Well, I arrived at Mom’s on Wednesday, July 29th, at 7:40 pm. My sister met me at the car, as I was getting out, with hugs and joy. I glanced up and there, on the front porch, stood my little Mommy whom I haven’t seen in 11 years! She had aged considerably and looked so cute in her capris and short-sleeved blouse. I walked up the steps and hugged her and tears welled up a little bit. I was so happy to have arrived safely and to see her face. Mom, stoic as ever, said “Quit your bawlin’ and come in and sit down.” But she, also, was so happy to see me. She had worried and paced the entire 3 days I was on the road. We visited for a couple hours, then it was bedtime. I slept like a rock for the first time in months!
The next day, I noticed she didn’t open any of the curtains and all the light bulbs were 40 and 60 watts–very low lighting. The house was dark and gloomy. I opened the front door for the breeze to come in and let in the sunlight. Then I opened the kitchen curtains and she asked what I was doing! I told her I was letting in the sunlight and starting the day with natural light to raise our spirits. She replied, “I don’t have any spirits and there’s no view out there, there’s nothing to see but the neighbor’s house!” I went on to explain that we needed the sunlight to enhance our vitamin D and our calcium and magnesium in our bodies. She just rolled her eyes and closed the curtains. Sis told me she’s kept the house closed up like that for years but didn’t suffer from depression so she gave up trying to convince Mom to ‘open the house’ for the day. I brought up the vitamin theory again on and off that day and the next. Then on the 3rd morning I got up and she was sitting at the kitchen table with the curtains open! Yay!! But, I still can’t get her to open any other curtains in the house. I say to myself “one step at a time“.
I have done so much the past 2 weeks that it’s mind-numbing!
All of the screens in my room were off and the windows stuck shut so my first step was getting the screens out of the closet, putting them in and washing the windows and loosening them so they would open. One was broken so I repaired that.
The room was decorated in orange–Gack!!!! So I removed the bedspread and rug and curtains and put up my lavender and blue stuff. Now it’s a nice, peaceful looking room.
I bought and hung mini blinds for the bedroom windows and I scrubbed the toilet in my bathroom thoroughly! It was really bad from my brother using it during his visits and Mom couldn’t get down low enough to clean it properly.
Sis bought some 75 watt light bulbs and I put all of those in except for in Mom’s bedroom. I didn’t want to invade her ‘space’! Sis bought herself a new computer desk and gave me her old one so we spent 2 days, on and off, putting that together. Then we carried the old desk down here to Mom’s and got it set up and organized. I cleaned my computer real good and got it hooked up and running but didn’t get internet service until a few days ago.
I scrubbed the stove and refrigerator. It had black mold all around the edges–Ewwww!! I bought Mom a little table lamp to use at the kitchen table during card games. Hers kept shorting out–unsafe!
I hung a shelf for Mom’s bedroom. It had fallen and no one else took the time to fix it. (G-r-r-r) Plus I hung the living room clock where she could see it. It hung behind her chair, on the wall. Didn’t Sis or Brother think of these things??
Mom’s favorite recipes were all faded or torn so I typed/printed out those for her in larger font so she could read them easily.
I’ve learned 2 card games and 2 board games that Mom loves to play and we do that every afternoon alternating between games each day.
Dang! I’m wore out just writing about this let alone when I was actually doing it! haha! I’m going to try to get back to my old posting schedule but it may be erratic. I’m searching for a part-time job on top of everything else so I’m kind of “off kilter” right now.
It sure is nice to be back. I’ve missed everyone!! I hope to post again soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment