Saturday, February 13, 2010

Road Trip

I am concerned about my Mom. She was not all that well last week when we visited for the monthly Birthday celebrations. She has pulled a lower back muscle doing what all independent 82 year old women do, picking up 25 pound (her estimate) boxes and sweeping snow from the back porch because the birds are all lined up waiting for their morning cup full of bird feed.

Since I am so overwhelmed with working a 40 hour job and then an additional 15 hours at Biscuit Bucket, I am unable to hop up to Lexington so much. When I do and the time between visits is elongated, I am in somewhat of shock at how my Mother is aging. Its rapid.

Dad has been gone for two years now. Incredible how time passes by so quickly. I'm certain Mom is painfully aware of each day that passes. What is so beautiful is that Dad is sort of hanging around the house with her. His spirit is everywhere. She breaks out her box of chocolates each night and eats his piece for him. She does not drink his "toddy" at cocktail hour thought. She draws the line somewhere. But, his presence is every where. Everyday I miss him in all sorts of ways. Driving in the snow and hazardous weather conditions always brings to mind, all those years ago, when he taught me to drive. His instructions ring clear in my head today, as if he were in the seat next to me.

So, I go see my Mom today.

Friday, February 12, 2010

I've been away too long......

Well, I have a new job and like much of everything in life, it is not what I expected. Nor is it what I was told to expect. After the initial shock of realizing I was starting over, at the bottom, with a salary that does not even rival what I made 20 years ago (because I had a company car, a bonus structure and a gas card for God's sake)and fighting back the tears...I am trying to make the best of it.

After all, it's better than pushing retail frou-frou at people who wander into a Country style restaurant.

Wait! I'm still doing that. Why? First, because I actually enjoy retail and secondly, after two years of not working I frankly need the money.

And so, I promise myself to dust off the funny, and the dark, and the boring, and the silly, and the confessional aspects of my fertile bubbly seven pounds of goo commonly known as my brain and commit to resurrecting Alpha.

Why? Because I miss her.