Back home again

The train ride back was uneventful. (It was almost an hour late, apparently thanks to signal problems near Chicago, but we picked the time back up overnight).

Unfortunately, two things that weren't so fun happened after the train ride.

First, driving back, I started with a migraine. I stopped as soon as it was safe and dug out the Excedrin and also my allergy meds and took one of each (and the B multivitamin I had skipped that morning, just in case that might help any). I managed.

I remember reading - and being annoyed by - the comment in Oliver Sacks' book on migraines, about how some neurologists believed they were partly psychosomatic, in that the person "requires being taken care of." Though perhaps in one sense, the severity of a migraine - or at least one's response to it - can vary depending on circumstances. If I were safely at home, I would have got into pajamas, gone to bed, and hoped I could sleep through the worst of it. But as it was, I just forced myself to drive. (I toyed with the idea of finding a motel and seeing if I could get a room, but meh, by that point most of the motels left on my route were of the no-tell variety, and while I'd be able to get a room by the hour, I might not want it, based on what might have gone on in there before me).

I also pushed my way through grocery shopping. By that point the headache was lifting some, but I see there were some things I forgot to get. (I may do another Sherman run tomorrow; I had wanted to go to Target and stock up on some items but that didn't happen. And we're due to get bad weather perhaps Sunday night into Monday.)

Then, when I got home - and the headache was nearly gone - I found that I had forgot to un-set the mouse traps I had out, and that one of them was, um, effective. Apparently some time before I came back. So that wasn't fun to clean up. (I hope the full-strength bleach I used on the floor - thank goodness it was the ceramic-tiled one - got rid of any potential contagion).

But I suppose those were minor annoyances; I know someone whose home was broken into when they were away on a vacation (not this break, but an earlier vacation). That would have been a lot worse to deal with. And yeah, it's something I always worry a bit about - not that I really have anything attractive to thieves; most of my electronic gear is fairly antiquated by today's standards, and what "nice" jewelry I had I either take with me or stow in the safety-deposit box before I leave. (But still, I'm sure people could find SOMETHING if they were looking for stuff to sell...)

I'm slowly picking away at putting up my Christmas decorations, and after that I need to put away my clothes and stuff. (One of the nice things about staying with family is that you have access to the laundry room, so you can come back with clean clothes that just need to be put away).

I didn't have the energy to go and pick up mail; that will happen tomorrow.

I guess I'm glad to be home. I miss being close to family but it's good to be home again.