Visiting Robert

Last Sunday we drove up to the Poconos to visit Robert. We hadn't seen him for quite a while and I wanted to go see him before I left for the UK. He lives in a house that looks like it was built specifically for their care and is a lovely new rustic-looking ranch house.

Robert hasn't changed much.

He seemed happy that we came to visit. His caretakers said he was very excited all morning and very busy cleaning up and rearranging the blankets and pillows.

Annika wanted to see him so we took her and Simeon along as well as Tessa. They each picked out a stuffed toy to give to him. He promptly took them and started throwing them across the room.

His roommate was excited to see us too. Annika was puzzled that he was trying to talk to her and she couldn't understand anything that he said!!

We stayed about an hour and left. Now he has family pictures for his room and a couple stuffed animals. He seems to have lost all his other toys somewhere along the way. No Ernie or Bert dolls remained. Simeon decided to tease Robert by sitting in "his" seat! Just like all Robert's neices and nephews have done. Robert still thought it was funny!

I was glad to have seen him, though. He is being well taken care of — shaved and dressed appropriately. He had plenty of clothes — and not cast-offs recycled from other clients. And the house was well cleaned, too.

There seemed to be 3 other men and 2 women clients and at least 3 caretakers at all times. The caretakers also seemed to be long-term employees, too. And, of course, they were all excited about seeing Robert's family, too. They would be most happy to meet other family members as well. It is a less than 2 hr drive from the Lehigh Valley.

Re-packing again

After the Heathrow incident I had to repack again. This time I needed a bigger suitcase since Hubby was supposed to use his carryon for his clothing. But, with no carryons, he needs to put his clothes in MY luggage. OK. I weighed one suitcase and am well under the weight limit. So that is good. I just have to have enough room to pack everything I need from home. AND put any other items that would usually go in my backpack like, extra clothes in case of 24 hr delays and missing flights! (Been there, Done that! Brussels was nice!) Phone, laptop, camera, Rx's — everything of irreplacable value. Now it goes in checked luggage where handlers go through it all. hmmm.

 Hopefully the weeks will improve the panic and allow us to carry SOME things on board. Now I see that we can carry on a small laptop case, measurements provided! So, I measured my laptop cases. I can take them if we don't put anything in them. So, that'll be a trick. I guess I'll pack a paperback that I can dispose of if necessary. The theory goes that since it is an overnight flight anyway, I should sleep for the duration of flight so I'll arrive rested in the a.m. That would leave no time for reading or knitting anyway. And, anyway, it is very weird having only 2 hrs of darkness while traveling East overnight. So the only way to sleep is taking a sleeping pill or something comparable.

I did get several clear cosmetic pouches and cases so that I can put approved items in to carry on board. My sister says that's going to feel like traveling naked. Of course, the B-I-L will be glad to get rid of the "amateur flyers" as he calls them, who carry everything they own on board and refuse to check any luggage. Of course, HIS checked luggage always gets double-checked anyway because of the odd and incomprehensible science instruements he carries. Hopefully, my stuff will look innocent enough. How can people scared by a lot of books and sweaters? They'd simply be bored to death!