It's a Gregorious Life

Saturday and Sunday

Drove to Richmond yesterday in about 4 1.2 hours. Drake did the ride pretty well and was ok once he met everyone.

We all went out to eat (Drake stayed at the house) and called mom on the way about 645. She sounded really good on the speakerphone. She said Batchie's preacher Huffstetler and his assistant Jonathon had been by to see her. She also said someone from Temple had been by but the way I heard it she was not in the room when they were there.

Terry and I left at 1215 today and got back at 445, that was after 2 stops so we made good time. Drake was the perfect puppy. Mom was in the dining room looking very spry waiting on her food. Her hairs looked like they had just been fixed.

I  left Terry with her and took Drake home then went back and took Terry some bbq for supper. Mandy had already been to see mom once today and was coming to get Terry later.

Mom said Tim and Michelle had stopped by earlier. She said they told her they had so many people trying to get into church that they had to turn them away. Mom said "that sounds strange. I think I would have at least let them stand at the door outside or something." It was probably a fire department regulation.

I left her and Terry there about 645 having a good talk. David and Pat were on their way in to see her. I passed them in the hall and spoke a while. They had her laundry with them.

Thanksgiving 2011

Mom had a good day. David picked her up in her car about 1130. I got over to David and Pats about 1205. We started lunch about 1250.

There was mom, David and Pat, Tim and Michelle,Nelson,  Erin and Jeffery and Maggie and Brewer, and Justin joined us later.

The food was great and we all had a good time laughing and reconnecting. Mom loved having the kids around. She doesn't hear well so as David was saying the prayer mom was asking to go wash her hands.Erin showed us Brewer's chocolate cake recipe. Nelson used Facetime for the first time to have a video conversation with his son in another city.

After all the food and desserts we stayed in the living room until Tim and Michelle and Justin and Nelson left about 5. It was about 530 when I left, and David and Pat took mom back about that time.

I went over to say goodnight a little before 7. She had her gown on and a glow on her face. She had a good day. One of those that you wish could be like every day.

When I got home I discovered this was one of MIsha and Drakes love-hate days. Of all places, she had thrown up on a book about his breed.

 

Thursday

Called mom about 330 after visiting Briad Veil Falls but didn't get an answer. It is in the Nantahala National Forest. I took several pics up there today on my first day out.

I called again about 830 and she said David and Pat had been there. She said she played bingo this afternoon and won a quarter then went to sleep.

I told her that was the price of success.

I also mentioned that Drake and I had been out back in the fenced in yard and heard two gunshots. He barked after the second on and we high-tailed it back to the house. He looks like a little deer so I didn't want us to end up in the obits. Speaking of which, I took a photo of a nearby cemetery and when I zoomed it all of the headstones except one said "GREGORY." Weird!!

Thursday

Called mom about 330 after visiting Briad Veil Falls but didn't get an answer. It is in the Nantahala National Forest. I took several pics up there today on my first day out.

I called again about 830 and she said David and Pat had been there. She said she played bingo this afternoon and won a quarter then went to sleep.

I told her that was the price of success.

I also mentioned that Drake and I had been out back in the fenced in yard and heard two gunshots. He barked after the second on and we high-tailed it back to the house. He looks like a little deer so I didn't want us to end up in the obits. Speaking of which, I took a photo of a nearby cemetery and when I zoomed it all of the headstones except one said "GREGORY." Weird!!

Sunday

The weekend excitement here in the 28054 just continues to boil, with this being the most exciting weekend I can remember since my favorite writer Eudora Welty released "Why I Live at the P.O.", and I wasn't even alive back then.

There was the getaway of Friday, Tim on Saturday, and today was another good one for mom. David went over mid aternoon and took her one of those pecan nut blizzards she likes. They sat out back in the sun. I went over with Drake at 530 and Mr. Carpenter came outside and got moms contact information because his mom is leaving for home on Thursday.

He went back inside and a short time later Terry called. She had been trying to reach mom to tell her she had gotten to Hilton Head ok but could never catch her in her room. So I handed the phone to mom and she got to talk to Terry, Melody and her kids.

Not too long after that Pat drove up in the Miata after just getting back from a trip with Dr. Light to see her daughter play tennis in a tournament. As I write all of this right now I am actually beginning to see how boring my own life really is.

No I didn't say that. Then came the crown jewel. Erin and Jeffery and Maggie and Brewer came walking up, stopping by as a surprise to see mom on their way home from the mountains to Wilmington. It was a big surprise for mom. I left about 730 and they were all still out on the porch. So mom had one of the most exciting weekends in a long time!

Sunday

I picked up mom at 1230. She was in the room getting her purse and things together. She said she had on Charlie. We stopped at Bojangles on the way home and got some coffee and tea.

At home lunch was ready. We had green beans, mashed potatoes, garlic rubbed pork tenderloin, and rolls. Then she had a brownie with vanilla ice cream for dessert and had her coffee.

She said it was good but I told her it was pitiful payback for all the wonderful meals she had fixed us. Drake ate his lunch and gave mom a quick lick on her little finger which gave her a thrill. She should be because he rarely licks.

Terry had called just as we walked in the door and wanted to have a video chat on Skype with mom and Marianne so mom could see the new baby, so I called her back once we were finished.

Terry told mom she's reading a book about a woman who was in a similar situation as moms and after 8 years she was able to walk again. Mom said she was running out of time. I told her she already had 3 down. I just now realized as I was typing this that the other day was the fifth anniversary of her stroke.

We had a good video and mom got to talk to Terry and Marianne and Matt and to see Anabelle really well. We all talked about 24 minutes, then Matt and Marianne were off to get some clothes for a photo shoot tomorrow with the baby. She had emailed me a lot of photos the other day so after the chat mom and I looked at them fullscreen. They were really good.

Terry asked if we had read the diary yet so we did that after we disconnected. I said let's go to Tuesday June 10th. "It's July" mom quickly snapped. Oh yeah I said.  We ready about a weeks worth. The last entry we read mom said that dad had her worried. He wasn't dad back then though of course. She has a good memory, recounting what initials stood for whom, what a dream was about, etc.

We left the house about 420 after sitting outside on the deck a little while in the sun. Well, she did. Drake and I stayed in the shade. Mom dozed off a little. We went by the gravesite on the way back. The flags were still there as were the flowers.

It was 5pm when we drove back up at the facility. Mom went in to eat, and didn't come out until almost 45 minutes later. I told her if I'd known she would be that long I would have stayed in the room because of the heat. "You know I can't rush" she said. I told her I knew that, I was just saying.

We stayed out there and David and Pat walked up about 7. The heat had really done me in by then so I left after a few minutes.