October 8th, 2023
Karin is sick. Asher is sick.
Oddly enough, I’m not, at least not yet.
Karin is my wife. Asher is our toddler grandson.
We are currently staying in an extended stay hotel in Bryan, Texas. We have spent a week here while visiting our oldest son, Hans, and his family. We planned to head home tomorrow. That’s not going to happen.
Traveling for long distances with sick passengers is never pleasant. It’s not necessary for everyone on the car to be in perfect health, but it’s unwise to make a road trip from Texas to Wisconsin if people are feverish and clearly unwell. It’s a three-day-long ride in the best of circumstances but is impossible if members of the group are hurting.
Asher seems to be doing a bit better right now. He has been feverish all morning, and he has been sleeping almost the entire day. Now, he has had some baby Tylenol, and he looks less flushed in the face. He had some Pedialyte and a butterfly bread (raisin bread with peanut butter and honey). He ate a few grapes. He is watching/listening to insipid children’s songs on Karin’s phone.
I think he will be okay.
Karin has a bad cough and a nasty head cold. She has been alternately sweating and shivering for the last two days. She recovers slowly from illnesses. She might be ready for the ride the day after tomorrow. Even if she is, I will be doing all the driving. She will be resting and comforting Asher if the boy is not feeling well.
There has been a break in the action. Karin is napping. Asher decided that he didn’t want to watch crude videos on his Oma’s phone, and he started whining. I went to the bed and held him for a few minutes. I saw his chubby cheeks sag and I felt his body relax into slumber. Now, both Karin and Asher are asleep.
I just finished drinking a Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, so I could probably use a nap too.
Oh well, we’ll get home eventually.
Frank is Emptiness 