Up Monday morning for breakfast, then packed in a whirlwind. Loaded the car and decided to forego our annual visit to Schwab's: we had all the props and tchotchkes we needed and wanted to get home ahead of the snow. So we were on the road by noon, a Memphis record for us. The Vibe indeed drove like a dream. First anticipated stop: the Cotton Inn in Osceola, AR for some Southern coconut cake or sweet potato pie (breakfast had been too recent for a full lunch) and a jar of that amazing Alan's Organic Honey we'd bought there last year. But there was no coconut cake (the sweet potato pie was still a nice consolation prize) and there was no honey in the display case: they'd sold their last jar on Sunday, and there'd be no more for awhile, as it had not been an abundant summer for bees. Back on the road, we reached BJ's BBQ in Kewanee, MO at lunchtime. Last time we'd been there, it was all you could eat for eight bucks. But times are tough: it's down to $6.25! We loaded up on ribs, chicken, pork chops, beef ribs, veggies and cornbread, and happily burped our way north to Mt. Vernon, stopping at 17th St. for frozen ribs, condiments and a T-shirt to take home.
Noticed along the way that as my throat had begun to clear, Steve was coughing and sniffling more & more. Uh-oh. Checked into the Holiday Inn Express, found our way to our favorite Cantonese buffet, and I saw that I seemed to be out-eating Steve. This alarmed me--he (the man with a hollow leg and the metabolism of a blast furnace) was nibbling. I suggested he just go for the chicken broth in the wonton soup and he felt a bit better. Got back to the room--it was too late and we were too wiped out to record "Chasing Lightning" so we watched TV in our adjoining rooms. I fell asleep and was awakened by heartburn; as I sat up and it subsided, I heard him coughing and hacking. He assured me he'd be okay. At breakfast the next morning, I suggested we pick up some DayQuil for him, and so we did. We made excellent time going home (stopping at Effingham for snacks & Arcola for a late lunch). Stayed a step ahead of the snow and behind the Chicago rush hour--smooth sailing all the way.
Both got home feeling like dreck--Steve had caught the cold that was going around FAI and I had caught it (a different virus than the one I'd brought TO Memphis) as well. We were both too exhausted and laryngitic to record; and I advised him to sleep over, as the guest room was ready for him and Ingrid confirmed it was snowing in Madison. I slept in, and by the time I'd awakened, he was full of breakfast and on the road. I had begun to run a fever again (this time accurately recorded) and so napped on and off, watching the Olympics on Wed. and catching up on bill-paying and this journal. Today (Thurs.) I found out he'd arrived home yesterday at 1:30pm with just enough energy to hit the sack; he slept straight through till 7 this morning!
We had a marvelous time, despite mishaps and maladies en route (and news of mishaps at home as well--Ingrid had been rear-ended in Madison the night we spun out, and Bob had fallen on the ice Sunday walking from Holy Cross Hospital to the Mother House of the Sisters of St. Casimir to visit a sick nun who was one of his patients, and bruised his ribs so badly he thought they were broken; but he went to work anyway). Despite his own injured ribs, he was eager to devour the BBQ'ed ones I brought home from 17th Street.
So it's back to my normal routine (with a bit more gray hair than usual--no time for a touchup) tomorrow: looking forward to reconnoitering with my Bar Show buddies at the Cast Party at Scoozi, to be entertained and lampooned by the rookies. And more blogging, promoting, family stuff, and checking in with the office. Life is good, even if uneven; music is better; family and friendship is best. Little mishaps engender big miracles. All in all, as Andy Calhoun said on his Facebook page, living in the "now" is as good as it gets.
Amen. And so to bed (after a glass of bubbly with my darlin', who just got home from a grueling day at the hospitals).