June 22, 2015

What is a Normal Day?

June 22, 2015

Recently we have discussed occasionally the question of whether a "normal" day exists, or if days filled with the unexpected are what should be considered "normal".  I recall about 40 years ago when we moved back to Brownsville, from Houston, my mom left her job as director of our church school and went to work full time at our shop.  She later said one thing she liked about it was that no two days were the same.  Each day was unique and had unexpected things pop up.  Well, I guess that still is the case.

I intended to be up between 6:00 and 7:00.  I set my alarm for 6:15, expecting to hit the snooze alarm a time or two, but when I hit the alarm the second time, I guess I turned it off and Ron woke me up at 8:00.  That was nice, but it is not the best way to start a Monday.  He said he would be in the office for the morning so I took my time and arrived there just after 10:00.  About that time, I checked my emails and had one from Mom asking if I could take her to her allergy doctor at 11:15. 

Mom had mentioned an upcoming appointment with the allergist a couple of times, but I had failed to enter it in the appointment book that I keep for medical appointments for her, Ron, and me.  Ron said, "No problem," since he had already planned to spend the morning in the office.  We got very busy at the office and at one point I turned to look at the clock and it was 2 minutes until 11:00.  Yikes!  It was time for me to go.  I hurried with the customer I was helping and ran out the door.  Well, no, I don't really run unless a grandchild is in danger, but you get the picture.

The doctor Mom was going to see is not one I had ever met.  He is a nice man and was very kind and patient with both of us.  He speaks softly and we both struggled to hear him.  He does like to talk.  He has so much information he wants to share!  It was interesting.  But, he didn't get into the exam room until about noon and he was there until almost 1:00.  He did have a lot of good suggestions on ways for Mom to manage the lung trouble she has.

I took her home and dropped her off and returned to the office to help Ron.  It turned out he had a lot of paperwork he had to take care of for his mother and by the time he got it all done and had me go mail it, it was way too late to go on the job he had planned to do.  He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and so I will need to go in early.  No snooze alarm for me.

If you recall, I use a vibrating alarm clock.  The problem is, if I don't turn it off quickly, it vibrates off the bed where I no longer feel it but it bangs against the bed frame and bothers Ron since he can hear it.  So I guess it works in that it gets him awake to wake me up.

At the office, I spent my time on sorting some paperwork and waiting on many customers.  Ron was tied up or at his mother's and so I did much of the customer care for the day.  I am pleased with the way I can hear most customers.  If I am across the counter from them we do fine.  The area where I have trouble is if they start talking to me when I turn my back on them to run the machines.

When I went to the post office for Ron I stopped at the convenience store for a few things.  After work I stopped on the way home for tortillas.  I had planned to make enchiladas, but turned out that I didn't have the cheese I needed.  So I fixed something else and it was ready just as Ron got home. 

My day didn't go as expected.  None of the things that came up were really a problem.  I just thought it was going to be different.  Mondays are sometimes slow and so expecting Ron to be gone all afternoon, I thought I could sew all afternoon.  I didn't even get the machine uncovered.  It will keep.  Maybe tomorrow I can do some.  The mailman never made it to the office today.  We get really bad mail service at the office.  We never know when the mail will come - anywhere from 9:30 till after closing. 

The day was good.  No complaints.  Mom and I had a nice long visit waiting at the doctor's office.  Ron got them things done for his mom that he needed to do.  Supper wasn't as planned, but it was good.  I feel sorry for people who think that a change in plans ruins a day; it only makes it more interesting.