Let the Party Begin

I spent the morning at my parents helping them where I could, packing a few items that I still had stored in my closet upstairs and coloring my hair.  I was glad for the extra time to visit as I wasn't sure that I would be able to return to Indiana until the end of March at the earliest.  Doug and I both had surgeries scheduled in February and Cameron was going to be visiting in March for his spring break.  I wish I could do more, but for now I will just be happy that I was able to visit and do a few things for them such as setting up a Ring camera for their front door.

I left early as I as I wasn't sure what the roads would be like on the way to the Indianapolis airport.  Thankfully, they were extremely clear and since there wasn't any traffic to speak of, I went ahead and drove all the way to Bloomington.  That way, I could get settled at the hotel and buy a few groceries before picking up Doug.  I couldn't believe all of the people at Kroger.  I shouldn't have been surprised as the news of this weekend's Winter Storm Fern was everywhere.  I hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as the meteorologists were predicting but made sure to have food and water just in case.

Doug's flight was on time, and we were back in Bloomington by 8:30 p.m.  Cameron had plans with his roommates tonight, so I was glad that Meg and Nick were interested in joining us at Upland Brewing Company for dinner.  We made the mistake of walking the six blocks to the restaurant.  It was absolutely freezing and my eyes hurt really bad when we arrived.  Thankfully, it was warm at Upland, and we had a great time with Meg and Nick.  He took us back to our hotel and we hung out with them in the lobby bar until 11:30 or so.  We all got a kick out of a guy sitting at the bar.  When we arrived, he told us that they had just closed a minute earlier.  I looked surprised and said that we had checked with the bartender before we left for dinner and that she had told us that the bar closed at 11 p.m. and it was only 10:04.  The guy at the bar got extremely embarrassed and said that they were just customers and he had read online that it closed at 10.  We laughed about it most of the night and the guy ended up buying three of our drinks because he felt bad. He didn't have to do that, but it made for a great way to end a fun evening.

A Visit to Syracuse

I watched Chicago Fire with my parents last night and caught up on how they have been doing since my mom broke her hip and my dad started radiation.  They both looked very tired and their situation seemed overwhelming, especially since none of us were close by to help.  I didn't sleep very well thinking about them last night as I wasn't sure where they could get consistent daily help or even if they would except it.  I was afraid that my dad would wear out driving to and from Warsaw every day for treatment along with taking care of my mom.  I also wasn't sure how long it would take for her to recover.  

Getting out of the house today for a haircut at Amanda's and visiting with Harlan when he stopped by to check in on my parents helped me feel a little better.  I knew that they were two people that we could count on to lend a hand or look for help if my parents needed it.  I also realized that there were others as well.  No one could be there constantly but maybe could help until my parents decided what they wanted to do long-term.  I know that they really like living in their home, but I am not sure that will always be possible.  I guess time will tell and for now all I can do is pray for them and trust in God's plan.  

Happy 21st Birthday Cameron

I flew out this morning for a few days in Indiana.  My plane arrived on time and there was a van waiting for me when I got to the Indianapolis Airport.  My first priority was to take a suitcase full of items to Brett and Karen's that they had left at our place over the holidays as they did not have room for them.  I was glad to help, and we all agreed that next time they would have to bring an extra suitcase in anticipation of the gifts that they would receive.  I didn't get to see Brett as he was at work but spent some time with Karen before leaving for Bloomington.

My main goal in arriving today was taking Cameron out for a late lunch/early dinner for his 21st birthday and buying him his first legal beer in the United States.  He was done with class early, so we were able to catch up before picking Cora up and heading to Buffalouie's.  This was the first time in quite a while that I had walked into the restaurant without their being a long line to order food.  We sat upstairs and talked a lot about Cameron turning 21 and their time at the National Championship game.  Cora and Cameron were two of the few that returned yesterday as a lot of their friends had to wait until Wednesday to fly out.  I had a great time with the two of them and was very glad that I was able to spend the afternoon with Cameron on his momentous birthday.

After dinner, I dropped everyone off at their apartments and started my drive to Syracuse.  The temperature remained in the 40s and the roads were clear, so it was a very easy drive.  I also listened to a Netflix series called His and Hers that Meg recommended.  It was a small-town thriller and kept my attention the entire three-hour drive.  This morning at 5 a.m. I wasn't sure that I would be able to make it to Syracuse tonight but arrived around 9 p.m. glad to be able to sleep in tomorrow.  

One More Piece of the Puzzle Answered

It was a hectic morning getting out the door as I had to finish packing and also wait for our security company to arrive to fix our monitoring system.  It had gone out yesterday morning, and I really wanted it to be fixed before I left for the rest of the week.  Thankfully, they were able to repair the system and replace all of the batteries in the smoke alarms before I left for Orlando.

Cameron's train was a few minutes late, but I didn't mind.  It gave me time to look at all of the reels from last night's victory.  I still couldn't believe that IU won the football national championship.  Watching all of the Hoosier fans walk out of the Brightline terminal helped it to sink in a little bit more.  Cameron was definitely tired from his whirlwind trip to Miami, but extremely happy.  He had brought Doug and I a program from the game which we really appreciated.  He also showed me all of the other souvenirs that he was taking home.  I loved listening to his stories from yesterday.  He had definitely enjoyed the experience of a lifetime.  We had just enough time to eat lunch from Panda Express before he headed to TSA.  I waited with him and talked some more during his half hour wait.  Between the football travelers and vacationers from President's Day weekend, it was definitely a packed airport.  Thankfully, Cameron made it through without any issue and was well on his way to Indianapolis by 4:45 this afternoon.  

After Cameron left, I was able to sit in on a virtual appointment that Doug had with his neuropsychiatrist late this afternoon.  She went through all of the testing that he had done (700 questions) and talked about the pictures that Doug had to provide a detailed story for. I think that was the part that Doug found most interesting.  The good news was that the questions and pictures pegged Doug's personality 100% and let us know that he sees life as a man and woman coming together to solve a problem.  That didn't surprise me at all as that is the way we have always lived our life.  The doctor's report also told us that Doug's tremor was not psychosomatic.  Neither one of us were surprised to hear that either.  At this point neither Doug nor I believe that we will ever know what officially caused the tremor, but at least today's visit did help us answer one more piece of the puzzle.

The National Championship Game - Unbelieveable

If you would have told me that IU football would win a National Championship, I would have never believed it.  Even after we finished 10-2 and made it to the CFP last year, I wasn't sure that we would ever make it back.  At the beginning of this season, I would have just been happy to make it to a bowl game.  Tonight, however, the Hoosier football team that Doug and I had followed for the last forty years made the impossible happen beating Miami in one of the hardest fought games of the season finishing perfect at 16-0 and this year's National Champions.  Even as I watched the confetti fall and the trophy presentation happen, I still couldn't believe it.

While Cameron was sitting in the front row of Hard Rock Stadium, Doug and I were seated in our living room glued to our television.  Neither one of us were bummed to miss the game in person as we were both too nervous to watch it anywhere else.  We weren't the only ones watching the game on the edge of our seats as Meg, Cal, Maggie and Karen were all home as well.  Nick had to fly to Miami but arrived in time to catch the game from his hotel bar.  Only Brett opted out of watching from start to finish as he practiced piano for a good portion of the game secretly hoping that Coach Cignetti could pull off the improbable victory.

Although I hoped that the game would be as easy as the previous two with IU taking control early and winning by a large margin, in my heart, I knew that would not be the case.  Miami had several players on their defensive line that were first round NFL draft prospects, and they were playing at home.  In the end, I was correct as the game was challenging from start to finish.  Even when we took more than a one score lead, Miami would answer with a nice play on offense keeping the game close throughout.  Thankfully, an unbelievable touchdown run from Mendoza, a blocked punt that led to a touchdown and a perfectly timed interception in the last minute of the game put IU on top making this a season that none of the IU faithful and maybe even the rest of the college football world will ever forget.  

Da Bears

We spent the morning and afternoon with Cameron before he caught the train to Miami.  He was excited about the trip and I was extremely glad that he was able to go albeit a little nervous since none of us had spent much time in South Florida.  The nice part was that Aunt Jan was staying close to where his hotel was and I knew that she could help if anything went wrong.  Cameron was also meeting twelve other SAB members tonight which made me feel even better.

Before the three of us left for the train station, Cameron had time to exercise and do some homework while Doug and I ran to the store to get him some snacks for the trip. We also met Meg at Rock N Brews by the airport for lunch before leaving for the Brightline.  Neither Doug nor I had ever been to the station before and were extremely impressed with it.  It was easy to find and security was a lot quicker than the airport.  We headed home once Cameron made it to his gate.

Doug and I spent this evening watching the Bears game.  They had won their first playoff game in fifteen years last weekend and we were hoping for another victory tonight.  Cal called before he left with Maggie and his friends to a local restaurant for a watch party.  He was nervous and excited.  The entire town of Chicago was lit up orange and blue all week in anticipation of tonight.  Both Doug and Cal were hopeful that the Bears would win but nervous as the Rams with Stanford at Quarterback were very good.  It was a close game throughout and went into overtime on an outstanding play by Caleb Williams.  Unfortunately, a slow run by the tight end led to an interception ending the Bears storybook season.  The best part was that there was now hope for future seasons as the Bears were young and their quarterback had lived up to the hype surrounding his selection in the draft.  

He's Back

When Cameron decided that he wanted to go the National Championship in Miami on Monday, he and I had to get creative in how to get him there.  Cora was traveling with her friends and had plans to stay in Miami.  Cameron and his group talked about driving, but once they realized that it was a day and a half drive, they changed their minds.  They did agree on an Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale near the airport so that they could fly-in there instead of Miami as it was just as close to the game and the costs were more reasonable. Cameron opted out of purchasing the $1000+ round trip flight to South Florida, as he and I found a much less expensive route.  The good news was that his flights were free.  The bad news was that it would take him a little bit longer to get there.  The best part was that we would get to spend twenty-four hours with him on his way down.

Cameron arrived in Tampa tonight and we were there to greet him.  On the drive home the three of us talked about his first week of class, the game and plans for his 21st birthday on Wednesday.  Cameron chose Beef O'Brady's for dinner, and we had an awesome time.  The bar was filled with Bills fans, and we had a lot of fun watching the game with them even though Buffalo lost a heartbreaker.  We made it home in time to start the 49ers game which ended up being a blowout and instead rewatched the first half of the Peach Bowl capping off a fantastic evening with Cameron back in Florida.  

The Rip

When Doug and I got Netflix in December so he could watch the NFL on Christmas and I could watch Stranger Things on New Year’s Eve, we saw an advertisement for a new Matt Damon and Ben Affleck movie to air in January.  As Matt Damon is definitely Doug’s favorite current film star, we marked today’s date for the film’s premiere.  Cal was a little afraid that it wouldn’t be worth watching since it was coming out after the first of the year and was direct to streaming, but thankfully that was not the case.  Doug and I started it right after dinner and absolutely loved it.

Neither one of us knew anything about the movie, but soon found out that it was a crime thriller set in Miami based on a true story.  It was action packed from the beginning with a lot of twists throughout.  Doug doesn’t feel the same about Affleck as he does Damon but has changed his mind in recent years and we could both agreed that each were fantastic in the film.  We were also both surprised by the ending and could definitely highly recommend the movie to our children.

There have been a lot of remarks from Hollywood recently strongly encouraging films to stop coming out on streaming services first and return the premieres to the movie theaters.  I definitely believe that nothing in our home compares to seeing a film on the big screen.  In saying that, however, the cost of tickets and concessions have kept many people from attending.  I currently spend as much on one month of Netflix streaming services as I would for only one of us to go the theaters.  That coupled with the constant talking of many in the theater and the fact that I cannot pause the movie and come back to it has made watching movies at home a lot easier, cheaper and more convenient.  From what we saw at Best Buy last week, I am also no longer positive that the big screen is a lot better than current televisions.  For now, we will continue to watch movies through both avenues and be thankful for nights like tonight with a good movie, great actors and an enjoyable evening for both of us.

God's Blessings

Instead of focusing on the negative, I have really been working on being more positive.  It has helped and lately I have been able to see God's blessings in several instances that I might have missed in the past.  Today was one of the those and I was extremely thankful for several things that happened that may have really previously really bothered me.  

First, I had noticed that there was something on the side of the door on my car when we returned from Atlanta over the weekend.  I didn't think much of it until I took the Pilot to the carwash on Monday and it didn't come out.  I was extremely afraid that whatever it was had stripped the paint off of the door.  Since it was very noticeable, I decided to ask our Honda service department what they thought.  Instead of telling me that I was being obsessive or that I had ruined the car, they told me to bring it back and they would have their body detailer look at it on Thursday.  Today, they not only got the chemical off of my door but rewashed the Pilot as well.  The car looked fantastic and I was extremely impressed with the whole process.

Next, "lunch bunch" was held at Crazy Cucumber today and it went very well.  I was one of the few women who had eaten at the restaurant, and I was pleased to hear that others had enjoyed it as well.  I also had fun listening to all of the conversations and got some fantastic advice about a few issues that I had concerns about recently.  The lunch was also a great reminder of how nice the group was even if there were a small few in the organization that were unpleasant to be around.

Lastly, I found out that Cameron would not only be getting a ticket for the front row at the National Championship game on Monday, but that he wouldn't have to pay for it as a company had stepped up to comp all of the tickets for the student section.  Between that, the points we used for Cameron's flights and his sharing an Airbnb with friends, his trip to Miami would be a lot less expensive than we thought meaning that he would now have more money for fun items like concessions and souvenirs.  What a wonderful way to end my day of counting God's blessings.  

I'm Home

For the first time in a long time, I never left my home yesterday except once to check the mail.  I had planned on going to the recycling center and to Lowe's but just didn't feel up to it.  Neither Doug nor I had felt well for the past few days, and I finally decided that the best thing that I could do was rest.  We both had been sick with cold like symptoms in December, so I was surprised to feel this way again so soon.  At first, we thought that maybe we had caught what Cameron had over break, but then we heard that Cora's dad was also sick, so it made more sense that we had picked up something from the Peach Bowl.  It really didn't matter to us how we got sick, but more importantly that we each felt better soon.  

I used my down time to binge watch The Pitt.  I couldn't believe how good it was and struggled to turn it off even when I found out there were new episodes of Chicago Med, Fire and PD on tonight.  I also had plenty of time to work on our 2025 HSA medical receipts as I had quite a few to organize and turn in for reimbursement.  This was our first time having a Health Savings Account and I will know better how to keep records for next year.  The good news was that we would be getting back $250 for everything that I turned into today.  

Although, I still didn't feel great at the end of the day, I did enjoy my "house a rest."  Having time to talk to my friend Jim, read, relax and watch Jeopardy were all a nice break from how busy our past few weeks had been.  Hopefully, I will feel better tomorrow so that I can go to Lunch Bunch.  I am sure that I will also sneak in a few episodes of The Pitt as well.  That has definitely made feeling under the weather a lot more fun.

She's Home

 After two weeks in the nursing home, my mom was sent home yesterday.  Once the insurance found out that she could walk sixty steps with her walker that was all they needed to release her.  My parents and my Aunt Vicky were completely shocked, but in the end, my mom was glad to be in her own home with her seventy-five-inch television in front of her.  It took my parents some time to get her from the car, up the walk and into the living room, but they made it without incidence.  

Today, my mom had an electronic chair delivered that would help her get up from a sitting position and would also allow her to sleep without having to go upstairs.  Home health and physical therapy should start soon, and Aunt Vicky made arrangements to stay with them for a few days.  I know that it will take some time, but hopefully by the time my dad finishes with radiation, my mom will be able to move around the main level of the house easily.  

The Golden Globes

After a weekend of football, Doug and I decided to watch the Golden Globes last night.  We hadn't seen all of the movies or television programs that were up for awards, but Doug really liked One Battle After Another and we had just watched Marty Supreme, so we knew enough to stay interested.  We had also heard of many of the films and programs from Cal and Cameron, so that helped as well.  The one person that we had never heard of was the host, Nikki Glaser.  She was funny, however, so we didn't mind and I felt a lot better when Cal told me that he had never heard of her until last year's Globes either. There were a lot of celebrities in the crowds including many from our generation, Julia Roberts, Sean Penn and George Clooney just to name a few.  None of them won, but their attendance also made the show more relevant to us.  

In the end, I enjoyed the program a lot more than I thought that I would, so today I searched for a podcast about the Golden Globes on Spotify.  I found one hosted by two people that I knew from the Rewatchables and I enjoyed listening to their takes on last night's ceremony.  After it was over, I realized that the best part about watching the Golden Globes and listening to the podcast was that it helped to keep me involved in current culture.  It gave me something to talk to my own children about that they are interested in as well.  As I am aging, I know that I cannot physically keep up with them, but if I can keep up with their interests that will go a long way to helping us maintain a great relationship.  

How About Pitching In for a Change

I was very tired yesterday when we got home but still enjoyed having Nick and Meg stop by on their way back from Atlanta and even made it up for Cal's late night phone call after the Bears won their first playoff game in fifteen years in exciting fashion.  Unfortunately, I did not sleep as well as I wanted to last night, and I woke up absolutely exhausted.  I don't know if that was a factor or a couple of things that happened over the weekend with Doug's family, but this morning I was extremely frustrated with several of their recent behaviors. Today, I spent quite a bit of time reflecting and trying to figure out what exactly was bothering me.  In the end, I think I came up with what I was mad about and finally naming it made me feel a lot better.

When Doug first developed health issues several years ago, I felt that there were a couple of people in his family that could have helped him and didn't.  I thought one was helping at first but soon realized that was I wrong.  I was surprised by their lack of support and empathy, but I guess that I probably shouldn't have been.  Doug and I had always been independent and had solved our problems on our own.  We both had grown up that way, and I always thought that it was our choice to be independent.  I have come to understand now exactly why Doug has always done everything for himself.  He had to.  

Even when Doug's tremors first began, he tried to take care of the problem on his own or with my help.  When I finally encouraged him to ask for outside help from those closest to him with the resources to help, he was rejected.  I was surprised and hurt by that then but had completely gotten over it until this past month as those two same family members have come to Doug for help even though they know that he doesn't have to ability to do so anymore.  They both made this weekend about themselves and their needs totally disregarding anything that Doug had going on in his life good or bad.  

The best part was that Doug didn't drop everything to help them out as he would have years ago.  Circumstances had changed and the reality was that he actually couldn't help them.  As hard as I am sure that is for him, I was glad that he finally put his health needs above others' trivial issues.  He deserves to put himself first.  He's done enough over the years.  It is time for a break.

Still in Disbelief

Even though I went to bed before 2 p.m. last night, I was still up and ready to go when Cameron and Cora called to say they were on their way to the lobby to meet her parents for the drive home.  I was glad that Doug and I got to see them before we left and that we had an easy drive through Georgia stopping once for gas and another time for Arby's.  Since it was such a beautiful afternoon, we decided to also stop at Swamp Head in Gainesville before finishing the drive.  While we were there talking about our night, a Florida grad stop to congratulate us on IU's win and talk about the amazing transformation of the IU football team.  

On our way home, I thought a lot about the Hoosiers.  IU football had been an important part of my life since 1987 when I arrived on campus my freshmen year.  My cousin, Krystal, and I went to every home game and were there when they tore down the goal posts after beating Michigan that fall.  At the time, we didn't realize that a winning season and going to bowl games were an anomaly for the Hoosiers.  After 1990, there wasn't a lot to cheer about, but Doug and I still remained loyal going to at least one game every year after we graduated and even having season tickets for several years when Brett, Cal and Meg were in Bloomington making for some wonderful Heinisch family memories.  

The love that we had for the team only grew when Cameron became their number one fan during high school.  He knew every player on the team and completely adopted Tom Allen's philosophy LEO.  We went to more games than I could count and even sat in the stands putting up with inclement weather to watch them play Ohio State never giving up on them even when the football players had obviously quit on themselves.  Sometime during the fall of Cameron's freshmen year in college, when it was apparent that IU football would be parting ways with their coach, he asked me if I would rather have the Hoosiers win another national championship in basketball or one in football.  I didn't hesitate when I said, football.  Even though it had been over 35 years since they won their last championship, I had already seen basketball rise to the top.  I thought that it would be a lot better story and more fun to watch if it was football playing in the national championship game.  At the time, I never even dreamed it would be possible.  Now, next week, they have a real shot at going 16-0, erasing the past and making history as the biggest turn around by a sports team ever.  I still can't believe it.

The Rose Bowl

What a day!  It was crazy, exciting, stressful and most of all amazing.  Atlanta was definitely not ready for all of the Hoosiers in town which made navigating the area, checking into our hotel, and finding a spot for lunch challenging, but in the end that didn't really matter.  Cameron found us a wonderful Italian restaurant for our noon day meal and an awesome front desk clerk helped us get into our room early.  From there the rest of the day was absolutely unbelievable.  

Cameron and Cora spent the morning and early afternoon with us touring Centennial Park before heading to the Fan Fest at the convention center next to the Mercedes Benz Stadium where the Peach Bowl would be to play.  Thankfully, everything was walkable, so we didn't have to worry about driving or taking an Uber anywhere.  Meg and Nick arrived just as we were checking into our room which worked out perfectly as they were able to go with us to the Fan Fest after a short rest at the hotel.  The walk over as crazy.  We passed the IU sponsored ticketed event, which was packed with fans, John Mellencamp songs and "Hoo, Hoo, Hoo, Hoosier" chants everywhere making downtown Atlanta feel a lot more like Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington.

As packed as the streets were on our walk over to the Fan Fest, it was nothing compared to the convention center.  There was so much to see and do including games, food booths and a lot of football fans.  After meeting up with Cameron, touring the area and getting something to drink, Doug, Meg, Nick, Cameron and I headed to the stadium.  We were definitely early, but that gave us a chance to see the football team arrive by bus and navigate the entry points.

We parted ways with Cameron once we got into the stadium.  He was seated in the front row with the other directors from SAB while we were in the tier right above him.  I was extremely pleased with our seats.  We could see very well and had the Jumbo Tron above us to catch the action in the other endzone.  We spent the eighty minutes before kickoff talking about the game, watching the warm-ups, trying out the snacks (Nick's favorite part) and enjoying the Chick-Fil-A cow mascots.  It was amazing to watch the crowd file in as we estimated the percentage of Hoosiers in attendance to be well above 80%.  The cheers and the enthusiasm grew as game time drew near and exploded once the team ran out of their football helmet.  

I know that we all really thought they IU would win tonight, but there were still moments of nervousness throughout the day.  I was definitely worried when Oregon took the field as the hype around their defense and their quarterback who many felt would be the number one pick in the draft over Mendoza was everywhere.  I told myself that we were playing extremely well and had already beat the Ducks once, but the media was getting to me, and I was losing starting to lose confidence.

In the end, I had nothing to worry about.  On the first play of the game, Oregon threw a pick six and from there the Hoosiers dominated the game.  My fears of a tense, down to the wire game like last nights were gone and we all had an awesome time watching the Hoosiers do what they do best - win.  Without the stress of a tight game, we instead made enjoying the game a priority.  During the next few hours, we listened to Nick rank his favorite snacks, watched Cameron do the Chicken Dance on the Jumbo Tron, joined the crowd singing IU's fight song and waited with over 50,000 other fans for the trophy presentation.  The only downside to the evening was walking to our hotel in a downpour.  

Although the Peach Bowl was a lot for Doug and I to manage, we were both so incredibly glad that we went.  It was an experience that neither one of us will ever forget.  I thanked Cameron, Nick and Meg multiple times when we got back to the hotel for helping us make this journey.  Neither one of us plan on going to the National Championship game in Miami next week.  Instead, we will just enjoy it on our television and hope that we get to see Cameron on national TV just like all of our friends and family did tonight.  

Road Trip

Cameron, Cora and I had a nice day here at home before we left for Atlanta tonight.  While I was packing and running errands, they had time for a run.  We then ate lunch at the new Tropical Smoothie near us and played multiple rounds of ping pong before Cameron and Cora had a rematch at backyard golf.   We finished our dinner from the Publix deli just as Doug pulled in the driveway from work.  By 6:15, the four of us were on the road with McDonough, Georgia as our destination.  

The trip through Northern Florida and Southern Georgia was dark, but very light on traffic.  We kept ourselves entertained by watching the Miami vs Ole Miss Fiesta Bowl game.  It was extremely close throughout and we actually thought we were going to be able to see the two teams in overtime when we reached our hotel. That changed quickly when a terrible play on defense by the Rebels let the Hurricane's quarterback walk right into the end zone giving them a four-point win.  Although we were all hoping for an Ole Miss victory, it was a great game and put us all in the mood for the Peach Bowl tomorrow.  

Another Visitor

When Cameron first booked his flights to Florida for Christmas break, he planned on going home this afternoon.  At the time, neither one of us dreamed that IU football would be playing in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta this Friday.  He definitely didn't mind cancelling his plans to stay for the game and we enjoyed having him here a few days longer.

Once Cora found out about Cameron's extended visit, she decided to join him for a few days of sunshine.  I was worried that she wouldn't be able to find a flight on such late notice, but thankfully there was one that arrived in Tampa early this afternoon giving Cameron and I a chance to take her to lunch at Ford's Garage before heading back to Ocala. The rest of their afternoon was spent enjoying the beautiful weather while going for walks and playing backyard golf.  I then ordered pizza for dinner, and we introduced Cora to Triopoly after Doug got home from work while watching IU basketball beat Maryland.  It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend Cameron's last full day in Ocala.  

Gastro Pub

I have been hyping up Gastro Pub in Baldwin Park since Cameron arrived for Christmas break.  We tried having dinner there on December 23rd when he, Karen and Brett first arrived in Florida, but it was closed for a holiday party.  Once I realized that Doug was staying at Meg's tonight, I suggested to Cameron that we drive up this afternoon and meet them for dinner.  We both joked that Gastro Pub would probably be closed once again, but Cameron was ready to take the risk, and we headed to Orlando right after lunch today.

Before the Doyles left in November, Nancy gave me several tickets for free rounds of miniature golf.  They had come with their room, and their family had not had time to use them.  I told Cameron about them, and he decided that we should try them at Blizzard Beach today since we had plenty of time before Doug and Meg got home from work.  We were very happy to find out that the tickets would work and that the Winter course was open when we arrived.  The round ending up being one of the more memorable ones that we had played recently.  First, our golf balls got stuck in the tube on the first hole.  Then, we got stuck on hole seven with two other groups waiting on one family to play.  Cameron and I finally went around them skipping hole eight.  We played the rest of the round fairly quickly ending up tying on the 17th hole after playing one from the Summer course.  Although, I won on a playoff hole, the best part was getting to our car realizing that the family that held everyone up was still on fourteen.

After mini-golf, Cameron and I drove up to Meg's apartment arriving just as she got home from work.  We had just enough time to catch up on her day at work before Doug walked through the door.  Thankfully, Gastro Pub was open and Cameron finally got to try one of our favorite places to eat in Orlando. We all had a wonderful dinner outside on their patio and I was very glad to hear that Cameron liked it as much as we all do.

Enough

My day started off in tears, but I was all smiles by the end of it.  Just as Cameron and I were heading out for lunch, Doug called to tell me that he had melanoma on his scalp again.  This was a new spot and the biopsy was not able to determine the stage of it.  Thankfully, it was small and caught early, but with everything else going on in our lives, I was instantly overwhelmed.  I got it together, however, so that Doug and I could make plans for his next surgery and that Cameron and I could enjoy our lunch at Miller's Ale House.  It is very hard to get into the new restaurant, and we both enjoyed our meals very much.  

After lunch, Cameron and I went to Publix to pick up some groceries for the next few days.  We then headed to the new Goodwill that Meg told us about yesterday.  It was by far the biggest one that I had ever been to, but unfortunately, it did not have the left-handed club that we were looking to buy.  Thus, our next stop was Play It Again Sports where we found the perfect sand wedge and several discs so that Cameron could play Disc Golf with Nick on his next trip to Florida.  Our last two stops before returning home revolved around lottery tickets.  First, we went to 7-Eleven so that Cameron could get his $4 winning from the card that he got at Christmas.  Then, we stopped at Publix so he could buy a few more including the infamous Lottery Bingo card.  Although that one didn't produce a cash prize, one of the other ones that Cameron scratched off was a $25 winner, putting him up $20 overall this break.  The best part was seeing all of the Indiana football balloons in our local grocery store.  Neither one of us could believe it.

My evening ended very well with my Chex Mix rebate arriving in the mail.  It was even cuter and bigger than I thought it would be and will be a nice addition to our Christmas decorations next year.  After dinner, Doug and I purchased Peach Bowl tickets for Nick, Meg, Doug and I.  They were a lot more expensive than we thought that they would be, but we were now seated behind the IU student section and close to an aisle.  I was very happy that we would be in the second tier, meaning that I should be able to see the majority of the game.

 

Today was a good reminder that one bad moment or some distressing news doesn't have to ruin an entire day.  The past few weeks have been extremely stressful and finding the positives in the moment is the only way that I know how to survive.  I told my friend Robbi that I was no longer going to think that nothing worse could happen.  Instead, I would just be happy when it doesn't.