Two by Two, Hands of Blue

This morning we had to drive to the city so JJ could have his weekly lab work done. We drive this route so often now that if our car were a milk-wagon horse, it would have the route memorized.

The temperatures have warmed up dramatically. It is currently 34 degrees, which is an increase of 50 degrees from a couple days ago. Because it warmed up so fast, it was an extremely foggy morning. I love foggy days because they wrap the world in mystery.  Plus, I remember reading a book when I was a child in which a girl could travel back in time on foggy days to an old village. I always suspect that going back in time is possible on foggy days.

Usually,  unless we get a very early start, the lab is very busy, and I expected it to be busy this morning. However, JJ didn’t have time to take a number and we didn’t have time to sit down before we were called back to the room for JJ’s blood draw.

I do not ever watch scary movies about vampires or anything. I don’t mind scary thrillers but dislike scary, gory, monstery horror stories. However, it has long been my theory that if vampires existed in modern times, they would surely work as lab technicians. I cannot think of a better place for a vampire to work than at a lab taking people’s blood. Who’d suspect? JJ always laughed at me when I grumbled about the stinkin’ vampires taking another vial of my blood for a midnight snack. So imagine my smugness when I walked into the blood-draw room and saw the following sign. I exclaimed, “Look! Look! I told you that vampires worked as lab technicians! I am VINDICATED!” and I took a photo as proof. The photograph turned out a little blurry–probably due to the nearness of the vampire technician.

We were in and out of the lab in an instant so we had enough time to go to the Verizon store. The store was so busy that when we entered we were greeted by a woman who input our name into her tablet-type device. I guess that was a digital version of “taking a number”? While we waited to be served, we looked at all the phones available. We didn’t want to buy expensive phones, so we just “upgraded” to the cheapest 99 cent phones you get when you sign up for another two-year plan. All that was available were phones that were almost identical to what we had before–so JJ and I got dumb phones with slideout keypads while EJ got a dumber phone with just the basics. Still, there are some differences between our old phones and the new ones, and I spent the drive home setting my phone up the way I like it.

I didn’t have time to fix anything for lunch before EJ had to leave for work so on the way home I called ahead to Chubby’s Cafe, our little local diner, and ordered takeout. It was done by the time we arrived at the restaurant and I went in and picked it up. 

Perhaps accidentally washing JJ’s phone started me thinking about the measures we have to take to wash JJ’s clothes while he’s on Chemo, which caused me to think of “Two by Two, Hands of Blue.” Let me explain…No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

We three love good writing and witty dialogue in books and movies, and we are all the time quoting from them, which adds a whole different dimension to our conversations. Some programs/movies are filled to the brim with awesome quotes–like Princess Bride, Firefly, and Doctor Who. Sometimes I just have too much fun with quotes. For example, years ago, after we saw the movie, The Emperor’s New Groove, I bought JJ a goblet at a secondhand store. Whenever he was sick, I’d put warm water into the goblet and then I’d drop in a tablet, such as Airbourne, that bubbled and fizzed. I’d carried the goblet of bubbling mixture–such a cool effect–to my son and chortle evilly as he took it from me, “Drink, my pretty. Drink!” After he had drunk it, I’d look at him intently and exclaim in horror, “A LLAMA???! You are supposed to be DEAD!”

When I learned that I had to be careful about handling JJ’s clothes while he was on Chemo, I purposely bought blue medical gloves because in Firefly, one of our most favorite science fiction series, two very scary evil characters wore blue medical gloves. So every time I prepare to do JJ’s laundry, I dramatically put on the blue gloves and quote scarily, “Two by Two, Hands of Blue…” JJ always says, “No, no! Stop it, Mom!) and he gives me “THE LOOK” that says, “You are so weird, Mom.”

I have probably warped my son for ever, but I have fun. At a young age, I figure out that if you have to do something unpleasant, you might as well try to make it as fun as you can. Even if it involves drinking medicine or going through Chemo.

Oh, fun fact: Before he starred in Castle, Nathan Fillion starred in Firefly, which was his favorite show. The cast became close friends and used to hang out in the space ship “Serenity” when they weren’t filming. Several of the Firefly cast members have appeared in Castle. There are often references to Firefly in Castle, including a scene in which Rick Castle looks startled when he puts on blue gloves. Castle can be enjoyed on two levels–those who love Firefly enjoy the show on a whole different level from those who are unaware of the references.

I learned another fun fact today. JJ received another email from Xenia, the awesome Michigan Search and Rescue dog. In the email, Xenia said that she is the granddaughter of the bloodhound in the movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? That is one of EJ’s favorite movies. He likes the old-timey singing. I thought that was very cool.

Here are some pictures I took today on our trek to the lab. I love how the changing weather changes the scenes.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.