A Long (but not bad) Day

I'm writing at 10:40 p.m. and it has been a long, long day.

Just returned from picking up Ari from the first night of the junior youth group camping trip that his senior youth group was programming for. Due to Ari's arm's-length (or, more accurately, ten-foot pole) relationship with six and eight-legged forms of life, we took him home for the night and will drop him back in the morning. That way, at least one of the teens running things will have had some rest!

This morning I met our cantor at a local hospital/rehab facility near my house to visit with a congregant, something I would like to be good at (if there is such a concept as being good at this.) As much as I keep thinking I should be completely freaking out about going to a hospital, what with my own impending visit and all, it was so nice to see her smile and I found out later she was really happy I had been there. I told her I would be back, and I will.

Then on to the synagogue to work with one of my adult students - we took out a Torah to read from, and as I carried it down the hall to the library, I realized that in addition to feeling the usual honor of carrying something precious, it felt kind of comforting to hug it to me.

Before I knew it, I was once again running late for my chiropractor appointment. (I have been going 3 times a week to see if the pain in my back could go away before the surgery happens and I have no other option for a sleeping position.)

And it was hot, and I was still wearing my "nice" top and skirt and shoes for the hospital visit - so off I went to drive the kids home from the high school. Then back to the house to get Ari ready to go over to the camping trip, and then back to the synagogue to help the youth groupers pack up their stuff into the cars (of which my minivan was one.)

Well, about an hour and a half later I stood in the dusty, hot campground parking lot, sweating like crazy (still in my skirt, etc.) after helping load all the sleeping bags, cases of water, toilet paper, tents, backpacks, lanterns, s'mores ingredients, etc. onto a truck. Then a quick wave good-bye to the kids and advisors (brave Stacey and Leah!) and gratefully back down the long winding hill to home.

After a no-holds-barred, who-cares-about-the-carbs plate of spaghetti, back to the campground (this time with Rod driving, fortunately) to get Ari.

Tomorrow Rod and I are really going to take a look at all that scary paperwork from the surgeons and make a list of questions for them, but that's tomorrow. I'm hoping that after finally getting into nice cool sheets in a nice air-conditioned bedroom and throwing back a few Advil, I'll have a decent night's sleep.