Resting Up For Winter

David is having a day off today. I mean a full day, almost. He did bring breakfast up to me when he got up. Beyond that, though, he has had the rest of the day to himself. He took the truck sometime around 11:00, I think. I as still dozing. He has spent his day exploring the sights of St. Louis, finding the things only he can find, without expectation of return until around 7:00 PM.

I, on the other hand, get a day of rest here in the hotel room. I am not trapped. I got myself up, dressed and packed. The room we were in did not have a roll-in shower, so the hotel moved us to another room today, one with the shower. David had his stuff ready to go before he left. I managed to prepare and pack my stuff, then the hotel staff came and moved it all for us. So here I sit, writing my blog in the small town of O'Fallon, just outside of St. Louis, alone in my quiet hotel room, enjoying the sun streaming in through the window, coffee beside me, guilt free.

For David to get a day on his own to explore is one of the happiest things for me on this trip. He is constantly concerned for my well-being, so much so that I had to almost demand that he take off today. While he assures me he is having fun, I know that the work of looking after me along the road, even if it only includes luggage handling and pushing me in my chair, is wearing and time consuming. Today, if he sees something up a flight of stairs, he can go. Today, if something is at the top of a hill, he need not worry about pushing me up there. This is a good thing.

The quiet time for me is a good thing too. It gives me some extra rest, a chance to nap somewhere besides in the front seat of the truck. It gives me a chance to write some post cards to my grandchildren, a chance to do some laundry, a chance to take it easy. I need this every few days, and it's tough to get on a road trip.

We are headed westward, northward, back into winter. Kansas City tomorrow, then South Dakota after that. It is there where winter will truly be on our backs again. By the time we get back to Calgary, we may need to go somewhere warm again. Maybe a Caribbean cruise for a week or two. Hmmmmm.