Life Returns

Well, I haven't turned on my computer since Thursday morning, so almost a complete week without checking my Emails, reading posts and story recommendations, or even working on my own fiction. I am dreading opening up my Emails, but today will be a computer day from start to finish. It is my hope that by the end of today my in-boxes will be back under control and I will have wrapped up my O-fic and can get into some serious editing so that I can write some LOTR work again.

Sharon's visit was wonderful, filled with talk and not, lots of food (although chosen carefully) and lots of walking. We spent three days walking around the State Fairgrounds, getting to every building and corner, trying old foods and new, and watching people. It was an eventful trip starting out on our very first night.

Usually we go out to dinner at Red Lobster for fish on our first night together. We meet at the airport, deposit suitcases, etc., and then head off to dinner to relax, catch up, and eat great food. We had a bit of extra drama this time. At a table nearby was two small children and two adults of age to be their mothers having a meal. I noticed them because one of the little girls kept dropping her placemat onto the floor again and again and again. Ah...the patience of a Mom. She kept picking it up. Then, all of a sudden while we were involved in eating our entree, a fuss kicked up to our side. One of the two mothers had collapsed onto the floor. She was dizzy, disoriented, and had numbness in one hand. The paramedics were called and arrived, and finally she was lifted up onto a stretcher and taken off to the hospital, her friend and the two little girls following in their car. Our best guess was that she had a small stroke because of her responses when asked to smile and the handshake pressure test that the paramedics administered. But all of this happened within a yard of our booth, trapping us and giving us ringside seats. I hope she's OK, she was very frightened. Tomorrow's post - we hit the State Fair!