Gone fishing

The photos above depict life in the country. I chose a shot of Gilly fishing with Steven last Sunday. This summer it wasn’t possible for Gilly to go on what used to be the annual fishing trip (a summer tradition of yesteryear), so Steven brought the fishing to Gilly (with a little help from Evan; he supplied the worms and rods). The other pictures tell the story of dock repair consultation. In the past, Gilly was always the master mind and big time doer when it came to repairing or rebuilding the wharf. One year he organized the whole community of Birch Point males to collectively carry the incredibly heavy beam down to the water’s edge when it had to be replaced. A few months later he worked out a system to complete the same task independently. This summer he has been forced to adopt the position of the well respected foreman.

I took a drive to Birch Point at noon as planned (to drop off Liylah and take Yaron back to camp) and left Gilly to his own devices. He warmed up his own soup for lunch and spent some time outdoors. He didn’t answer the phone when I called to check in because he was outside and didn’t hear it. I was sick with worry, but in the end, it seems that he managed on his own. It was a successful experiment. I had a swim, saw Tamara and Max and enjoyed a nice visit in the car with Yaron. Gilly was safe and sound and he took some initiative to care for himself.

Gilly asked me to call Dr. Wise again because his eyes are so bad. I reminded him that it is still not even 3 months since the radiation ended, and that he must be patient for another few weeks (they estimated 3 to 4 months before the swelling resolves itself completely). I feel awful steering him away from seeing Dr. Wise too soon, but it seems a tad premature. He is suffering terribly, but we were advised to wait it out.

He refused 2 offers today (a walk and a visit) because of his vision. It wears him out. I’m sure that people understand, but it hurts to see him prefer his dark basement to a bright and friendly face.

Uncle Butch and Cathy are expected any moment, and we will be going out for dinner in a couple of hours. I won’t force Gilly to join us, but I will certainly provide a dose of gentle encouragement. Sometimes people do not know what they need until it is presented to them. When I ask Gilly if he’d like a glass of water, he often agrees. I bet he does not even know he’s thirsty sometimes. I think he needs to be with people, albeit for short stints, so an hour or so in a restaurant may be doable. I made sure to choose a small, quiet place so that he is not overwhelmed. We’ll see…

The next item on this week’s agenda is to go to physio tomorrow (from 8:45 to 9:45 A.M.) and then drive up north directly from there. We have no dog awaiting us at home, so we may as well pack the car in the morning and scoot right up to spend time with Tamara, Max and (I know it’s confusing) Yaron. Yaron was in last night to send off a friend who is on his way to join the Israeli army. His final day off of the summer (camp-related) actually begins tonight and runs until tomorrow night. So for a few hours we’ll be together as a family in the same house, which is way too rare these days.

We’ve actually just arrived back from dinner. Gilly had a bit to eat, and made the effort to be there even though he is quite tired. The restuarant was louder than I imagined it would be. I just brought him home to allow him his peace. The rest of the gang will be over soon for dessert. It was a nice treat for me, and I’d say a very decent compromise.