1-18-2012

I got to Mom's around 7:30 tonight and had no idea what to expect, but was prepared for pretty much anything.  I grabbed a cup of coffee for her on my way in, and when I got upstairs, there was no one in the main room, and the door to her apartment was wide open.  This is what I saw:

Apparently we've been packing again today.  The living room tv was on, but Mom was asleep in her bed, it was dark, and the tv in her room was on too, with only snow on the screen.  That tv doesn't have cable connected so I should really take it out of there, but she was used to having one in her old place.  

Mom?  Are you ok?

She started talking right away.  "Did you find Jaymz?"

Jaymz is ok.  Why, where was he?

"I lost him.  We were at the smithsonian, and he went off to look at the gun exhibit and someone, some sort of psycho I guess, came and took him.  They were questioning me and we looked all over and he was nowhere to be found.  Nowhere."

That sounds like a bad dream, Mom.  I brought you some coffee.

"Oh coffee?  That sounds good!"  

She got out of bed, and the first thing I noticed was her hair.  She finally got her perm.  Your hair looks great, Mom.

"Yes, I know.  Everyone keeps telling me how good it looks...I have to pay something, or something."

It's all taken care of, Mom.

She came and sat in the living room "That coffee hit the spot."   A little later I asked her if she remembered why she was packing.  "They came and told me I had to go to a babysitting job.  And baby sitters have to dress a certain way."  

'Oh, ok.  Let me start putting your things away.'

I started putting everything away...well everything except the clothes that she had taken off the hangars.  It was a little unsettling that she had one of her kitchen chairs in her room.  I can't stand the thought that she might have been using that to try to get things off the top shelf in her closet.  I came back and sat down for a bit, and then let her know I would be gone for a few days, taking Missy to a gymnastics meet in Florida, but that Trish was going to see her and Paula would be coming on Saturday with Caitin.  There were a few questions about what day it is and how many days I would be gone.   I said yes, but Paula will be bringing her daughter with her.  "Yes, that will be great.  I've never seen her.... except in pictures."

Well, you'll definitely get to see her on Saturday.

"And you get off scott free."  Scott free? "Well, you get a nice vacation."

It's just a gymnastics meet Mom, I'll be back on Monday.   "Well could you leave me like..I don't know...5 dollars or something?"  I guess I could...for what? "In case I want to buy something. An ice cream or something."  Maybe I'll bring her some ice cream when I get back.  

We watched tv for a little bit, then I told her goodnight and gave her a hug and a kiss.  All in all it was a good visit.  Her room was hot again though, and I made sure to grab the nurse on my way out.  I stood there while she called maintenance and heard them say someone would be on their way up.  Let's hope so.