Once we got Mom settled into her bedroom in our new home, I was determined to do everything I could to help her adjust to her new living situation. Her eagerly anticipating the move over the past few years certainly helped. She would often boast to her sister Eleanor that she's going to live with her daughter and son-in-law in Hawaii any time now. Having to recover from a fall, her plans were put on hold. Mom spent a couple of months in a rehab facility in Maryland before moving to her new home with us in Pennsylvania (no, not Hawaii).
After just a few short weeks in the rehab facility she demanded to be released immediately. This frustration made her anticipate her move to a new place all the more. Wisely we kept her bedroom furniture and dining room china cabinet. We arranged her bedroom furniture in her new room the same way she had it setup in Maryland.
After getting Mom settled in it was time for her to contact her older sister, Eleanor. At the golden age of 91, Aunt Eleanor still gets around, traveling from her home in Virginia to South Carolina and Maryland regularly. Anxious to find out how her little sister was getting along in her new home, she makes a long distance call to PA.
Their initial greetings and banter is a total riot. "You know I haven't heard from you in weeks." Aunt Eleanor insists, "Ellie, (Eleanor's nickname) I just talked to you yesterday.", Mom replies "No, you didn't Annie Jo. I called you yesterday but you didn't pick up the phone." "Eleanor!" Mom seldom calls her sister Eleanor unless she's about to make an emphatic argument to end all arguments and not to be questioned again. "We definitely talked yesterday, but I was eating my lunch and I told you I would call you back." Now Aunt Eleanor and I both know that this conversation never occurred, but Auntie realizes it's pointless to argue any further. Sissy has once again closed the books on the case. And when Mom closes the books on a case there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Finally, we get to move on to a different subject. "How have you been Sis?" Aunt Eleanor asks. "Thank God, I've been doing very well!" Mom replies. "I'm so glad that I can still get around, I am blessed and so very thankful!" Understand that my mother can make a horrible episode sound like a blessing from the Lord. She has a way of sharpening her tone of voice and speaking with such confidence that even the most skeptical person will think she is speaking the holy truth. "Well that's really good!" Auntie replies.
Sooner or later the focus will be on family gossip and more sisterly banter. Normally Mom would be a bit miffed from hearing about events she may have missed, but lately she has not been perturbed in the least. She's come to value her solitude. The conversation continues to go smoothly. But that may very well be the quiet before the coming storm...
