My last blog referenced how fast time flies. I was thinking today that it has been a long time since I've written. Just too busy I guess. To recap, we've had a very snowy early spring, days in the sixties during the week only to be hit by a "butt load O snow" storm each weekend for about four weekends. How much is a "butt load O snow"? I asked a friend of mine that very question as we watched the snow fall. The reply was "I suppose it depends on how big the butt in question is". Point well made.
Now for the most part weather is pretty good. Mother's Day arrived and I being the intensely sensitive husband purchased the right gifts to make my wife happy (she told me what to buy). I even cooked dinner (on the grill of course).
As the day wore on, I tried to reach my dear sweet mother by phone without success. I began by calling my siblings to see if they knew where she was. No answer at Jim's or Pete's, no answer at Cathy's. I did reach George's wife, George was washing dishes or something. His wife informed me that George had not been able to reach Mom but had just finished a phone call with Cathy who told George that Mom had been at their home for the day and was now in bed asleep at her apartment. O.K. now I would just have to wait until Monday to call her.
The story was just beginning as I learned when Cathy called to tell me why Mom was home in bed. It appears that while dinning at Will and Cathy's, Mom decided to not sit still but to roam about a bit. Mom slipped out the door onto the deck, she pushed her way past chairs and flower pots that had been placed in front of the deck railing and did a stage dive off of the deck. The problem was she did not go combat boots first but head first, she also failed to notice that there were no fans below her to catch her. Cathy had a prompting to go find mom to see how she was doing and found her laying on her side some four plus feet below the deck on the lawn.
Now before you go thinking that I am a cold heartless @#&%%! Let me assure you I was very concerned that she had been seriously injured by the fall. Mom it turns out was fine, she fell on her "good" side, did not hit her head, did not break her hip which has already been repaired, nor did she blow out her artificial knees (yes a doctor checked her out, X-rays and the works and he is amazed as well). She did get some bruising and is a bit sore. I do not enjoy hearing of Mom's unfortunate escapades, but you know sometimes all you can do is laugh. I called Mom on Monday to see how she was doing, "fine" she replied. "So how did it go with the doctor?" I asked. "How did you know about that?" she asked. Jeeeze Mom! You took a dive off of the deck at Cathy's house how in the heck do you think I found out about it?" I replied. "Cathy worries about me doesn't she" Mom commented. "We all worry about you Mom just like we worry about a three year old playing on the interstate!" I emphasized.
My mother has developed an extreme case of "denial" she denies she is legally blind except when it saves her on her taxes, she denies that she is deaf in one ear, has trouble following conversations and makes off the wall statements in reply to questions. In deed I imagine that the reason she did not yell or scream during and after the fall was because she thought that if she just lay there long enough to get her feet under her nobody would notice. She could get up and play it cool, respond to questions about why the deck railing lay shattered on the lawn by saying "how should I know", "maybe it was aliens" or better yet just blame the grandkids or family dog.
I know that as I have attempted to escort her amidst her protest of "I know where I am going let go of my arm" or better yet her Inspector Clouseau impression "I know that! I know that! Don't be ridiculous!" only to watch her step off the curb into the path of a bus.
I guess growing up during the "Great Depression" fosters some denial of how crapping things really are. Perhaps we'll all develop the denial thing as we age or as the economy gets worse. For now though even though my mother does some goofy things I love her very much, all in all she has done a good job raising five children, part of that time without a husband. Like it or not I do some goofy things on occasion but my wife and kids are there to call me on it.
Now for the most part weather is pretty good. Mother's Day arrived and I being the intensely sensitive husband purchased the right gifts to make my wife happy (she told me what to buy). I even cooked dinner (on the grill of course).
As the day wore on, I tried to reach my dear sweet mother by phone without success. I began by calling my siblings to see if they knew where she was. No answer at Jim's or Pete's, no answer at Cathy's. I did reach George's wife, George was washing dishes or something. His wife informed me that George had not been able to reach Mom but had just finished a phone call with Cathy who told George that Mom had been at their home for the day and was now in bed asleep at her apartment. O.K. now I would just have to wait until Monday to call her.
The story was just beginning as I learned when Cathy called to tell me why Mom was home in bed. It appears that while dinning at Will and Cathy's, Mom decided to not sit still but to roam about a bit. Mom slipped out the door onto the deck, she pushed her way past chairs and flower pots that had been placed in front of the deck railing and did a stage dive off of the deck. The problem was she did not go combat boots first but head first, she also failed to notice that there were no fans below her to catch her. Cathy had a prompting to go find mom to see how she was doing and found her laying on her side some four plus feet below the deck on the lawn.
Now before you go thinking that I am a cold heartless @#&%%! Let me assure you I was very concerned that she had been seriously injured by the fall. Mom it turns out was fine, she fell on her "good" side, did not hit her head, did not break her hip which has already been repaired, nor did she blow out her artificial knees (yes a doctor checked her out, X-rays and the works and he is amazed as well). She did get some bruising and is a bit sore. I do not enjoy hearing of Mom's unfortunate escapades, but you know sometimes all you can do is laugh. I called Mom on Monday to see how she was doing, "fine" she replied. "So how did it go with the doctor?" I asked. "How did you know about that?" she asked. Jeeeze Mom! You took a dive off of the deck at Cathy's house how in the heck do you think I found out about it?" I replied. "Cathy worries about me doesn't she" Mom commented. "We all worry about you Mom just like we worry about a three year old playing on the interstate!" I emphasized.
My mother has developed an extreme case of "denial" she denies she is legally blind except when it saves her on her taxes, she denies that she is deaf in one ear, has trouble following conversations and makes off the wall statements in reply to questions. In deed I imagine that the reason she did not yell or scream during and after the fall was because she thought that if she just lay there long enough to get her feet under her nobody would notice. She could get up and play it cool, respond to questions about why the deck railing lay shattered on the lawn by saying "how should I know", "maybe it was aliens" or better yet just blame the grandkids or family dog.
I know that as I have attempted to escort her amidst her protest of "I know where I am going let go of my arm" or better yet her Inspector Clouseau impression "I know that! I know that! Don't be ridiculous!" only to watch her step off the curb into the path of a bus.
I guess growing up during the "Great Depression" fosters some denial of how crapping things really are. Perhaps we'll all develop the denial thing as we age or as the economy gets worse. For now though even though my mother does some goofy things I love her very much, all in all she has done a good job raising five children, part of that time without a husband. Like it or not I do some goofy things on occasion but my wife and kids are there to call me on it.
