Friday Afternoon

Friday afternoon.

A phrase I have become increasingly fond of.

Not because it's Friday.

Not because vacation has technically started.

But because afternoon used to mean something different.

Historically, people structured their days around work, meals, daylight, and obligations more than they did around clocks. In fact, the word noon once referred to a much later part of the day before eventually settling into the 12 p.m. definition we use now. Somewhere along the way, afternoon became anything after lunch.

I've always liked the older idea better.

That afternoon was something earned.

That the bulk of the day's work had already been wrestled into submission before you arrived there.

Today feels like one of those afternoons.

Yesterday was supposed to be the beginning of vacation.

At noon, I logged out of work.

Vacation started.

Or so I thought.

An hour later, Asher and I were at the doctor's office getting checked for strep.

My wife took Zoey, David, and Jacob out to lunch. A reward for all the hard work they've been doing around the house.

Things were moving along.

Until they weren't.

The receptionist called me up.

According to the insurance company, we no longer had coverage.

Interesting.

I work for the company whose name is on the card.

I was currently on PTO.

My other two boys had been seen five days earlier.

Something didn't add up.

Confused and more than a little irritated, I called my wife and asked her to come back.

She had just managed to get everyone's order submitted.

Meanwhile, Asher and I waited outside in the heat.

While sitting there, I started digging.

Logged back into work.

Started searching Workday.

Eventually, I found the answer.

We weren't uninsured.

We had been moved.

When we relocated to North Carolina last year, our coverage changed to a different plan.

The cards had never been mailed.

The information existed entirely inside an app.

I downloaded everything, walked back inside, showed the receptionist the digital cards, and asked if that would work.

She smiled.

It would.

Unfortunately, during the time it took to solve all of this, we went from next in line to nearly a two-hour wait.

We decided to leave and come back the next day.

Or so we thought.

We got gas.

Took the kids shopping with money they had earned during the week.

Washed the Explorer.

Started heading home.

Then something told me to check the online wait list one more time.

We were driving right past the medical office anyway.

One person in line.

"We are not going home."

We turned around.

Raced back.

Walked inside.

The receptionist smiled when she saw us.

Within minutes, we were being seen.

Some poking.

Some prodding.

Some tests.

Some waiting.

Then answers.

Asher tested negative for strep.

But he has a serious ear infection.

According to the doctor, his ear drum "looked like butter" and the canal was deep red.

Antibiotics.

Rest.

Recovery.

My rapid strep test came back negative as well.

But evidence pointed toward a double ear infection and significant post-nasal drip and strep or something more.

More tests.

More cultures. sent off.

More waiting.

Antibiotics in the meantime.

Rest.

Recovery.

At least we finally had answers.

Then came the pharmacy.

My prescription was ready.

Asher's wasn't.

There was an issue with the dosage.

They needed clarification.

It would only be a few minutes.

A few minutes became an hour.

An hour became another phone call.

Another clarification.

Another wait.

Eventually we paid for mine, grabbed dinner-sized snacks for everyone, drove around town some more, got more gas, and finally picked up Asher's prescription.

We got home at 7 p.m.

Seven hours.

For a doctor's appointment.

But we had medicine.

We had answers.

And we had a path forward.

I didn't stream last night.

I took my medication.

Dropped a !lurk in Rale's stream.

Walked down the hall.

Got hit with a migraine and a wave of exhaustion.

Laid down for a minute.

I woke up at 6:30 this morning.

Apparently I needed the sleep.

We're all tired.

We're all still recovering.

And life keeps finding ways to add little complications.

Some of the painter's tape pulled paint off the walls in the newest room.

So today includes another trip to Lowe's.

Another can of paint.

Another attempt to finish what should have already been finished.

The plan is still the same.

Prime the damaged spots.

Repaint.

Move in desks.

Reinstall shelves.

Move computers.

Move instruments.

Get the room functional.

Whether all of that happens today remains to be seen.

I'd like to spend some time with Meg and Rale tonight.

Maybe even stream.

We'll see how the medicine does.

The antibiotics are helping.

But boy, am I tired.

I've been trying to stay grounded in Stoicism through all of this.

Some days that's easier than others.

The older I get, the more I realize that most obstacles are not walls.

They are speed governors.

They don't stop you.

They simply dictate how quickly you're allowed to move.

The insurance issue didn't stop us.

The pharmacy didn't stop us.

The migraine didn't stop me.

The repainting won't stop the room.

The sickness won't stop recovery.

None of these things changed the destination.

They only changed the pace.

And perhaps that is where patience actually comes from.

Not believing things will move quickly.

Accepting that they might not.

Hopefully there will be no more logging back into work for anything.

Hopefully there will be some rest.

Some progress.

Some games.

Some laughter.

I think we've earned that.

I just hope life agrees.

There is a difference between being blocked and being delayed. When we're younger, every delay feels like a failure of momentum. Every obstacle feels personal. Over time, I've learned that most of life isn't spent overcoming mountains. It's spent navigating traffic. Waiting on prescriptions. Fixing mistakes. Repainting walls. Sitting in doctor's offices. Progress rarely stops completely. It simply slows down. Wisdom, I think, comes from learning not to measure success by speed, but by whether you're still moving in the right direction when the day is done.

Much love. Stay safe. Wash your damn hands. See you Monday.