It's raining every so slightly onto our quiet neighborhood. Three days without construction ahead of us, and I am going nowhere, and I am so relieved.

Yesterday the workmen spent a chunk of the day tidying us up: sweeping sidewalks, wetting down the dusty road, smoothing the new soil in gardens, even re-laying my walkway paving stones. Then they knocked off work mid-afternoon and gave the street back to us for a few days. What a difference this team of nice guys has made to a brutal street project.

I think I must be feeling better because I didn't take a nap at all: no more strange alien-abduction sleeps, thank goodness. Instead I devoted myself to the backyard: mowing, trimming, weeding, watering, washing chairs. I'll tackle the front gardens this weekend, in and around the little spats of rain. Three days at home with Tom. I can't tell you how good that phrase sounds to me.

My dad is now drinking broth, tubes and catheter are out, GI system beginning to function. The big upsetting issue has been his delirium . . . a side-effect of the intense medications but disturbing to see and hear about--accusations of murder and imprisonment, etc. But this is starting to lift too, so we are all feeling less horrified.

I keep asking my mom when I should come back, and she keeps telling me to wait, so that is what I am doing.

It's important not to push her and boss her around. It's important not to use my own anxiety as a way to increase her anxiety. I know these things, and I keep reminding myself to stay quiet and patient, and mostly I am doing okay at the task.

This morning I am going to walk up to the library and check out the new Tessa Hadley novel that's on hold for me. I'm going to finish this small cup of coffee, and I'm going to write a few notes, and I'm going to fill some vases with flowers. I might drive to the fish market and pick out something for dinner. I'll talk to my mom and my sister, as I do every day. I'll likely talk to my sons. I'll take a walk with Tom. I'll do some planting for my neighbor. This will be a plain and dull Memorial Day weekend, which is exactly what I want it to be.