Androids, Stormtroopers and Mom
We just got back from a successful Labor Day celebration at mymother's house. The parade goes down the street about a half block from my Mom's hosue so we go over there and watch it and then have a picnic kind of lunch. Owen fell asleep on the way home and as soon as he gotin the house laid on the couch and said his stomach hurt. Probably allthe candy he scrounged from the parade but I forgot about that so whenhe said, "come here quick Mommy" I scampered in thinking he was goingto get sick. He just rolled over to face me and said, "when they say'from the deepest part of your heart' do they mean they start at thetop?
***********************************
The other day Owen was showing me something exciting on the LegoStar Wars game and I commented, "gee there's an awful lot of shooting"and he just stared at me and then said politely, "have you SEEN Star Wars?"Uh...o.k....I get your point. Today I was quizzing Leo on the genderof various androids and stormtroopers and finally I couldn't helpmyself and asked why there was so much fighting. He gave me adumbfounded looks and said, "Mom.....it's called Star WARS....."
**********************************
Sometimes I forget I'm living in a house full of men. Things maychange however. This afternoon Ernie and I talked to my mother aboutselling her house and using some of the money to put a small additionon our house so she could live with us. We've got this goofy bathroomthat was added on to the back of our dining room. It don't think itwas exactly done by a licensed contractor as the light switch for thelight above the sink is in the basement..... Anyway, it seems to me ifwe enlarge that a bit to the back and then extend it to the other sideof the house it wouldn't be huge but it would be big enough for alittle bedroom and we could redo the bathroom to make it moreaccessible for her.
I have to admit it's taken us awhile to getto this point. It will be a big adjustment for all of us and I've putit off for awhile because of my concerns about Ernie's health. But Idon't know how long she can live alone but she's not ready for anursing home yet and since the Prairie Winds debacle assisted livingisn't an option either. So Ernie and I have talked about it forawhile---we're trying to look at the whole picture. We told her we'dstill want her to have her homecare person come in and help her withbathing and showering, etc. That we'd do dinners for everyone so manynights a week but once or twice a week Ernie and I would eat late onour own or go out to dinner. We would need her to contribute togroceries and things like that but it would ease her monthly costs alot which she worries about. We're trying to think it all out.
Myparents had my grandfather live with them for several years and I thinkit was very difficult for her. She cried a little when we talked aboutit---saying she didn't want to infringe on our lives. She said sheknew we liked to entertain and she wouldn't want us to stop. I toldher we wouldn't stop and she could either hang out with the party orcurl up in her room---that we'd muddle through all these issues.
I gotta say the thought of clearing out her house and figuring whatto bring etc. would be a huge job. And just as I thought about thather cats walked through the room. Uh-ohhhhhhh. The one thing Erniereally is against but they'd have to come. We laughed a lot as wetalked about it and she even promised to get hearing aids if she comesto live with us.
I told Owen what we were talking about----having Grandma come livewith us and he thoughtfully said that if we turned our bed sideways inour bedroom that we could fit her bed in there too. Uh...thanks Owen.
********************************
I missed my father at the Labor Day parade. My dad was all forlabor.....and at the parade he would stand everytime the American flag passed. WhenI mentioned yesterday that I would miss grandpa at the parade Owenthought about it and then said, "well, maybe we could bring his picture with us." My sweet pea....
Happy Labor Day all! Here are a few scenes from a wonderful smalltown Labor Day parade....the ironworkers are always our favoritepart----although my Mom is a softie for the high school bands....
O.K....not a great picture but still a rare picture of all three of us....