Hey. It was a nice trip home to Nashvegas. Thank you all for your comments and e-mails about Papa John. Here's the short of it: He is deteriorating, and he's not going to get better. But he is in much better spirits, is still very present, and loves being around his loved ones or getting to participate in an activity. His memory is not so much, long term or short term, and you can't really have a one-on-one conversation. But he is happy to participate in fun times and conversations when you have someone else to play off of. My deepest worries have shifted from Dad to Mom, and the daily toll this is taking on her. She is just in another realm of unbelievably amazing. She cares for Dad, which is intense, takes care of her family, manages a stressful household, is contending with her own health and knee-injury, and STILL serves as a leadership pillar as board member, treasurer, secretary, or other officer of significant institutions such as The West End Home for Ladies, the Canby Robinson Society, the Friends of the Children's Hospital, The Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the H.G. Hill Company, the Swan Ball and others. Thankfully, she has recognized the importance of taking some time out for herself here and there and escapes to play bridge once a week if she can, and takes Dad out with their friends on Sunday night to "the jazz."
My mother is some kind of crazy productive saint and she never ceases to impress me. Until I have another iMac/iPad/cable box lesson then I wonder who this person is who used to program mainframes in her youth but still has issues with "drag and drop." Now the concept barrier is including more WiFi/Cloud-oriented issues (too many buzz words in the news), while we have still not yet moved on from the web-browser versus web- server, or mail-cient versus mail-server disconnect. Let's not talk of TVs and TiVo (and far too many inputs). I should note that she very proudly and and correctly inserted a Twitter pun over the weekend.
But I digress.
It was an important trip and I am very glad I took the time. I was surprised to find I was spending less time just sitting with Dad or taking him on outings and more time on helping Mom out with a variety of things, homestead maintenance, or just spending time having long non-substantive conversations with my mother. I was slow to realize that she does not get any real adult conversations at home any more and that must be maddening. Add the love of company with the clear parental love for an absent son, and it is quite difficult to leave the house for either errand or social engagement. Those apron strings can be like giant squid tentacles.
The first weekend I was home was Swan Ball and I enjoyed covering it for Nfocus again. Although I will say that (1) I had a good time but (2) it was the least fun I've ever had a Swan Ball. Still a good time of course, just absent most of my friends or my parents' friends, or any particular excitement—save for the gorgeous and very charming young lady who became my friend as her smoldering hot escort whom she imported for the ball turned out to be less Prince Charming and more Talented Mister Ripley. Except with fewer manners. His gay vibe was so strong, three times in conversation he leaned in so close and gave me "the look" that I thought we were about to make out. This was the messiest Late Party I've seen and that, my social friends, is saying something.
Last weekend was Nashville Pride Fest, to which I was looking forward to as my first Nashville Pride and I know that the Super Awesome Keith has put a lot of effort into making it the success that it is over the years. However, having all of the Hardcastles together in one place is rare as as the kids would be back for one weekend and I happened to be in town too, Emily arranged for us to have a family weekend vacation at her family's lake house (here's the video from the last time we were all there together in 2008).
I took several hundred photos while I was home—some will be made into a book, others into a video, and the snarky observations into blog posts. When my computer decides to cooperate again. I am saving for a new MacBook Pro as a self birthday present, and my mother desperately need a new iMac, so anyone out there with access to deals, lemme know. Thanks.
Silliness and local commentary to resume shortly.
And HAPPY PRIDE PEOPLE!
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