I'm grateful for: my wonderful family; Kitten, who didn't forget me; having my computer back.

I'm back home again. Tired. Tired, tired, tired. Probably jet-lagged, although jet-lag as a phenomenon has never bothered me very much.

It was such a big trip, full of so many different events and feelings and experiences and emotions, I doubt I can even begin to write them all - and in a matter of time, minutes, hours, - days if I'm lucky - my regular life will crash down on my head and there will be no time or energy for going back over what just happened.

What happened - Lloyd is dead. No loss in my life, or in my family's. RS shed a few tears, but the truth is all that she is missing is the dream that someday Lloyd might have showed that he cared for her. She acknowledges that she is better off, it's not just my word on it.

I allowed the trip to be entirely (almost entirely) directed by RS - at least the funeral & memorial portion of it. No one can even imagine what that means.

RS drove down to JFK to pick me up, and then drove me back up to Boston, on the pretext that I would be able to run some errands there. The trip took many more hours than it might have, as RS fell asleep behind the wheel (at rest areas, thank goodness), several times. I was tired enough to nap with her, but the result was that we arrived in Massachusetts with only a few hours to run errands, which RS quickly ate up by being generally dilatory, and stopping at a medical supply place to buy a new walker. Most people I expect can buy a walker in less than 1.25 hours.

We drove around Boston/Brookline briefly, ostensibly so that I could actually accomplish one of my errands, but instead absolutely nothing was accomplished and we drove to Alston to park the car. Why Alston? You'd have to ask RS. Having parked the car, we re-packed stuff. My stuff was already packed, but RS decided she wanted to pack the basket of her new walker in a suitcase, which ended up involving my taking out a large duffle I had brought along for bringing extra stuff back home and assorted packing of things around the basket. Oy! Don't ask.

Finally RS called for a taxi to take us to the airport. We left her car parked there, and went to Logan airport. I'm not at all sure that parking her car in long-term parking at the airport would have cost more than the approximately $90 it cost for the taxis to and from the airport, but that is life with RS.

At the airport, we had a little bit of trouble explaining to them the assistance we needed - two pushers (to push two wheelchairs) and one wheelchair - because I had mine with me. Somehow this confused them, and I wonder if I would have been better off checking my wheechair and using the airport wheelchair at the various airports we visited. We had no trouble getting to our gate, on the plane, or off to Newark.

You see, we drove all the way from NYC to Boston to buy a walker, park the car in Alston, and fly back down to Newark airport. At Newark we transferred to another flight to Las Vegas. The fun begins.

Arriving at Las Vegas around 10pm, RS decided not to try to rent a car, but to take a shuttle ($17.00) to the hotel. We stayed at a Best Western, just off of the strip. The room rates were good, the room was really quite fine, except for the surprize of a fairly good-sized cockroach in the bathroom just after we arrived. I saw no more signs of cockroaches, or any other crawling critters, for the rest of the stay, so I suppose that was Hashem's sense of humour, or something. I know *I* slept well.

In the morning, I got up for breakfast - complimentary with the room, a buffet in the hotel. After I had finished. and hung around for a while, RS showed up after the buffet had officially closed. There was still food out, and a server was very kind and helpful, so it wasn't as stressful as it might have been. We then proceeded to the front desk in order to rent a car, only, the car rental rates made RS unhappy. She'd wanted to reserve a car online before coming and hadn't, and spent the rest of the trip bemoaning the fact that she hadn't actually. It got rather old.

At this point I put my foot down. One of the errands I had needed to run the day before was to get to a pharmacy for some burn cream, some caladryl and some vitamin e oil for my sunburn and jellyfish sting. I was in a reasonable amount of pain and announced that whatever RS decided to do, I was going to a pharmacy. The lady at the desk offered to phone for a taxi for me and I responded 'yes, please.' RS could possibly have been more unhappy, but I'm not sure. I didn't even listen to her, I was going to take care of my needs, not waiting on her insanity another moment. Not angry, just firm.

As the taxi arrived, RS, who had been *really* unhappy, said we could take the taxi to go rent a car at the airport (for some reason she was convinced she could get better rental rates at the airport), and then go direct to a pharmacy, thus taking care of both things. I agreed in relief, because a sulking RS is more than I had the energy to deal with, and off we went in the taxi.

At the airport, it turned out that the rental rates for the cars was right in line with what they'd offered us at the hotel. Who knew? RS fumed and sulked, and agreed to rent a car because we really needed one. She fumed and sulked and mentioned her online reservations again.

We drove to the nearest pharmacy, at least the one that was pointed out to us as nearest. Turned out to be a CVS. Happy, happy, joy, joy, that CVS had the very best bathroom I have ever come across in any of my travels. I have joked that I would like to go back to Las Vegas, just to use that bathroom. No kidding. I bought various necessary items, including some food stuff and a case of bottled water. I wish I could remember the brand name of the bottled water, it was ridiculously cheap and tasted really good.

RS also shopped, so we weren't out of the CVS for over an hour. Maybe closer to two hours. I don't know. Nothing she does goes quickly.

We drove back to the hotel, and despite my urging she refused to go to the mortuary, or even to phone them. As we'd told them we'd be there on Tuesday (this was Tuesday) I rather expected we would go there, but RS insisted that they weren't looking for us, and there was no rush. We'd allocated three days in Las Vegas, and this was the first one. It was looking a little bleak for getting stuff done. And the television in the hotel room didn't work. Fortunately we were still both short on sleep.

Wednesday began with RS doing research online for medical labs and maps and so forth. I went to breakfast. When I came back from breakfast she was no where to be seen. It turns out she'd gone to sit in the car with the computer to do more research, and had intended to go to breakfast with me (might have helped if she'd mentioned the fact). So she went off to breakfast, arriving around the time the buffet closed

When she came back we collected her data from the research and headed off to a medical lab to see about doing genetic testing. Her idea, to see if Lloyd actually is my father. Along the way she decided to have herself tested as well, despite the fact that there has never been any dispute about Lloyd being her father. What the hell. The people at the lab were nice, the paperwork was annoying, and we were in and out of there in a relatively short time.

From there we drove to the Coroner's office, and filled out more paperwork, discussed getting the genetic material for the dna tests, signed forms and finally got out of there in less than an hour.

We walked from the coroner's office to the county Sheriff's office, where we picked up Lloyd's personal effects. RS hadn't phoned to make an appointment, which is something it turned out we needed, but the people there were very kind, and even stayed late so we could get the interview over with. We waited about half an hour, then met with someone who asked us questions and delivered Lloyd's personal effects, at least the ones he'd had on him when he died. It was all kind of yucky and creepy, not least because the woman kept giving me weird looks and attitude. I suppose because she'd done all the talking with RS on the phone and I was an unknown quantity, or something. I don't know.

I was glad to get out of there. Finally we headed out to the mortuary. It wasn't a terribly long drive, but it had been a terribly long day already. We arrived there at about 5:01. The mortuary closed at five. It was hot, I was tired, cranky, dehydrated, and had just about had enough of RS.

Not made better by her insistence that we drive up and down the strip every opportunity we got. I was driving, and it is no very pleasant drive, however nice it might be to gape and stare at all the lights. As she was navigating and I hadn't a clue how to get anywhere I was pretty much at her mercy again. Story of life with RS, and why I generally don't choose to do anything together with her if I can help it.

We got back to the hotel, and went out for supper - not anywhere nice, just fast food, but it was nice to not be picnic-ing in the hotel room yet again. We got lost trying to get back to the hotel, and ended up giving a ride to some kid walking to a bus stop (that was literally miles away from where he was), and the kid directed us back toward our hotel. RS had me drive back up the strip. *sigh* And finally we collapsed back in the hotel room. Two queen-sized beds. That part was pretty good.

RS had wanted to do some gambling while we were in Vegas, and hadn't managed to, yet, so she decided to extend our stay by another day - not to mention that we hadn't yet managed to get to the mortuary. But, whatever, I'm glad she didn't decide to check us out and then try to get everything done before taking a flight out.

Next morning, I went to breakfast, and left before RS appeared. I went back to the room and waited for her - trying not to stress. Or do I mean, fume? RS finally arrived and we headed out, at long last, to the mortuary. Again. This time we arrived well before closing (*grin*) and were in and out in about half an hour. The people there were very nice (what else should we have expected?) and we left with a cardboard box of Lloyd, an American flag (he was a Korean war veteran), and a letter certifying that he was dead. --We don't get the death certificate until the coroner's office is finished with whatever the heck it is they have to investigate. *Sigh*

I took photos, for posterity or for the kids? I don't even know. We went for lunch and then to the place where Lloyd had been staying when he died. There we met the very nice man who unfortunately found Lloyd's body, and the man Lloyd had been doing some volunteer work for. Not so nice. In fact, a bit of a _____. 'Nuff said.

They had laid out some of Lloyd's property in a sort of - drat! I'm sure there's a word for it - memorial with a candle and stuff. There we went through all of Lloyd's possessions that he'd brought with him. He was living in Oakland (CA) so he had a couple of bags and a backpack there. Clothes sorted and any that were in decent enough condition donated to the needy. Photos looked through, letters and poems and plays read through (he was a performance artist and playwright). I took his deck of tarot cards and his sewing/patch kit. A handful of photos, and that was pretty much it.

RS took a bunch of his writing, more photos, but not much 'stuff.' He had a signature pair of patch pants and a matching backpack that are apparently well-known and I guess some people wanted them to put in a museum or something. Whatever. We arranged with the person Lloyd had been volunteering for that he would bring the rest of Lloyd's things, including the patchwork pants and backpack, to Berkeley for a memorial gathering that was to be held there. RS and I didn't know for sure at that point if we were making it, and probably couldn't have carried the stuff if we had.

We went back to the hotel, and I finished off the food we'd brought for supper and RS went out to do her gambling. I forgot to mention, we'd found about $1000 in Lloyd's backpack, in twenties. So RS had what to go gambling with.

I've no idea what time she got back. She lost overall about forty dollars, and had had a really good time doing it. I guess she couldn't have done too badly, she was gone for hours.

In fact, she got back too late for us to make our flight out of Las Vegas, although that wasn't certain until we'd arrived at the airport and the flight had already gone. That was in large part because she'd never unpacked properly, or lived out of her suitcases, but had just flung stuff around and never bothered to track it all. I was packed and out the door, and got in some good reading while she took the necessary time (the time it takes her) to get it all sort of gathered up and into the car. I couldn't help. Despite my managing reasonably well, I am still disabled, and it was literally all I could do to manage my own luggage and wheelchair.

I drove to the car rental place and we returned the car. RS spent about half an hour getting herself and her luggage out of the car, I have no idea what she was doing. Going through bags and repacking everything is a guess.

Okay, I've got S3 in here with me, and Kitten in kneading and 'nursing.' More later ... I hope.

I'm listening to S3

:: Yesterdays : Tomorrows ::

~~~Last Five Entries~~~
Hi and goodbye - 2010-10-15
I'll be moving on - 2010-10-10
Gold membership and stuff - 2010-10-10
Decisions, decisions - 2010-10-07
Days to go - 2010-10-06