Moving Mom – Part Three – or Take A Breath Already

March 6th – I wake up at 4:30 a.m. with thoughts pinging around the inside of my brain.  Too early to take my thyroid pill, I go back to bed and meditate, then read a bit.  I fall into a weird “sleep” I guess because though I’m aware I’m laying in bed I have a dream in which Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel and Neil Patrick Harris are putting on some kind of outdoor event, honoring me – in my backyard.  And I’m right there with them as crowds of people arrive but to my horror, I find I’m sans pants. Then I wake up. If you analyze dreams, please send me a message privately to explain that dream. It was freaky, but I digress…..

The good news:  Mom is smiling (her natural demeanor) and not squeaking – her voice is back. She’s clearly improving but with so many loose ends to tie up, I need to find every way to keep us on track and not forgetting anything essential.  That brings me to this picture that is reminiscent of me today (and at many times in my past working life):

She’s taking her car for an oil change, new wiper blades, battery, front end alignment and anything else that should be evaluated before we start the long drive from Florida to Michigan. Left alone, I start on cleaning and organizing.  She left me with a tub of coins and wrappers asking that I roll them up which I do while simultaneously watching last night’s Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.  Her car is taking longer than expected, they drop her at home. They’ll pick her up when it’s done. We eat lunch, she cat-naps and I blog. When the dealership comes to pick her up, I join her. We run errands, forgetting to drop off her tax stuff as planned, realizing it only after we’re back home.  Another day….

En route home, Mom stopped off at Bealls, a great Florida-based department store.  I’m a huge fan of local artist, Leoma Lovegrove who does a line for them including clothing, bags, beach towels, luggage tags, gift bags, i-phone covers – you name it, they make it in her wildly original, vibrant designs. I’d seen this purse (see below) a few days ago when we popped in but now had $20 in Bealls cash burning a hole in my wallet and had to use or lose it. Originally $40, with the daily 30% off and my Bealls cash plus tax, it came to a whopping $8.48.  If you’ve followed me, you know that my passion for Spence is seconded only my love of cats.  Knowing it would be a lasting reminder of this trip to move Mom, I couldn’t resist.  What do you think?

We stopped and picked up a couple of items at the Publix store (which she’ll miss dearly) including a 1/2 Key Lime Pie we shared while watching the season finale of Downton Abbey.  Mom was fading fast as the show neared it’s end and could hardly muster the energy to get off the couch and into bed.  I fear that my constant barrage of questions and activity, may have been too much for her first day of feeling better.

Tomorrow, we’re (meaning me) going to calm down, fit in an hour of pool time and knock out a bit more packing.  To the control freak who lives inside of me and is endlessly asserting itself into thoughts, words and action.  “Just breathe and chillax already.”

Stay tuned for more on the “Moving Mom” series.  You can sort by categories or use the search box to find all related posts.  And by the way, many thanks for stopping by.