Here comes Mother's 95th Christmas

Everyone loves my Mother.  She is 95 years old, very petite, pretty, lives alone, and walks everywhere.  She loved to drive but,  lost her license when she backed into a tow truck about 4 years ago.  Losing her license broke her heart because it meant her independence no longer existed.  She had to quit her job because she could not drive to the office.  Yes, she worked up until that time, her eyesight was beginning to diminish.    She is now upset that she cannot find a job closer to home.

My Mother only started to age about 5 years ago when for the first time, she had a few medical problems.  For 50 years she stayed the same.   She truly looks about 20 years younger than her age and she is single and lives alone with full mental capacity to handle her life.    Everyone asks, what is her secret to life and youth and she will tell you she takes some vitamins, (very little,) and she eats a small amount of food, but none of that really is the reason.  She has stayed young because it is important to her.  It has always been important to her and therefore, she has learned how to manage stress.  She simply does not deal with it.  She has exercised, (swimming and dancing) and she manages her weight and all that does help.  But in truth, my Mother has lived her life, her way!

My sisters and I (3 of us) have been pretty much on our own emotionally and guidance-wise.  We have all managed our own lives, with mistakes for sure, but Mother just went on.  She did not interfere, nor did she contribute.  We girls just bungled our way on our own.

You would love her, everyone does.  She is a marvel in every way, her biggest joy is dancing.  She belongs to every senior dance group you can imagine in her town.  She dances about three to four times a week.  I mean the old, ballroom type dancing.  Fox Trot, waltz, jitterbug.  You know from the 40's. 

Mother is coming to my house for Christmas.  I have told the Granddaughters that they have to find some time for her on Christmas Day, which they are happy to do.  Last year, she sang for everyone "When My Old Wedding Dress was New" in a soprano voice.  Everyone clapped and was delighted.  She is quite an inspiration to all that know her.

 

Bringing Mother Home for Christmas

Bringing Mother Home for Christmas

Sh@%# happens!!

This last October, I took a stupid fall! It should not have happened, but it did!!

In two days, I was leaving for Europe then Africa. I had been planning this trip for a year and it was a big deal. I had arranged for six of my friends to accompany me on a Safari.

The Friday night before my departure, my next door neighbor knocked on my door to tell me, my tree on the lower level of my property, had fallen onto his drive-way. He has a very narrow, 90 degree, up-hill driveway and it was evident the tree had to be removed immediately. I got on the phone and arranged for a tree company to come to my house the next morning.

Sure enough, nine o'clock that morning, standing at my door was a nice young man from the tree company ready to remove the tree off my neighbor's driveway.

My lot is large and he asked me to tell him where the tree had fallen. I was standing on my driveway, pointing to where the tree had fallen and he yelled back "I cannot see it". With that, I stepped off my driveway, onto the slope dirt area, with my flip-flops on, and whamo, down I went right on my left ankle, with my left hip. I knew that I had done some damage to myself, however, decided it had to be a sprain so I could continue on my trip to Europe/Africa.

I did leave for Europe, two days later, struggling on a cane, with the intent of joining my friends on this trip of a life-time.

I made it to Europe for five days and finally I was advised that my foot was not sprained, but fractured. Of course, the tell tale sign was my ankle was twice it's normal size, and the pain was bad. With that, a great big cast was put on it and I was sent back home.

Arrangements were made to send me home first class and handicapped. Needless to say, everyone was not expecting me for another three weeks.

I am now wearing a big, Velcro boot and awaiting physical therapy. I am trying to figure out what this was all about and the lessons one must learn when something unexpected happens. I have gone from shock to sadness and depression. I learned that the company I had arranged for the safari would not refund any money to me. I did not take out insurance because never had I cancelled a trip.

My daughter reminded me had I gone on the trip, the money would have been gone anyway. I am working on that.....

I guess the moral of the story sh@%# happens. This accident got me on the 'side of the head', I did not see it coming. I am working on bouncing back from this physical and financial set back.

Life, sometimes it ain't easy!!!!

Tora