A Packed Weekend with the Angel Boy-O

We picked up the angel boy-O from the airport this afternoon and off we went to "that place where they sell chicken in red buckets!" We'd made plans to see the Friday night outdoor picture show at a nearby community green, but as we made our way in that general direction, picnic grub smelling up the car, our salivary glands going bonkers, we all noticed the wind outside had really picked up... the Vegas desert dust was so thick in the air, we couldn't make out the Strip! Not surprising, the movie showing wound up canceled. But we had our picnic anyhow, sitting with our backs to the wind, giggling and hollering as stuff flew away, each of us taking a turn to run off after some lid or some random napkin, and the angel boy-O still had his chance to ride the merry-go-round, but not until after eating his entire dinner. We then toddled off to REI for some stuff and toodled 'round The District for a bit before heading home. The boy-O is now upstairs in his bathroom, singing and squawking away in the tub...

Tomorrow morning, the boy-O has a horseback riding lesson and then? Well, there's swimming at aunt Radeane n' Uncle Jim's place, followed by lunch and a late afternoon tennis match with me and the boy-O against his daddy-O. After that, the angel boy-O and I, we're either going to try again for the Saturday-night outdoor picture show OR we'll stay home together with a DVD, some popcorn and a paraffin wax treatment for our tootsies. [SOME BACKGROUND INFO: Occasionally, I'll heat up this home-paraffin treatment thingy I was given, and both me and my honey-man will do our feet and hands while sit on the couch watching some DVD from Netflix. We actually do this at least once every other month or more. Anyhow, sometime late last spring, or was it early summer? Anyhow, the boy-O saw the paraffin tub left out and asked what it was... and he was absolutely fascinated, and asked if and when we could do it, "please, please, please?" However, it was forgotten by us both and it never happened.] My honey-man has something he's gotta do for work tomorrow night, beginning at 8am, hence the movie options for me and the boy-O.

On Sunday, we'll be off to Red Rock for a morning hike with some friends possibly joining us. Thereafter, we'll be lazily enjoying the reminder of our time with the boy-O at home before he has to be taken back to the airport, flying out 'round 5pm.

After we had claimed the boy-O from the airport earlier, him sitting securely in the backseat of the car, as we drove out from the airport tunnel, entering the highway traffic, the boy-O spoke up slowly and sadly..."I've missed being here. When do I have to leave?" We then, quite enthusiastically, explained the weekend's plans... "I'm leaving on Sunday? That's not long enough." I couldn't look over to see what my honey-man's expression may have been, because I felt my chest tighten up and tears welling up in my eyes. The best response I could come up with was to agree with him, that yes, it wasn't ever long enough, but that we were soooo happy to have him with us and that we'll always take what we can get and be happy for that. And he agreed. I then looked over at my honey-man and saw the tears in his eyes.

When we got home, the angel boy-O immediately scanned through the rooms in our home, looking for 'new things.' We could hear him as he moved 'round the house announcing his discoveries. "This rug! This rug is totally new! When did you get this rug?!" And when he came down the stairs from scanning through his own bedroom, he wanted to be measured against the 'powder room' door frame. And as he realized the hungry kitties were circling the kitchen floor, each one darting out of his way, he questioned whether or not Otis and Owen remembered him at all, then trying to tell us they didn't, as they both would run from his approach. I reminded him that this was nothing new... The kitties only like him when he's either asleep or reading or vegged out in front of the TV. "Oh yeah..."

The boy-O and his dad are upstairs together right now, singing Christmas carols to each other... Just a moment ago, I got my kiss goodnight.

This Vegas visit is the boy-O's first since he left us at the end of July. Of course, it's not our first time seeing him since he returned to Burbank. We had camping in Los Padres National Park together over Labor Day and we went to see him in Burbank over the weekend of the 20th...averaging every 3 weeks like we're supposed to. Even still, having him here now, seeing him go through the motions and him having to re-familiarize himself with our home? It's encouraging to see him so perky and excited, going with the flow - - but it also hurts.

We miss him all the time.