Monday June 16, Journey Begins in Still Listening to Spirit

And so we got up to begin to organize for the trip. Shower, pack, do all the things that need done to travel. It took Bill and me almost an hour and a half to get him undressed, showered, and re-dressed. So weak, so little energy he had. I put the 3 step stepladder into the shower with a towel atop it to cushion it as a seat.

I put a wooden folding chair that goes inside the table that I use for quilting in the trailer in the bathroom for Bill to sit on while taking off clothing. The toilet sits between the wall of the shower and the outside wall of the garage so there was NO space to sit him there to undress. Close quarters, but we got 'er done.

Bill was tired, grumpy and growled each time the smallest breath of 'cold' air invaded the shower and/or the bathroom. The half door to the bathroom keeps the dogs out but lets cooler air out. He had the pellet stove cranked and it was VERY hot in the garage as well. I put a towel across a dowel rod that was across the top of the doorway when we used a quilt with loops on top to cover the whole area. This kept the heat from the shower and the bathroom heater/light in.

I pushed the curtain to the shower just enough back to peek in and make certain I didn't need to help him. He would shout "Close that Damn curtain, I am cold!" This was my first hint that things might not go well between us but I sucked it up and went on packing, etc.

Bill was completely exhausted by the time he tottered to the recliner from the bathroom and collapsed back into it. I had been packing and helping him and I was hot, sweaty, out of sorts and already worn out. I had 5 minutes to shower and dress before Carol picked us up.

Carol's introduction to the dogs Sunday did not go well. Lou and Daisy both barked and Daisy would bare her teeth in a nasty snarl. Lou relented and let Carol pet him. I showed Carol where dog food, cat food, etc was but we did not go upstairs to see the cats and litter box because the dogs were so upset and Bill really didn't want anyone coming around.

So we loaded up her SUV and got to the terminal where I saw the very first problem. Because of the full moon on the 13th and it being the 16th, the tides were still very high and very low. We were at very low tide and the angle on the foot traffic ramp going down to the floating dock was an acute angle.

When I picked up our tickets, I asked about getting help to get Bill down the ramp and into the ferry. I was referred to the boarding agent at the top of the ramp. He consulted someone on the radio and found there was no 'van' to just drive him on the car ramp and down to the car deck where we could use the elevator.

Someone aboard the Fairweather radioed and the boarding agent said 'We've got the perfect person to help and he's doing nothing right now on the ship." Up the ramp came a very large young man, almost so tall that he had to duck to get through the doorway, hefty and smilingly eager to help.

He said "Let me have him. We'll go down backwards." And that's what he did. That ramp is at least 100 feet backwards down that steep incline. Amazing. I joked that I would just get to the top of the ramp, let go of the wheelchair, give it a push, and see if Bill stopped or hit something before he zoomed across the floating dock and into the water. Bill did not find this amusing.

This young man got us down the ramp, onto the car deck over a very bumpy (it folds) ramp, into the elevator, up to the passenger deck and to a table specifically for wheelchair, even had a floor buckle system to secure the wheelchair through the wheels or seat to make the chair steady in rough weather. (I have mentioned that the fast ferry Fairweather is called the 'vomit comet' because of how it behaves in rough weather).

It was in the very aft of the vessel, close to a restroom for handicapped, near the door to the aft deck so I could step out and get some fresh air and enjoy the ride--I loves me some riding on the ferry outside the enclosed areas. Not far from the snack bar, etc.

I could do next to nothing to please or placate Bill. His filter is usually off with others, but not so much with me with regards to being nasty. I spent lots of time outside despite the occasional spitting rain and very cold wind on the cloudy day.

The same young man came back to us after the vessel emptied by half to get us up to the terminal so we could call the Super 8 shuttle and be on our way. There is no tipping by state law for state ferry employees and I did not put him in a position of refusing. Those jobs are some of the best in the state and most do not want to take the chance of losing their position.

Anyway, so we Bill inside the terminal to wait. The Super 8 shuttle wasn't running but they called us a cab which would deliver us at their expense. The sun was out and the day had turned warm so I parked Bill in the sunshine where the shuttle would pick us up.

In observing, and walking the area, I noticed that around the other corner at the terminal was the place the taxis picked up. So I dithered, then decided to move Bill over there so I would be able to see when the taxi came and see him also. Did I mention that I had 2 heavy duffle bags and my big purse/bag plus him to drag around. Bill was snarly and short tempered, lashing out every time I tried to do something to make him more comfortable in the sunshine or whatever.... every time I positioned the wheelchair I was wrong.

I had given Super 8 my cellphone number and it rang with a call from the taxi driver who wanted to know where we were in the airport. I corrected her, and she headed to the ferry terminal. It took a while, but soon this wonderful perky and energetic, tiny Polynesian woman hopped out of the van/taxi and got our baags, the wheelchair and us loaded in record time.

I had a great time talking with her on the ride into the Super 8, about a 10 minute ride. She got us there, ran around getting bags and such unloaded. Bill had $2 tip in his hand for her when I seated him in the wheelchair. He said "Give this to her", I quickly turned and dug a $10 out of my purse. I know, I may overtip, but this girl was entertaining, cheerful, and I had $10 worth of good conversation and fun on the ride.

We checked in, they had us on the 3rd floor and I asked if there was anything available on the 1st. Nope. I asked about Bill's sister's room and hers was 121, the one we got when we went to Juneau for Bill's tooth in October. I asked that they switch us--this one nearest the exit to McDonald's and the convenience store across the street. Yep, done and done.

turns out Si, Bill's sister, got a room with a microwave and a fridge and we got one without either. Doesn't matter, the savings in legwork to outside and so on was well worth it.

Mr. Growly-Grump continued to snarl at me, insisting he take care of paying for the room, standing when he needed to save his energy, oh well. AND he paid for 1 more day than we were planning to stay (they cheerfully refunded that on another day). I got him to the room and was blasted with curse words over getting the door open, holding it open as it wanted only to close and slam while it did that.

I also found out that going over the bumps of doorways needs to be done backwards although Bill insisted we go forward so he could 'hold' the door. Big mistake but he finally found I was right, wouldn't admit it and ended the fiasco by saying "Just do it your way then!!!" Sigh.

I got bags in, him settled and me settled bags positioned and was ready to collapse to rest for a minute. Bill ws hungry so I told him I would walk over to McDonald's and asked what he wanted. Well, he insisted he couldn't decide without looking at their menu. I recited it for him, Big Mac, QuarterPounder, regular hamburger, fries, fish sandwich and McNuggets. Oh and fries and shakes or sodas.

Long discussion with him insisting he needed to go. So I told him to get back in the wheelchair, it would be a longer trip since we couldn't cut across the parking lot, up a slanted graveled path between it and the hotel, but okay. Nope, he could make it himself, he was going to walk.

I was so angry, I said okay. I grabbed the billfold in my purse, waited for him while holding the room door, then took off. I decided if he could make it, I wasn't going to follow along worrying about when or if he was going to fall or collapse. I didn't look back once and I had my food order all bagged up and in my hands by the time he came in the door.

I did wait for him to order and picked up his meal bag, handed him his shake, and proceeded to walk ahead of him back to the hotel. I was in the room and had everything unloaded and set out on the table to eat when he finally arrived, panting, bent over, and barely able to hold that automatic closing door of the room. We ate mostly in silence.

My feelings weren't hurt by his verbal abuse--for this was truly verbal abuse--I was just frustrated that he would not let me manage things. It was not so much for HIS sake I wanted to manage and be in charge, it was for MINE! I was beyond exhausted from the week of taking care of him and working, etc and this, even though the ferry ride was only 2.5 hours, was way hard.

We settled in for a nap and to await his sister's arrival from the airport around 8pm if I recall correctly.

More later, much more later. Blessed be!