Mom & Me Four Archive

...when I revved up the walker and led her out for a two-lap driveway session, but it seems to have worked wonders, as usual. She's in an excellent mood, tonight. We talked, read some, watched a couple of Jane Goodall specials on Animal Planet that Mom didn't want to miss, went through the specifics of The Dead Zone, now she's leafing through her new batch of gossip tabloids. Just a minute ago she said, "You know, I'd like to...hmmm..."
    "Take your time, Mom, describe the picture you're seeing."
    "Well, it doesn't involve much."
    "What does it involve?"
    "Oh, you know," she said, "looking around, seeing what people are doing..."
    "Ah," I said. "You want to get out and see what's going on in the world."
    "Oh, I don't care what's going on in the world. I just want to..."
    "...people watch, right?"
    "Yes...it involves that..."
    "Maybe window shopping downtown at the square?"
    "Yes...that too...and the mall..."
    "Cool. How about the places I go to do errands?"
    "Oh, I'm not interested in doing errands!"
    "What about just going with me and sitting on benches and watching people?"
    "Well, I want you to be there so we can talk about them..."
    I couldn't help grinning. Always the dedicated gossiper, that's my mom. "No problem, Mom. Now that I know you're not interested in doing errands, we'll plan other things besides errands. You know, through the fall they usually have the school bands set up at the park and give impromptu concerts."
    "Yes. That's what I'm talking about. But we don't necessarily have to go anyplace. We can sit out in our front yard and watch life go by."
    "Whoa, Mom, that's a great idea! I'll move the umbrella out front. We could eat our meals outside, if you want."
    "Yes. Exactly. We used to do that."
    "Yes. We used to. No reason why we can't do it again. Okay. We'll plan on it."
    I know, we've talked about this before, and sometimes we've done it, sometimes we haven't. But, since the weather is drying out, autumn is coming on, I felt it in the air today, and we've already agreed that I need to keep her on her feet a little more than has been true, lately (except for that one week a few weeks ago), I think there's a good chance that at least some of this will happen. She runs in seasons; just not normally predictable seasons.

    Interesting conversation earlier today, too, before nap. We were rehashing an article in her paper about the spectacular monsoon we've had. I was scouring the article for mention that this might predict a snowy winter, but couldn't find any. Instead, the article mentioned that there appears to be no correlation between monsoon activity and winter moisture. I mentioned this to Mom.
    "Well, I think we're going to have a snowy winter."
    I laughed. "Well, considering that you hate snow, I'll take your word for that. You certainly wouldn't be voicing a wish!"
    "Oh," she said, looking surprised, "but I am."
    "You mean to tell me, Mom, that you want a snowy winter, this year?!? Egad, alert the media!"
    She gave me one of those ironic grins. "Don't tell anybody I said that."
    "Why, Mom, do you suddenly want snow?"
    "Oh, I don't know. I was just thinking about our little fir trees out there [in our front yard, we have a small fir forest developing which she noticed this afternoon]. Wouldn't they look pretty with a blanket of snow on them?"
    So, this is what I'm thinking. If I can keep her walkering and eating meals out there, looking at our yard a couple of days a week, keep those fir trees appearing in her mind, maybe her forays will operate on the order of a snow dance and we'll have a Christmas Card winter all winter long! Nothing I'd love more!

    She just told me she's ready to have her legs rubbed down.
    Later.