“Hope flows away
If you could spend a day in my shoes
Your mind would change
If you’d known what I’ve gone through
We want the same (Yeah, we do)
Maybe then you’ll understand
How it hurts to be human

Oh God, it hurts to be human”

Y’all know how much I love Pink and her music and her boldness and her energy.

I realized recently that I need to write. Life just feels weird right now. So much of Pink’s music speaks to me. She’s always an inspiration, and it definitely hurts to be human.

I’ve noticed of late that a lot of people are suffering. The aftermath of covid is pretty dire in some industries. Things are starting to come back online, but aren’t nearly what they were before. Our favorite Japanese Chef here in Portland announced she’s closing, for good. Sad. Homelessness and drug problems are catastrophic in our town. This spring I was starting to feel overwhelmed with my 60th birthday approaching. I decided I needed to do something I might never do again, because, 60, yikes, I’m officially old!

I planned a birthday trip extravaganza. A total of 21 days “back east,” five days in South Beach, Miami, five days in New Orleans, and 10 days in Orlando, Florida where nearly everyone was on vacation. I knew this was a trip of a lifetime in that, I would never do this trip again, and I won’t. It was LONG, and exhausting, and fun, and I turned 60, and caught covid. I had hoped to spend my 60th birthday, which fell on Mother’s Day this year, with TC, Totally Caroline. Anyone remember her? She’s been off the blogs for quite some time now, but is doing fine. We have traveled together and I have visited her in Miami a couple times. When I booked us into South Beach (which was mainly a factor of having Marriott Vacation Points we needed to use and this being the most exotic, tropical location I could find for my travel dates), I let TC know right away. She was SO EXCITED and immediately started texting me with restaurant ideas, because she is so like that. For anyone reading this who remembers TC, she was living happily in London, until her husband cheated and left her for another woman. TC moved back home to south Florida and then went through a number of failed dating experiences. Well, I’m happy to report, TC is remarried and happy as a clam (are clams really happy?). She went off the blogs because she felt like blogging was holding her back (potentially even sabotaging her relationships somehow, I think?). Just before Covid hit, she started dating a man who didn’t tick all her boxes, but who was so sweet as to not be overlooked. She sheltered in place with him, and then, after three years of that, they realized it was the real deal and hopped off to Vegas to get married. TC is doing just fine! Unfortunately, about a month before my birthday trip, something happened in TC’s life that precluded her from spending my birthday week with us, and she reluctantly bowed out. I totally understand, but was sad we couldn’t meet up.

We had a blast in South Beach, me, Blue Eyes, and The Peacemaker. I was ever so slightly perturbed at Blue Eyes for not sourcing me chocolate cake on my birthday. I had after all, planned and booked the entire 21-day birthday trip myself. Everyone else was along for the ride. Would a piece of chocolate cake have been too much to ask? After the fact he tried, but fell flat. Apparently South Beach, Miami is not known for their chocolate birthday cake. We did have a fabulous birthday/Mother’s Day dinner at Byblos Restaurant (recommendation by TC). We also did the Art Deco Walking Tour, and took a tour out to the Everglades. Fun times.

A couple days after my birthday, we flew to New Orleans. Absolutely one of my favorite places in the world. People like to point out that I have a lot of favorite places, and it is true. We did a walking tour of the French Quarter. The Pragmatist and his girlfriend joined us for part of our time in NOLA and we all had a great time. We toured The French Quarter, and The Garden District, and the kids were totally against touring a plantation, until they found one that was completely focused on the slaves that had lived there, Whitney Plantation. A sobering place for sure.

And the food… NOLA has amazing food!

Unfortunately, we had flight issues getting from New Orleans to Orlando and had to spend an entire day in the New Orleans airport. Pretty sure that’s where we caught covid. A couple days into our Orlando portion of the trip, I got the worst sore throat EVER! Not sure what it would have been like if I hadn’t had 5 Covid vaccines! We tested negative for 2 days and so didn’t think it was covid, but maybe just some other awful head cold. The Peacemaker and I actually did everything we had planned to do in and around Orlando including Disney world 2 days, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, and a tour of Kennedy Space Center with an astronaut. By day 4, Blue Eyes was sick in bed and unable to join us. We had so much fun, even under the circumstances, walking 25,000 steps a day average, with covid. When we returned home, we all tested positive. Of course we did.

We’re also huge Harry Potter fans, so had to do both Universal Parks to see both Hogsmead and Diagon Alley.

I had other posts planned, to get me back into the writing habit, but then that thing that I never imagined happening in my lifetime, happened. My mother in law passed away unexpectedly this past weekend.

I actually am having trouble processing it. The funeral was yesterday. I’m sitting vigil with my father in law right now, in case he needs anything while everyone else is off doing what they do. Blue Eyes has been here since a few hours after he found out… to be honest though, he didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to come down here. I don’t blame him, but it was the right thing to do.

I’ll write more tomorrow…