The Weekend

My Mom


I left early on Saturday morning and returned home this morning. I visited with my Mom. I spent most of my time running a few errands and cooking. I made plenty of soup so that they could freeze it and then thaw it later.

My Mom is doing well but still needs assistance. She can move her right arm but has no use of her right hand which makes it pretty difficult to do many things that we two handed people get used to. I cut her finger nails which is something she can't do obviously with only one hand. And, she is right-handed (which is the paralyzed side) which requires adjustments for her as well. She is talking slightly better although she still gets frustrated when she can't quite get everything out that she wants to say. She has a lot of difficulty with saying the months of the year in her therapy sessions. She still gets upset when she tells me about the day she had the stroke. I can only imagine how long she was lying on the floor, unable to speak or get assistance, after she had the stroke. I've been meaning to check into that Lifeline service and I need to do that soon. That way, if she ever had another problem, it will be easier for her to get assistance.


While leaving her apartment complex to make a grocery store run, a woman (her name I later learned was Cynthia) stopped me as I was walking down the sidewalk. She asked, "Young lady, can I ask your assistance?" It was obvious that she had a disability of some sort. She needed someone to get a package of bottled water out of the back seat of her car and to put it in her wheeled cart. I offered to get the remainder of her groceries out and to bring it to her apartment as well. She was very grateful for the assistance and offered me $5. I declined and told her to keep it for herself or to give it to someone else who could use it. She said she would give the money to her church on Sunday. We talked as I walked with her to her apartment and found that she had a massive stroke 11 years ago which caused her paralysis. The doctors told her it was a miracle that she was alive after the stroke that she suffered. I guess it gave me hope that my Mom may still have some quality of life after she continues to recover from her stroke as well and that she may still have some number of years left to live. Cynthia and my Mom both reminded me how blessed we are when we have healthy bodies. I don't think I ever take my health for granted but I know there are days that I feel tired and I should think about how much more difficult it is for people like my Mom and Cynthia just to do simple, mundane tasks. It kind of puts my trivial aches and fatigue in perspective.



Metaphor for my Life


Meet Mount Cotton. Mount Cotton is the pile of clean, folded laundry that usually resides on the dresser in our bedroom.



While slightly embarrassing to share the photo, I thought it was the perfect representation of my life. You know....crap piled high with no end in sight, teetering on the edge of reason, and no organization to speak of. Yep, pretty much is a metaphor for my life.



Lane Peach Orchard



I got home around 3:30 this afternoon. I needed to make a quick stop at the Lane Peach Orchard to pick up some things for our friends who we will see next weekend. Anna went with me. We enjoyed some peach cobbler and a hay ride while there this afternoon. It was a nice break after the long drive this morning.

We leave for Orlando on Thursday. I can't wait to see Mickey and our friends from the UK!