Mom's Birthday!

Today is mom’s birthday. I’ve already got the lawn mowed and I have a bunch of errands to run. I must remember to buy eggs or mom won’t have much of a birthday cake. The first thing Nancy said when she woke up this morning was, “What are we having.” She really does love her food. So, far the bad night has been forgotten. We have friends and family coming over for mom’s birthday. I will have to, also, remember something to clean the carpet with. I don’t want everyone thinking they’ve come to an old folks home.

What’s hard is that every time I go to the store Nancy gives us a list of things she wants. She doesn’t have much going on and a grocery trip is very big in her world. She will continue to verbally add things to the list and remind you countless times so you’ll not forget. So, it gets pretty silly around here. Mom and I whispering that I need to go to the store and sneaking me money and a grocery list.

We are always getting her the stuff she needs, like her meds. We are always buying her treats, too. But, when we bring her favorites home like cans of chicken noodle soup; she’ll say, Where’s my tea?” We hand her, her Kleenex, soup, chewing gum and point out that she has her own 12 pack of diet soda. “But where’s my tea?” “Dang it! I forgot her stupid tea,” I say to myself. Her day is ruined. I didn’t remember. So, we will hear about her tea for the entire day and possibly the entire week. So today, hopefully, we don’t go through this scenario.

Everything went well until the company went home. Then, she discovered she lost her bag of pens. In her mind, someone has come in and stole them. The reality is that she has misplaced them somewhere. This is one of her biggest fears. There are imaginary evil villains, but very real to her, who sneak into our house and mess with her stuff. Never mind the nice things in the house like the computer or television. These people are only after her pens, pictures, or stuffed animals. Only the things precious to her.

Mom found her pens. They were in her purse. Nancy carries this purse everywhere. It is jammed packed full of her most important possessions. It would probably look like junk to most people. She loses everything in this disorganized mish-mash of stuff.