by Phyllis McCrossin

Ahhhh. A day off. Yes, I get them every week, but this week it was a day off with no obligations (OK, there was that laundry thing… and getting groceries. But I had no commitments and no place that I had to be). It was heavenly.

Sometime during the end of July, our 21-year-old granddaughter was in an auto accident. They swerved to miss a deer, lost control, spun out and hit a tree – backwards. The car was totaled, but they were able to walk away. Mostly. Our granddaughter smashed the middle finger of her left hand (she’s left-handed).

I happily took her to doctor appointments, surgery, and her first physical therapy appointment. But now that she has replacement wheels, it’s rather nice to be able to not go anywhere on my days off.

Adding to our busyness was company. Lots and lots of it.

We had a family reunion last week. Our daughter flew in from California with her two sons so the entire family got together at the campground for a few days. I think it was the first time in at least eight years that our children were all able to be together in one place at the same time. We have 13 grand-children/great-grandchildren. It was a full house.

And now everyone has gone home and we are back to just The King and I. We take a deep breath and wait for the end of summer.

I know, technically speaking, summer officially ends in mid-September, but let’s face it, the bubble bursts when school starts, and it completely disintegrates after Labor Day. To that end, I have given my notice at the store. I will continue to work until the week after Labor Day and I would be lying if I did not confess that I would really like to find an excuse to be finished sooner. But that good ‘ole Calvinistic upbringing would make the guilt of quitting early unbearable. I gave my word.

So instead, today, on my non-obligation day off, I cleaned out cupboards and reorganized my “pantry” — all two feet of it. When one’s entire home comprises 192 square feet, being organized isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity.

To aid in my organization process, I purchased a bunch of Rubbermaid containers and started to work on it when I got home. It not only looks nice, it is organized. As long as all we do is open the cupboard door, look at it, and comment to one another how nice it looks, we will be all set. I guess we will see how it works once I start cooking again.

This summer King’s lunches have consisted of canned Ravioli from that famous Chef (which he eats straight from the can) and I have been throwing lettuce in a container, adding cheese and tomatoes and calling it a salad. Dinner is frozen pizza or something from the drive thru. King does not cook, and I’m too tired. Yes. I know it’s not healthy.

I like my job and the people I meet (hello to the woman who came into the store and recognized me from my photo on Townbroadcast), but I’m ready for my second retirement. My feet hurt.

And I’m ready to be on the road again. Every now and then I imagine heading out on U.S. 31 and hanging a right real sudden-like once we’ve gone south as far as we care to go. The travel itch is intensifying.

This year I’d like to stop at the Ernie Pyle museum in Dana, Ind. Pyle was a World War II correspondent and Dana is his birthplace. It’s rather hit or miss as to whether or not the museum will be open, but then again it took me four years to visit the World’s Largest Ball of Twine, so I can be patient.

Check it out at www.erniepyle.org