As I had expected, our visit with the Robinsons went very well. I received a call from them saying they were almost to our house as we were preparing to leave Panera. They arrived a few minutes before we did. It was just like old times. We came inside and chatted about fifteen minutes before leaving for lunch at Carla’s. We had a good lunch as well as conversation despite their having a very popular brunch that brought out a bigger crowd than we are used to on weekdays.
Kate handled herself well, but I suspect Angie and Tom noticed more changes in her behavior this time. Several times she asked who we were talking about because she had forgotten from moments before. She also asked to us to repeat ourselves a number of times as well. This could have related to the noise in the restaurant, but I know it is very common for her to forget who or what I am talking about within seconds. At times she was also asking because the conversation moved too quickly for her to follow.
I’ll have to hear from Tom about this, but they may have noticed more of her comments to or about me that are characteristic of her light-heartedness these days. At one point, she said something like “Men are like that.” I looked at Tom and said, “Remember that.” I will explain in an email to him later today. In recent weeks, Kate has made quite a few comments about men and women. They all tend to be statements about men’s views of women and the role women play in the world. I don’t ever recall her saying things like this at any other time during our marriage. Neither one of us has made sweeping generalizations about the other’s gender. It just hasn’t been part of our normal conversation. I’m not sure what has prompted this.
After lunch, we came back to the house. After a while, Kate’s eyes were closed as if she were napping. I see this as a normal response to the difficulty she has following conversations. It becomes too much for her, and she bows out for a while. I am glad she feels comfortable doing this.
After the Robinsons left, we went to Barnes & Noble. We were there two hours before leaving for dinner. Kate worked on her iPad without a break. She would have continued if I had not made early dinner reservations at Emilia. It’s a nicer place than most of the places where we eat on a daily basis. We enjoyed excellent meals in a quiet setting and then returned to the house.
At home, I watched part of the UT football game while Kate worked on her iPad. She was so engaged with her puzzles that she didn’t want to get ready for bed. She must have been well-rested from the previous two nights. I encouraged her to get in bed, but she said, “Let me finish this one.” She frequently says this, but she can never remember that she has said that, so I always have to stop her at some point. Last night, I decided she might come to bed if I got in bed first. That worked. We got to sleep quickly.
I was up at 5:30 this morning. Kate was up at 9:00 and has just finished her shower. This makes several days in a row that I haven’t had to be concerned about her sleeping too late. Funny how that happened just as I was ready to give in to her sleeping late. Now I wonder what will happen this week. One thing I know; it’s good to be flexible.
