Mama's latest antics:

When the timer on the microwave sounds, she either answers the door or the phone. I keep trying to explain what made the noise, but she won't buy it.

The other night she kept going to the front door and asking Bandit, our dog, if anyone was out there. Of course, no one was there! I asked who she was expecting. Pointing toward the back of the house, she said, "That man back there said he was coming tonight." She, of course, could not tell me who this person was.

Penny said one day Mama pointed toward the door to the kitchen and asked where that man had gone. When Penny asked her what man, Mama pointed again and said, "The man that was just there." Sure hope the house isn't haunted now.

The other night Mama said, "If you won't get it, I will." I had no idea to what she was referring. She walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone. She had a nice conversation. She talked about all kinds of things. Then said, "Oh, here's Connie." I had a lovely "conversation" with the recording telling me if I wanted to make a call to hang up and try again.

Our school participated in U.I.L. contests today (Saturday). I was gone pretty much like a regular workday. It will be interesting to see how confused Mama gets with this one. She always makes cookies for the preacher. She hasn't made any yet. She has promised to take her Saturday night bath, but I am not sure she understands what she has agreed to do. Know she is totally confused . Penny stayed with her today and said Mama asked her if it was five or six. Together we figured out she was trying to decide if it was Friday or Saturday.

Need to go make sure she is in the tub!!

Mama's latest antics:

When the timer on the microwave sounds, she either answers the door or the phone. I keep trying to explain what made the noise, but she won't buy it.

The other night she kept going to the front door and asking Bandit, our dog, if anyone was out there. Of course, no one was there! I asked who she was expecting. Pointing toward the back of the house, she said, "That man back there said he was coming tonight." She, of course, could not tell me who this person was.

Penny said one day Mama pointed toward the door to the kitchen and asked where that man had gone. When Penny asked her what man, Mama pointed again and said, "The man that was just there." Sure hope the house isn't haunted now.

The other night Mama said, "If you won't get it, I will." I had no idea to what she was referring. She walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone. She had a nice conversation. She talked about all kinds of things. Then said, "Oh, here's Connie." I had a lovely "conversation" with the recording telling me if I wanted to make a call to hang up and try again.

Our school participated in U.I.L. contests today (Saturday). I was gone pretty much like a regular workday. It will be interesting to see how confused Mama gets with this one. She always makes cookies for the preacher. She hasn't made any yet. She has promised to take her Saturday night bath, but I am not sure she understands what she has agreed to do. Know she is totally confused . Penny stayed with her today and said Mama asked her if it was five or six. Together we figured out she was trying to decide if it was Friday or Saturday.

Need to go make sure she is in the tub!!

Thanksgiving morning we had a calm breakfast. I tried to tell Mama that we were going to have dinner with my sister-in-law and brother. She just smiled and set the table for lunch. I told her to get her things because we were going to see her son. She giggled and put on her scarf, grabbed her plastic bag of valuable information (old newspapers, junk mail, and who knows what), her water, her blanket, her purse and headed for the car. I had to go back for her sweater.

About halfway to Houston, I decided we better take a bathroom break since lately Mama has been waiting a bit too long before going. She got out thinking at first that we were at our destination. I finally convinced her we were just going to the bathroom.

A big burly man walked into the convenience store before us. Mama waved at him and told him hello. He ignored her and walked on into the store. Well, she would have none of that! She followed right after him, went up to him, and reached out for him. He kind of leaned back a little. I tried to guide her away from him. She shrugged away from me. Mama reached farther and grabbed his shoulder. He leaned back a little more. I tried to swivel her away. She was so determined to give this guy a hug that she went up on her tiptoes and grabbed him by the back of his neck. I gave up trying to save him, shrugged my shoulders, and told him she wanted to give him a kiss on the cheek. He gave us a sheepish grin and let her give him a peck on his cheek. Then as happy as a lark, she let me guide her toward the restroom.

There were two stalls in the restroom. I let Mama go into the handicapped stall. I took my turn in the other stall. I then waited for her. Several ladies came and went. Then another mother-daughter combo joined us. I had a nice conversation with them as I waited and waited and waited. Finally Mama was finished. She tried to open the stall door. She couldn’t figure out the lock. I tried to "talk" her through opening it. She couldn’t get it unlocked. I watched through the crack at the edge of the door as she dug into her purse. I was “coaching” her the entire time she was digging in her bag. Suddenly she pulled out her set of keys. Now we were cooking. What in the world was she going to do with a set of keys that would open a latched door on a bathroom stall? She chose one key and proceeded to try to unlock the door. I kept wondering where all the kids were when I needed one to slide under the door and unlock that stupid door. About the time I decided the only way to get her out was for me to try to get into the stall, thankfully she pushed the bolt just right and the door came open. I was laughing so hard I almost needed to go back into the stall myself!

A lady finished up as mama came out of the stall and collected a hug and a kiss on her cheek. Mama primped her hair, washed her hands, and we headed for the car stopping on the way to hug everyone in sight. She got several people two or three times since they would get a hug and she would catch them at the end of another aisle. She didn’t want to leave anyone out, so better more hugs than none. I finally got her out of the store and into the car.

As we passed cars, Mama would wave at the people. If they didn’t wave back, she would bang on the window trying to get their attention. I am not sure how many people waved back as I was trying to keep from hitting them with our car! I know it will be hard for anyone to believe, but we ended up in a traffic jam on Interstate 45. Mama had more fun waving at all the people who crawled by us. Some of the looks we got were priceless. Am sure we were the main topic of many conversations that trip.

Mama was really good at David and Linda’s. I was afraid she wouldn’t eat their feast since the only thing she eats at home is meat, rice with lots and lots and lots of butter, green beans, Orange Jell-O salad, and a roll. Linda asked me if I wanted to fix Mama a plate. I told her I was not even gonna go there. So she fixed it. To my surprise and everyone's delight, Mama ate every crumb on her plate. I thought she might even lick the plate for stray morsels, but she is still too much of a lady to do that outside of our dining room.

About 20 minutes after we finished eating, she was ready to head home. We stalled her as long as we could, and then I just gave in, and we headed out. The entire trip she kept telling me I should turn right every time I turned left and vice versa! I kept telling her I knew how to get home. She kept saying she didn’t think I was going the right way. When I pulled into our driveway, she said through gritted teeth, “Why are you going here?” I replied through slightly gritted teeth myself, “This is our house!” She argued for a minute then Bandit, our dog, came up and she realized I had really brought her to the correct place.

So ended another eventful Thanksgiving Day 2002.

Thanksgiving morning we had a calm breakfast. I tried to tell Mama that we were going to have dinner with my sister-in-law and brother. She just smiled and set the table for lunch. I told her to get her things because we were going to see her son. She giggled and put on her scarf, grabbed her plastic bag of valuable information (old newspapers, junk mail, and who knows what), her water, her blanket, her purse and headed for the car. I had to go back for her sweater.

About halfway to Houston, I decided we better take a bathroom break since lately Mama has been waiting a bit too long before going. She got out thinking at first that we were at our destination. I finally convinced her we were just going to the bathroom.

A big burly man walked into the convenience store before us. Mama waved at him and told him hello. He ignored her and walked on into the store. Well, she would have none of that! She followed right after him, went up to him, and reached out for him. He kind of leaned back a little. I tried to guide her away from him. She shrugged away from me. Mama reached farther and grabbed his shoulder. He leaned back a little more. I tried to swivel her away. She was so determined to give this guy a hug that she went up on her tiptoes and grabbed him by the back of his neck. I gave up trying to save him, shrugged my shoulders, and told him she wanted to give him a kiss on the cheek. He gave us a sheepish grin and let her give him a peck on his cheek. Then as happy as a lark, she let me guide her toward the restroom.

There were two stalls in the restroom. I let Mama go into the handicapped stall. I took my turn in the other stall. I then waited for her. Several ladies came and went. Then another mother-daughter combo joined us. I had a nice conversation with them as I waited and waited and waited. Finally Mama was finished. She tried to open the stall door. She couldn’t figure out the lock. I tried to "talk" her through opening it. She couldn’t get it unlocked. I watched through the crack at the edge of the door as she dug into her purse. I was “coaching” her the entire time she was digging in her bag. Suddenly she pulled out her set of keys. Now we were cooking. What in the world was she going to do with a set of keys that would open a latched door on a bathroom stall? She chose one key and proceeded to try to unlock the door. I kept wondering where all the kids were when I needed one to slide under the door and unlock that stupid door. About the time I decided the only way to get her out was for me to try to get into the stall, thankfully she pushed the bolt just right and the door came open. I was laughing so hard I almost needed to go back into the stall myself!

A lady finished up as mama came out of the stall and collected a hug and a kiss on her cheek. Mama primped her hair, washed her hands, and we headed for the car stopping on the way to hug everyone in sight. She got several people two or three times since they would get a hug and she would catch them at the end of another aisle. She didn’t want to leave anyone out, so better more hugs than none. I finally got her out of the store and into the car.

As we passed cars, Mama would wave at the people. If they didn’t wave back, she would bang on the window trying to get their attention. I am not sure how many people waved back as I was trying to keep from hitting them with our car! I know it will be hard for anyone to believe, but we ended up in a traffic jam on Interstate 45. Mama had more fun waving at all the people who crawled by us. Some of the looks we got were priceless. Am sure we were the main topic of many conversations that trip.

Mama was really good at David and Linda’s. I was afraid she wouldn’t eat their feast since the only thing she eats at home is meat, rice with lots and lots and lots of butter, green beans, Orange Jell-O salad, and a roll. Linda asked me if I wanted to fix Mama a plate. I told her I was not even gonna go there. So she fixed it. To my surprise and everyone's delight, Mama ate every crumb on her plate. I thought she might even lick the plate for stray morsels, but she is still too much of a lady to do that outside of our dining room.

About 20 minutes after we finished eating, she was ready to head home. We stalled her as long as we could, and then I just gave in, and we headed out. The entire trip she kept telling me I should turn right every time I turned left and vice versa! I kept telling her I knew how to get home. She kept saying she didn’t think I was going the right way. When I pulled into our driveway, she said through gritted teeth, “Why are you going here?” I replied through slightly gritted teeth myself, “This is our house!” She argued for a minute then Bandit, our dog, came up and she realized I had really brought her to the correct place.

So ended another eventful Thanksgiving Day 2002.

from the Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving Day 2002

Mama and I both had hair appointments this morning. She usually goes on Thursday mornings so I knew she would be confused. She argued with me the entire way into town that she had just had her hair done. I finally convinced her that there was no reason for me to lie to her. She went into the beauty parlor just happy as a lark. She left her lipstick brand on everyone’s cheek.

I asked her beautician to cut her hair since I was there to help pay the extra for this service. When we were settling up, I pulled a twenty out and told Linda to add it to what Mama gave her thinking that this would leave her with a nice tip. Mama carefully handed Linda some money counting to nine as she did. Then she held up her bank envelope for Linda to get the rest from the change that was there. Linda waved Mama’s hand away and looked at the bills Mama gave her. She held up four ones and said, “She got nine out of this?” I started laughing until I realized that we had barely given her enough to cover the haircut and set. I felt kind of bad, but Mama was already headed out, and Linda was working on her next lady. I will try to make it up to her with her Christmas gift.

from the Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving Day 2002

Mama and I both had hair appointments this morning. She usually goes on Thursday mornings so I knew she would be confused. She argued with me the entire way into town that she had just had her hair done. I finally convinced her that there was no reason for me to lie to her. She went into the beauty parlor just happy as a lark. She left her lipstick brand on everyone’s cheek.

I asked her beautician to cut her hair since I was there to help pay the extra for this service. When we were settling up, I pulled a twenty out and told Linda to add it to what Mama gave her thinking that this would leave her with a nice tip. Mama carefully handed Linda some money counting to nine as she did. Then she held up her bank envelope for Linda to get the rest from the change that was there. Linda waved Mama’s hand away and looked at the bills Mama gave her. She held up four ones and said, “She got nine out of this?” I started laughing until I realized that we had barely given her enough to cover the haircut and set. I felt kind of bad, but Mama was already headed out, and Linda was working on her next lady. I will try to make it up to her with her Christmas gift.