588.

The past week has been a whirlwind of exertion.

So much has happened in such a short time. So much more to come.

Thursday I headed to my hometown for a long-ish weekend. Plans for parties and cavorting with friends and family were on the schedule.

On the way up north, I stopped at my dad's for a visit. While there, I received notice that a senior family member up north had died and the funeral would be on Monday.

Saddening and surprising but not shocking because she had been ill.

Since I was already headed that way, I only needed to adjust my schedule slightly to include the Monday morning funeral. It meant my return would be hours later than I'd planned but no big deal.

What it meant even more was that I'd likely get to see many family members I hadn't seen since the family reunions of 2008 and 2010.

I dreaded the circumstances but looked forward to the hugs and love.

At my dad's, he and my stepmom fed me: baked chicken, rice, green beans, rolls, mixed fruit for dessert. Sleep-deprivation has become a staple in my life so I was already tired when I got there. No way could I get back on the road after lunch. My intention of staying two hours stretched into a five-hour visit.

No complaints because I don't see my daddy often enough and my stepmom really needed my company during the visit.

Getting back into traffic (rush hour traffic!) set my teeth and nerves on edge. Horrible traffic for two hours traveling through Virginia, DC, and into Maryland.

I arrived at my Airbnb accommodations late and exhausted.

A few minor missteps getting in (similar street names in close proximity that befuddled the GPS, small numbers on a lockbox, a stuck lock) but all worked out well in the end and I was settled less than an hour later.

My hostesses were a newlywed couple. Wonderful people as was their roommate. Plus a few felines. I enjoyed hanging out with the occupants of the house as much as I enjoyed all the activities I had planned for the weekend.

Oh phooey!

I've run out of time to complete this post. And it really should be broken down into manageable bites.

Back later for more...

Amen.