Poop

Poop is a funny thing. Most people realize this- I think. But really, it's one of those things you don't realize how fundamentally amazing it really is. That is, the whole process really. That are bodies so efficiently and effectively filter out all of our shit and keep us moving forward- pretty damned amazing.

Granny pooped this morning. First time in three days. Amazing. She looks like a human again. This is her second real lengthy bout with constipation. And this one was only a three day stint. Thankfully. 

This morning I woke to find the house to myself. Granny and Gramps went to the Breakfast Club to be with their church friends from Genessee. Gramps didn't get what ordered, but ate it anyway. He said it wasn't very good either. Grandma had two eggs scrambled with toast and coffee. She was glad she had the energy to go out. 

I had the morning to myself and I soaked it up. Walked around in my robe until about 10:30 am. Listened to music as loud as I wanted (anyone on Pandora should look up Dan Reeder). I cooked my eggs and toast just like I like and then headed out before G and G showed back up. Walked downtown to have some fresh air and to find a continuous and secure internet connection to do my turbo tax thing. 

The rain started coming down this morning and stopped just as soon as I left the house, so it smelled like it does after the rain; sweet, musty, and pure. I love that. And I enjoyed the song of the birds all the way to the One World Cafe. Ordered up a cup of coffee and sat down to organize my thoughts, think about my day off, and figure out what I'd like to get done. Mostly when I go to the cafe, I stare out the window while listening to whatever Pandora station fits me best at that particular moment. It's nice. 

But back to poop. I like the metaphor of poop. Maybe that's self-evident. It's just that we all have it and have to deal with it. You know? Some are regular as clocks. Some go for days. Some irregular. Some are somewhere in between.  We have to continually deal with it. It's not like you drop a huge one, and then you're done for the next month (except for the rare cases like Granny's ten day stint). You gotta always be processing. That is, a healthy system needs to be regular. Whatever the pattern may be. I think you smell my drift.

Anyhow, the continual process of processing and struggle to find regularity and health at 489 Paradise Dr. continues. Gramps and I had a nice chat while getting wood today about his plan for if (when) Granny dies. That being his notion of staying here for a year and then moving to Sandpoint to be closer to family. We also chatted about the reality of Granny doing some level of assisted care. He definitely knows that she'd be miserable pretty much anywhere other than here at the house. He expressed interest in having you mom come when you're done in July for another "month or two" (his words). And he mentioned the possibility of Ruth Ann coming out for a stint as well. It sure does seem like some sort of in home care-taking makes the most sense. I asked Gramps about his level of stress vs. enjoyment having to do everything around the house- and he still mostly enjoys puttering and taking care of things. It's the constant needing to be available to Granny that drives him bonkers. I do my best to cover and get him to go out for a bike ride, ski, or whatever- but, honestly, I can only handle her for so long. She's a damned handful and she's just so emotionally confused and I think pretty much either tired or in some level of discomfort most of the time. 

Anyhow, back to poop. One of the things I have truly learned to admire about Gramps is his sense of regularity and discipline. The dude is so predictable- he gets up at the same time, does his exercises, and poops three times every morning (and, hilariously, sneezes while doing so). I realize that this may be more info than Gramps would care I share (not to mention you all reading), but that's amazing. I think Granny has always thrived and felt so safe in Gramp's predictability. I mean, we still eat at exactly 5:30pm. But as her body falls apart, the irregularity of things has her extra confused and feeling out of sorts. 

But, back to poop. If nothing else, this whole ordeal makes me appreciate the simple, seemingly mundane, and completely amazing palindrome we all know as: POOP.