopping trip and came home. Had a short nap and then began gathering my things for the trip back to the hospital. How do you pack for over three weeks when you have no access to a laundry facility and you can’t stand the idea of wearing hospital gowns again and yet you know that you’re going to be hooked up to an IV machine and won’t be able to wear pullover shirts? Hell, even button-down shirts are problematic. Where do all the stinkin’ tubes go? Do I call the nurse and ask to be unhooked every time I want to change my top? Ugh. My live will not be my own for the next 3+ weeks. Not at all happy about that.

Rory fixed a lovely dinner: pan seared steak, sautéed asparagus and roasted potatoes. I prepped the asparagus and gave him guidance on cooking both the meat and the veg since he hadn’t prepared either by stove-top before. The meal was delicious! Rory bought a huge bundle of asparagus and cooked it all and yet I was still wanting more by the end of the meal. I tried to keep up my spirits until the girls went to bed but then began to lose it a bit once they were tucked in and Rory and I were alone in our room. He looked at me with a sad smile and said in a small voice, “Don’t go away.” Yep, I came unglued.