A simple plan

 

Ever since my health crisis I have very low tolerance for logistics, that is, organizing complex events.

My husband’s 67^th birthday celebration started as a simple plan to spend Sunday in Chicago: church on the west side in the morning, a matinee performance of Black Pearl Sings in a northern suburb, dinner on the way home. I bought two tickets. I called Jesse to see if he and Linnea could join us for dinner somewhere downtown—they are in the western suburb of Oak Park this year.

Jesse said he had Saturday off from the hospital so why not come then, since it was Vic’s actual birthday? Ok fine. Dinner on Saturday and we could stay overnight in their apartment.

Last week I mentioned the plan to Joanna, who lives across the state in Ann Arbor. That sounds like fun, she said. Can we come too? Okay fine. She, Joseph, and Hazel could stay with Jesse and Linnea and we could ask to lodge at Michael’s house, where Vic stays when he’s working in Chicago.

I call Jesse about the change in plans. That would be great, he says, but he has just learned Linnea’s sister Cynthia and husband and baby will be with them that weekend. Cynthia and Patrick have a long-distance marriage this year and Chicago is a halfway meeting place. Okay fine. Maybe we should go back to the Sunday-only plan. Or . . . Vic could ask Michael if we and the Ann Arbor family could stay there. Michael often has extra room.

I check with Joanna. Do they still want to come? Maybe not, she says. The next day she says, yes, they do. Linnea (still in Iowa with Cynthia) says, come. Okay fine. I say, tell Dad to check with Michael about lodging. Tell Jesse we’re back on for Saturday. Several phone calls later it is decided that the Ann Arbor family will come to our SW Michigan house Friday night and go to the Field Museum on Chicago’s south side Saturday morning. Jesse will make dinner reservations. Lodging at Michael’s works out. Okay fine.

Friday evening Joanna calls en route to say Joseph has decided he needs to go back to Ann Arbor Saturday for a Tai Chi event. He will stay the night at our house and leave early Saturday morning. He will transfer Hazel’s seat to our car. She and Hazel will go with us to Chicago and return home Sunday on Amtrak. Okay fine.

Saturday it snows and we are happy for a little extra time in the woods. We drop Field Museum plans and drive straight to Oak Park, have a bit of time to hang out with everybody before Linnea goes to an all-afternoon printmaking class on the north side. Joanna, Uncle Jesse, Grandpa, and Grandma take Hazel to a children’s museum in Oak Park, a glorified play space. Hazel is highly entertained and entertaining.

Back at the apartment, Vic wants to go out for a walk. I decide to go with him. We put on our coats. Hazel starts pulling on her shoes and saying “bye-bye!” Okay fine. Rather than getting her complicated stroller out of the car, we walk until we have to carry her. She falls asleep in Grandpa’s arms. Back at the apartment, Joanna is asleep. Vic falls asleep.

The time comes to meet Linnea for dinner at the Korean barbeque restaurant on the north side. Okay fine. We wake everybody up. Hazel is not happy. She continues to be unhappy on the one-hour drive across town.

We just beat the crowds at the Korean barbecue. Hazel perks up. Food! Fire! Action! We leave the restaurant stuffed. Hazel is covered with rice. We all make plans to meet the next day for lunch between church and Joanna’s train time. Hazel sings herself to sleep on the drive back across the city and is put to bed, rice and all.

Sunday morning Joanna rechecks her train time and decides she won’t have time for lunch. Okay fine. On the way to church we stop at Whole Foods and she picks up ingredients for a train picnic. We inform Jesse and Linnea through texts and calls. Okay fine. They will meet Vic and me at Santorini in Greektown after we drop Joanna at the station.

At church, Hazel is impressed with the music and the stained glass window and reportedly has a good time in the nursery. On the way to the station she falls asleep in the car. The big stroller is finally put to use, wheeling sleeping Hazel through Union Station. I accompany Joanna, carrying the car seat, until she is in the hands of a helpful porter. Hazel wakes up getting on the train and is not happy. Joanna leaves part of her picnic in the car.

Back in Greektown we relax over ouzo and taramosalata before Jesse and Linnea arrive. After a leisurely lunch Vic and I drive north to Skokie and enjoy the astonishing performance.

It was a fine weekend. It started simple, got a little complicated, and then worked out. I loved all the family time. But I am really ready to resign logistics.

Hazel in tutu with Grandpa. Warning: loud sound effects.