Rolling in...

The smell of freshly brewed coffee got me sucked in to a bit of thinking.
The weather yesterday was windy, but pleasant.
Daddy and I got the rest of the lights on the house.
I think I need one more bush net.
I also must venture into the attic for tree decorations.
The mouse count is Kris-7 Mice-1 now.

It is damp and they say it may snow tonight.

Chuck got his hair cut so it is a bit cold to walk him.
Must knit a warmer sweater for him.

Was thinking about my mother in law today.
She is getting a hospice evaluation...I think.
She is dehydrated and confused.
Not very reliable info coming from Alabama.

As I think back on my time with Rebecca,
I smile.
These past few years I have not spoken to her,
or any of the family there in Alabama.
Just makes life a bit less stressful.

However, when I lived there in the early days,
Mom and I had loads of fun.
She was always there to take my young girls when I needed her to.
I was in the hospital for pneumonia once and she came in the wee hours,
watched the girls until I got home three days later,
then stayed with me for a few days.
She made me chopped steak with potatoes and onions in a frying pan.
To this day, I cannot make this.
Her cooking was always delicious...in that southern way.
Gravies, and breaded and fried and sweet and sticky!

We always had a fun time going out to eat.
Chinese or southern with fried pickles.
The best treat tho was when we went to the buffet...Quincey's I think...
Best rolls ever!

Walking around the property was calm,
as was sitting and talking on the front porch.
We had lots in common then...both our men were ironworkers
working in New York.
She introduced bubble wrap popping to the girls and I.

One year, Mom broke her arm and Ronni and I went to tend her for a few weeks.
Ronni was only three months old.
I remember waking in the middle of the night seeing Mom leaning over her crib.
She loves her grandbabies.
One of her favorite things to do was come get us for a dairy queen!

Fellowship Baptist church also holds many dear memories.
All of them with Mom.
The Dinners on the Grounds times were of course my favorite times.
Such wonderful, simple, country folk.

Although Mom is bipolar, and there have been MANY bad moments because of this,
sometimes during her high times,
we would laugh and joke and carry on late into the evenings.
Oh the stories she told of all the skeletons of our little town!
All the history, and early days of her marriage.
Enjoying fires it the fireplace or in the yard.

I even repainted her tub when they first moved in.....
we went shopping for her dining room table set,
and one Christmas I was even awarded the red "You are someone Special" plate.

I am sad, that relationships, and people change.
I am sad that for the most part, I was not accepted into the family.
I am sad that my girls will not remember the fun times, but only the bad.

I will finish getting ready for Christmas, and listen to happy music,
think of the fond times with Mom and pray for her quick recovery.
I know she doesn't want to live in this world any longer,
and pray that what time she has is happy and peaceful.
I pray she is well taken care of.
I wish I could take care of her in a way that would show her
how much I treasure our relationship.