The trip is over, and the boy is now sick. Perhaps the germs were swirling in the Museum of Natural History? There were student groups swarming everywhere. Or, maybe it was in the National Archives where multitudes leaned in to see the fading glorious documents of old? The metro where Cody, hands on seat rail, excitedly looked out the window at the next station?

It was probably in Louisville, when after the "mini-marathon" I took his fleece jacket, as we walked in the rain for 35 minutes trying to find the van as Mom forgot where she parked. I'm to blame! I used his jacket! But regardless, he is sick, and I'm feeling the mother sympathies that slow down the day into a waiting room. Now, I feel the sorrow for the chronically ill child and the parents and the pulsation of time and blood. Life is difficult.

Yesterday, though, he and I planted our new plants that we bought at Monticello ~~ plants that Thomas J. had in his garden: tarragon, antique roses, tiger lilies. We took our evening walk and found our old cat who lives somewhere else now because of the "girls", Trixie and Cassie, who took over our home. He followed us down the sidewalk for a while in our healthy pleasure.

But last night was interrupted. Now the kid is sick. The day is literally gray with thunder storms. May a healing wind blow in for tomorrow.