A funny question to ask during this lockdown, isn’t it? Where are we going besides our homes, and for some, work.
Allow me to answer.
I’ve been at work. A never-ending saga of paperwork and faxing and mailing. Quite honestly, I never thought work would have me so spent at the end of the day. Thoughts of jobs past come to mind and I was always very energetic upon leaving and returning home. Up for shopping. Up for a movie. Up for anything.
Must. Get. The. Job. Done! Goals!
All I want to do at the end of the day is just come home and stress-eat and go to bed.
Disguised as beauty sleep. But it isn’t! It’s SLEEP!!
Being in front of a computer for eight hours with very little to no human contact, only getting up from my cubicle to go to the bathroom and make a run for the scanner, copier or trash is wearing on me. But it is a double-edged sword because I’m extremely lucky to even be working during this time. And the tasks themselves are not difficult—especially when there is nobody around to distract. And my work-ethic keeps pushing me. Yeah. I have personal goals and they always come to fruition at the end of the day. Therefore, it’s all good!
Actually, I have a GREAT boss so it IS all good!
But I want to tell you about something that happened earlier this week.
Like Miss Clavel turning on the light in the middle of the night and knowing something was not right, Bonaparte turned on the light in the middle of the night because he knew something was not right.
Like Miss Clavel, Bonaparte knew something was not right!
He woke me from a sound sleep Tuesday evening. He told me to get dressed because he had to go to the hospital. Ever the pragmatic man, he managed to pay a plethora of bills before waking me from my slumber, showed me where they were and told me when to mail them.
Still in a daze, I woke, put on clothing while forgetting to put panties on under my jeans, threw on a wig and got into the car.
He was having chest pains. And for my husband to wake me up and go to the hospital, those pains must have been pretty bad because his tolerance for pain is incredibly high.
So off we went. In the middle of the night. To Paoli Medical Center.
We parked in the emergency lot and all was quiet. As we entered the hospital, we were both met with thermometers at the forehead to take our temperatures. Now—under normal circumstances, I would have asked “Am I alright”? “Is my temperature OK”? This time I kept my mouth shut and concentrated on Bonaparte.
Bonaparte’s “Waiting” room. I’ll tell you this much-he was well-taken care of by the nicest and caring staff! They were great!!!!
As he was the soon-to-be patient, the hospital had him take the mask he was wearing off and replace it with a hospital mask. I was able to keep my mask on.
I was able to keep my lovely mask on!
At the reception desk, he was asked how long the pain persisted. I stood there shocked as he stated since the previous weekend. When the receptionist gave me the side-eye, I explained that he never said anything to me.
I’ll spare you the deets of the remainder of the ER visit but my Frenchman had a minor heart attack that could have turned into a major one.
He was admitted for surgery the next day and at close to four in the morning, I drove home in darkness and quiet. Empty roads with the occasional set of headlights approaching me. I was tired but not tired. And when I arrived home, I arrived to a chewed plastic bag on the kitchen floor. Chippy got into the garbage. And while I should have been making an attempt to get back to sleep, I was cleaning up not the garbage in the kitchen, but that of the bathroom in our master bathroom. Our rascal managed to carry the trash down a flight of stairs.
Chippy knew something was not right as well!
I finally got back to sleep near daybreak. And stayed home from work.
Now—here’s where my complete failure to comprehend comes in. Since I was home, I decided to get all dressed up nicely. I put on a bright pink, Lilly Pulitzer shift because it’s a happy color. I put on a dark wig because Bonaparte loves me in dark hair. I put makeup on.
All dressed up and ready to visit Bonaparte!
And I called the hospital to find out when visiting hours were.
The operator on the phone must have thought I was a moron. She explained that due to the Covid virus there were no visiting hours. At all. For anyone. After I sheepishly relayed to her that I thought the rule was only for Covid patients, she validated the rule was for everyone.
Oops!
I even kept my Main Line Health lime green bracelet from the ER on! Lime green is such a Mainline color! It went quite well with my Lilly Pulitzer frock!
Needless to say, Bonaparte’s surgery was a success. He had two stints placed into his body to open arteries. And on Thursday morning, I went to work and let my boss know that I would be leaving to either, take the dog out and then pick up the husband if he was discharged or pick up the husband if he was discharged, drive him home, return to work and finish my day.
His battle scars of black and blue from where the stints were placed and traveled!
Luckily, I received a call at morning’s end to come pick him up –he was being discharged.
So off I went to pick him up and drive him home. And upon arriving home, the poor man almost had another heart attack. I almost hit his car. Yeah. His car was parked in front of the house. Very close to our driveway. And as I turned into the driveway he screamed. I never made the full turn but reminded him that there is no sight in my right eye and I have no depth-perception. (which makes wearing a mask very challenging).
Anyway, as I drove off back to the office, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. I was happy and thanked God and all the Saints and Mary that my man was home and resting!
Yes. He was told to rest. But you know, Bonaparte is quite the man. That afternoon he was with clients over the Zoom conference video on the computer. And as I write this now, he’s upstairs on this rainy Memorial Day Saturday watching soccer. I love the sound of the TV in the background as I write this. Chippy is happy and content. Prep for dinner had begun and this evening we are not having a heavy sauce or tons of butter-laden baguette.
We’re having a healthier dinner this evening!
We are having a chicken, artichoke and grape tagine. The Mise-en-place is set up. The chicken is marinating and I’m blissfully grateful to have my husband home with me.
Harissa and tomato paste. One can never have enough Harissa!
Caramelized onion, artichokes and grapes at the ready!
And chicken is marinating in the fridge!
Enjoy this Memorial Day Weekend. Whether the weather is damp or cold or rainy or warm—remember, it’s only weather. Your loved ones are more important.
Memorial Day 2019 at the Shore. This year it’s a different story but who cares??!!
Oh—BTW, Bonaparte was tested for Covid. It came back negative!
Some flowers I arranged just for you!
I’ll be back tomorrow with a review on eyeglasses for you!