I grabbed my laundry, my overnight bag, my book bag, and some snacks and headed up to my parents house in Northern Idaho (220 miles) on Friday. My Dad had recently had some major dental work done and I was concerned, I needed to check on him to ease my heart. I had a really good and restful time while here (I am still here, lagging on leaving). You might be wondering where here is??? Cottonwood Idaho, population is 1000 (501 males and 532 females), the elavation is 3474 ft., and they have the famous Dog Bark Park bed and breakfast (that my sister and her husband actually stayed in when they got married 4 years ago!),there is a correctional facility (mostly for men to do ryder programs) here too, and a huge Monistary (St. Gertrudes). It’s a small town and although my parents haven’t lived here but 10 years I feel like its home:)
I came here this weekend to help my parents out any way I could. I found out 2 things! 1. my Dad is going to be challenging to take care of when he is convelescent age 2. just being here is enough I don’t need to do anything else.
I seem to live in this mindset that I need to do things and I need to make things all better for people. Well I can’t do everything and I deffiantly can’t make things all better permantly for people, it’s just temperary and in the moment. So even though I came here to help them, I ended up helping myself because my Dad won’t let me do very much for him (even when he doesn’t feel good). I rested and slept a lot and had many flashbacks from being a child. I must admit that I don’t let them do much for me either! I wonder where I got that from lol. I found a few things my Dad will let me do…. bake and clean..and he will let me sit in the living room while he watches football or races, as long as I am quiet. So I knit and bask in the moment of just being in the same room with him, because I know I have limited oppurtunites and time!
I always remember food I use to eat when I am with them. My dad makes an egg over easy and puts it on top of a piece of toast and then cuts it up on top of the toast (being careful not to cut the toast yet), so then the toast starts to soak up the bread, then you either eat it open face (like my Mom likes) or cut the toast and egg up together. Well it’s so tasty that way, I forget these little tricks when I’m away and in my busy life!
So it’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service and I’m thinking about what I should do today to lend a hand. I am going to wash their dishes before I leave (both parents are at work) and I made my Dad Zucchini bread last night and I need to slice it and bag it up into individual baggies so it can be frozen and easily accessible when he wants a piece. I wan’t to stop at the nearby thrift store and drop off a bag of clothes and see if they need an hour or so of my help… Since I will be driving back home while others are out doing the day of service to honor MLK jr. I want to do what I can when I can….but then again, my hands are always doing something:) –Tami xo
Tami's Table 