Spending this one with my mother was special, even though I saw her only briefly yesterday morning and evening, just like every other day I've been here. I can't remember if I've mentioned that the reason Mom asked me to come for these two weeks is to be with Dad while she's gone. Months ago Mom had committed to being in charge of feeding a group of 30 people lunch and dinner every day while they did a mission project at their church in a nearby town. So she's had to leave every morning, work all day (with help), and usually do some grocery shopping every evening before coming home very tired. (The refrigerator at their church is a small residential model, insufficient for holding more than a day's worth of ingredients to feed a group of that size.) The only time I get out of the house and 'off duty' is in the morning when an aide comes for three hours, when I go for a walk around the neighborhood, and once when Mom got home in time to take me with her to the grocery store before the evening aide left (I needed to get her something for Mothers Day since I didn't plan ahead of my arrival!).
Daily walks help keep me going – fresh air, exercise, listening to a good audiobook or sometimes talking to my honey, and looking at the yards and birds and assorted animals. There are four obvious birds here that we don't have at home: Great-tailed Grackles, Western Kingbirds, White-winged Doves, and Blue Jays (we have Scrub and Steller's). I've seen one jackrabbit, several cottontails, and the occasional squirrel. In addition, there are neighborhood dogs known and unknown, cats, cattle and a horse in one side yard, Boer goats in a small lot, ducks in a backyard that I saw and heard for the first time yesterday, and chickens I heard for the first time today. Mind you, I walk the same block and the alley that divides two of the streets every day, but still I see and hear new things after almost two weeks! The photos I've managed to capture on my iPhone are junk, but better than a page full of words. ;-)
I've captured one memorable sunset,
Most importantly, I've spent lots of time with Dad, and thankfully thought to document a tender moment between him and Mom at the end of a day:
Oh yeah, and I've spun yarn:
Tomorrow morning I start the journey home, leaving hot, dry Amarillo for cool, wet Boulderneigh (spinning all the way). For the past several days it has been a full 50° hotter here than at home; that'll be a 're-entry adjustment'! How many more times I will be moving back and forth between these climes in the coming months is unknown, but trips will doubtless be necessary. I am not naturally a 'rolling stone;' this uncertain fluidity is not the life I'd choose. But we play the cards we're dealt.
SO looking forward to being back home again at . . .
10 comments:
A beautiful bouquet of flowers and a beautiful picture of your mom and dad. A bit of a hardship for you to be gone from home again but I'm thinking it was good for your mom to be able to "get out" to do the church work. She no doubt needed the break it gave her. And she couldn't have done it without you.
Important to do it while you can. :)
Yes, I think it was good for Mom, too, Mama Pea. She is much more social than I am AND a retired dietitian, so this was in her wheelhouse.
So true, Helen.
Glad you got to spend some quality time with your Dad. You won't regret it. And giving your Mom a break was good for her as well, even though she was busy the whole time. Enjoy getting back home.
Thanks, Sue; I agree with all you said, and will definitely enjoy getting back home!
Michelle, I'm glad you have been able to do this for your parents. I know they are happy to have you there, too. I pray for a safe trip home. I was stunned by the difference in the temperatures. We were in the city today and it was so chilly, I thought I'd freeze! Right now it's 46 degrees! I love that sweet picture of your mom and dad! And those sunsets -- oh such beauty!
Keep up the spinning!
Jeanne
Your Mom and Dad's picture is the essence of the 'full circle' of life. Wonderful in it's own rite.
As for temps: Here in Iowa, we've had the 50+ degree differences all in one day! Forties for overnight low on one day, then it hit 97F yesterday. Cripes, McGee. Oh, and high winds all weekend - again.
There's no place like home, said Dorothy.
Cheers
Jeanne, I'd much rather have it chilly than blistering hot. I can always put on more clothes, and coddle a hot drink!
Yes, they had those kinds of temp differences in Texas, too, Tim, although during the hottest stretch of days I was there, it only dipped into the 60s in the early morning. I couldn't have slept without a ceiling fan.
As others have said, you will not regret this time you have had with your parents even though it has been difficult to be away from your own home. I think you already know how I know this . . .
I love blue jays! I know a lot of people don't like them, but here, probably 20 years ago or so, when West Nile Virus hit, my mom told me it decimated the Grackles and the Blue Jays. I never begrudged blue jay at my feeder (when I had one going).
I am late in responding. Life a little out of control here! But I wanted to let you know I am thinking of you. This time spent with your parents - no matter how hard it is - you won’t regret.
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