Texas, our Texas

Here I am in Texas, until tomorrow, that is. I have been visiting my parents at their home in the Lone Star State. I was hoping for some warm weather, but they have had weather comparable to that taking place in my hometown. Thanks, Texas. It really doesn't matter. Who spends that much time outdoors, anyway? Certainly not I.

We have had a good time together, but my mom apparently hadn't been to a hospital in a few weeks and needed to go. Yesterday afternoon, that's where we ended up. She is still in the hospital, but she seems (to me) to be back to her normal wonderful self. Now, all she needs to do is convince the doctors that she is back to herself and she can break out of there.

Have you ever noticed how hospitals keep the peace? The do it by keeping visitors/guests/patients confused and lost. Lots of doors, misleading signs, multiple sets of elevators. Most people in hospitals look as though they are wandering around in their jammies. While visiting Mom today, I left to retrieve a newspaper. I went downstairs, asked for directions and followed them. Each path was traveled several times as I felt that I was following the signs, only to find that they led to dead-ends or a set of double doors with "Authorized personnel only" signs. I eventually went outside, found a small building and asked a workman for directions. He sent me off in a different direction. Once I found the correct building, I asked a security guard for directions. He told me to go to the "vending area" I'd find at the end of a certain hall. I went up and down that hall about eight to ten times before I found the newspaper machine. Then, I needed a drink. I decided I had explored pretty successfully already and I took off down a different hallway. I had already traveled about 15 minutes in order to find this vending area, so I felt I would have to ask for directions to return anyway, so I might as well explore a little more. As I took that hallway, I noticed that things looked pretty familiar. Aha! There was the cafeteria, but certainly it couldn't be the one that was across from the elevators I had taken down at first. Ah, but it was!

Well, I fly home tomorrow. I wish I could be here to help my dad while my mom is hospitalized, but I can't. I've had a good visit in spite of Mom's problems and I was glad to be here to help out.