No Place Like Home

I just returned from my hometown of Peoria, IL. The purpose of the trip was to visit my grandfather, who is dying from terminal cancer. I love my grandfather very much and it pains me that he is so sick. I know that soon he will be put on medication that will rob him of regular faculties. I wanted to make sure that I got to spend time with him while he still recognized his eldest grandson.

The trip was less than 24 hours but it was so worth it. Grandaddy and I joked and talked. We watched Ray with Jamie Foxx. I had seen it before but it was better this time because Grandaddy loves Ray Charles and knew everysong. He was in good spirits. He has been receiving tons of company especially after he thought he was going to die last weekend. I had a feeling that he wasn't going to die but I can understand a man wanting suffering to end. At one point in our conversation, I repeated to Grandaddy my own mantra "You live until you die."

The bonus of the trip was spending time with my grandmother. I love Granny so much. She has been going through a lot with my grandfather's health. Her own health is not so great. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2000 and is nearly at "survivor" status. She is one tough broad. She scared the hell out of me as a child. She could be really mean and stern but for some reason she always treated me special. Technically, she is the first person I came out to in my family. I didn't mean to but one day after a bad day with my first boyfriend, I called her in tears. I didn't change my story to hide Michael's gender but she never said anything negative. She told me to take care of myself and that heartaches come and go.

Granny and I watched TV and talked until she was started to doze off. I went to my Mom's house and went to bed. Mom was out of town. I got up this morning and took the bus back home.

When I arrived home. I had received some UPS packages. Yeah! Today I got The Very Best of Rufus featuring Chaka Kahn, Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out by Mick Napier, and I'm on my Way by Christopher David.