This Visit Was Brought to You by the Letter T

T for Togetherness

Ever since Finn went away to college and I went away to my Airstream adventures, we would get together a couple of times a year, yes. But, we never spent time together like we used to. Finn and I used to sit at the table together to eat meals, ride in the car together to school, I’d sit there during his piano lessons and after-school activities (because I’d had to drive to them), and we’d sit together every night of homework at the dining room table. We talked at night and in the morning and while we went on hikes.

We were close, and I’d forgotten what that felt like. I mean, Tracy and I are close, but Finn and I have years and years more of together time, plus a genetic bond that can’t be bested.

Unlike other years with such a variety of limitations, this year Finn stayed with me for almost a week, and we both slept in the almost-empty house. Air mattresses, camping furniture, a microwave bought on Facebook, and voilà, a base camp for exploring Madison and simply spending time together.

H Is for Hospital

We played cards in the hospital while I got that iron infusion—cards he gave me for Christmas that I’ll describe later. They’re a wonderful addition to my deck collection.

Who else can you have fun with in the hospital, if not the kid you gave birth to in one, huh?

S Is for Snow

We hiked a little like we used to, on New Year’s Day. Talk talk talk and look and listen.

Behind the apartment.

On the ice of Lake Mendota.

L is for Late-night TV

We watched a tv show (The Lazarus Project) on one of the air mattresses each night, pausing frequently to parse the implications of time travel and to binge on snacks.

S Is for Sumo

We had tea and homemade bread and yogurt each morning in the weird empty house, as Finn shared details of his beloved sumo.

B Is for Boardgames

On New Year’s Eve we became overfull of food and over-stimulated at the house with Doug and Laura playing games.

But the company saved the night. Thank you, Doug and Laura!

At the apartment we sorted through the boxes of boardgames we’d found in Harpers Ferry and traded them.

We played one twice with Tracy, a spin off Castle Panic that we used to all play, this one Star-Trek themed.

We tried twice to defend the Enterprise against the Klingons, Romulans, and one pesky ship of Tholians. We suck at being Star Fleet!

L Is for Lights

We walked through a nearby Christmas light display.

(Thanks for the recommendation, Mark!)

It was so pretty I had to subject Finn to several selfies.

P Is for Physics

We even walked through the UW Madison campus and inside the physics building.

The research Finn works on is based at UW Madison, coincidentally, so he recognized many faces on the walls and nameplates by the offices. We’re posing in front of a rough model of Ice Cube, above.

In the physics building is the country’s oldest continually running science museum, and Finn demonstrated many of the exhibits for me (seeing as how the place was deserted).

C Is for Capitol

Finn expertly drove and parked downtown; I felt very like my own mother as I drove her around Frederick when she had dementia. Not the dementia part (I’m not that bad, yet) but the part when I sat all small in the passenger seat and entirely trusted my offspring driver and looked around in wonder.

We walked downtown a bit.

And went inside the Capitol building to see the live tree. Lovely.

E Is for Entertainment

We met Patti and Guy one night out for trivia (and won!). Team Older and in the Way were not so old that night.

And we hit up the Ohio Street Tavern for tacos, an excellent bar just a block from the house, that has been bought and is being renovated for the rest of the winter. I’m glad I was there on its last night, and I’m glad I was there with Finn.

I’m glad I was everywhere and anywhere and nowhere with Finn, frankly. It had been too long since we’d spent that kind of time together, and it won’t be that long again, if I can help it.