Still Rolling Along

It's been over a month but there's really not much to report.

I guess that's not true, but it feels like life is unremarkable these days (in the most literal sense) and that's a good thing. My job is great. I bought a fun little car and had hand controls installed (so I'm driving again). I bought my own handbike so I can get out riding even when BORP is closed. And even though we're about to head into the chaotic holiday season I'm feeling ready for it–looking forward to seeing friends, family, and coworkers.

So yeah, over the next month and a half, I'm going to see a ton of folks that I haven't seen since before the accident. And that's great. Because there's inevitably a moment where a) where I realize that they were genuinely worried I wouldn't be the same, but b) they realize that I'm still the same person I was before, but with a cool wheelchair. This moment helps me remember that folks out there genuinely care and worry about me–something that was hard for me to believe in the old days.

The holidays start in earnest this week with Thanksgiving with Dacia's family out Dublin (California). As many of you know, this event is a relentless gauntlet of 60-80 cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and various relations. It's taken me nearly 25 years to simply learn everyone's name but I find myself looking forward to it every year nonetheless.

Then on Saturday we're going to head to Sideshow Kitchen for my 48th birthday party. More about this in a separate post but basically it's burgers, beers, cupcakes and a chill afternoon in Oakland.

Then on the 10th of December Dacia and I will be flying (for the first time since the accident) to attend the HKS Holiday Gala in Dallas. This is going to be my first time meeting many of my co-workers in person & I can't wait. I think I've told everyone that I'm in a wheelchair but undoubtedly there will be some surprised faces–wheelchair users are vanishingly rare in the architecture world.

We're still trying to figure out what to do with the kids while we're away–so if you want to house-sit or host a kid or two from December 10-13, let us know!

The holiday festivities continue with our Christmas Eve party. Maybe. To be honest, I haven't really cooked since January and as such, the thought of doing the full dinner of meatballs, ham, green beans, potatoes, herring salad, gumbo, etc and so on is pretty daunting. But I do want to tackle the meatballs as part of "Project Return-To-Normalcy", so maybe we'll have a (small) party.

Then on Christmas morning it's the classic Mitchell family brunch. I am, as always, looking forward to eating a Jomo special & a waffle, but only after I harangue Tyler and Nicole about the slow service.

Finally, in January, the whole family is heading to Vermont for a reunion with the Gosses as we remember & celebrate my grandmother, Marjorie Major, who passed on October 5th at the age of 101. I'm not sure whether I'm looking forward to wheeling in the snow or dreading it. I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Happy Holidays and I hope to see all of you sometime over the next two months!