Hubby started working again today and Wednesday will be Simen's first day at high school. Which reminds me, I need to get that boy downtown for a pair of new shoes and some decent clothes...thank goodness for gift certificates.
Holy mackerel, am I glad this summer vacation is over and done with! It's been three weeks of madness.
The craziness started Friday 22nd, even before Runar was finished with his last day of work with the bombing of Oslo and massacre at Utøya, then my dad's heart attack.
Saturday was Thomas and Charlotte's wedding, which was lovely and happy sprinkled with several rounds of panic attack from both mothers' side due to everything essential missing at the place of the reception - from chairs to cutlery and ...everything. I can't help it, but I find such things highly amusing...I know, I'm weird.
About 3 min before we were heading down to the reception for the big wedding dinner my mother in law called me. No greetings, or 'hi, it's Brit' No, she was screaming out of the phone on top of her voice: "SAUCEPANS! DO YOU HAVE SAUCEPANS? POTATO BOWLS? I NEED 10 OF EACH! CALL AROUND TO FRIENDS! JUST GET IT! BE HERE IN 5 MINUTES!....Eli, there is nothing here, I'M LOOSING MY MIIIIND!!! Oh, any news of your father?" ...And so it went on and off the entire evening. As I was staying sober in case I had to rush to the hospital, I was the dedicated driver and collector of all things missing...kept me rather busy :P But the wedding couple were happily unaware of all the chaos and all in all it was a wonderful ceremony and party with lots of great speeches and funny little stories.
When the party was over and I sat alone in the living room enjoying the peace and quiet - around 3am - the Groom called:
Thomas: "Eli, I'm dying, you have to help me!"
Me: "What?!? Hang on, who's dying, what's...."
Thomas: "I can't get my eye lenses out and I've tried everything and Charlotte is waiting and it's the wedding night and...yah know....Can I come over and you can get them out for me? Super! I'll be there in 5 I have a chauffeur." 'click'
20 min later a red eyed groom could take his newly wedded wife off to consummate the wedding :P
The next few days were spent driving to hospitals - 3 hours each way the first days and then he was moved to a local hospital only 2 hours away. A few birthday parties and repairs on boats, tractors and cars ate up the rest of the time. My father was released from the hospital the 27th
Then came Thursday 28th and my bday. 8:30 am I woke up to my sister calling; my dad had had a minor stroke and was at the hospital, no reason for panic. Two hours later another call came, he had had another stroke - major one, and they weren't able to wake him up at all. Reason for panic and everybody were needed at the hospital ASAP.
Then followed some nerve wrecking hours of trying to get contact with him and a few more hours of agonizing waiting while watching how my dad struggled 'back to life' He couldn't open his eyes, nor speak the first few hours, he had no idea of what was going on and I am not sure he even knew who he was. It was the scariest day of my life.
Remarkably, some time during the evening, when my nephew dropped by at the hospital with his 2 month old boy strapped to his front, calling out from the doorway to his room: "Hey, Gramps, how're you doing? Magnus and I are here to see you" Did my father suddenly open his eyes and say: "Heey, Eyvin, how are you...and Magnus" Then he smiled his regular lopsided grin and was back among the living again.
Isn't it funny how old people, even those who are starting to get demented and forgetful of names etc, 'gets too' and remembers their great grand children's' name and faces?
The rest of the vacation was a race to get through everything that we had agreed on doing before the vacation started and that we now only had 1.5 weeks of doing it all in.
Our two nieces (5 and 6) and nephew (2.5) spent two days with us up at the farm. It was pouring cats and dogs most of the time, so it was quite the challenge keeping 3 young kids happy in a small cabin with no TV, but we managed thanks to two Wallace and Gromit DVDS. Apparently - according to the other Jakobsen Clan members they loved the stay and are looking forward to next summer's stay already :P
The house is not painted yet, but it needs to be done this weekend...if the weather allows it. The car, boat and tractors are fixed and running well....enough.
My father is back home from the hospital, he talks okay and walks with a cane. His eye sight is poorly, but hopefully it'll get better in time.
We visited Helene, brought her and her bf a new(used) double bed and took them out for dinner etc and so on.
All in all we've managed to do most of the things we agreed upon doing before the summer started.
Oh, I've knitted 3 sets of baby socks a baby scarf and two pairs of adult socks during these three weeks as well.
Now, I'm just looking forward to regular boring everyday life. I had to stay up all night in order to wake up hubby at 5: 30 am, because he was so afraid he'd oversleep.... He procrastinated getting back into every day day rhythm with getting to bed early and getting up early. Of course yesterday he couldn't sleep at all. at around 3am
Runar: "Eliiiii, are you asleep?"
Me: "Errr, not anymore"
Runar: "GET UP!"
Me jumping out of bed looking wildly around for whatever catastrophe threatening.
Runar: "Good, can you get up and stay up and then wake me at 5:30 so I don't oversleep? Thank you!" ZZZzzzz
Me: ...
Autumn colors and stormy weather, well met!
Glad you're back. Sometimes life is just a bit TOO interesting.
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