Bridging the Gap

Unfortunately, Mom got pretty much ignored today as I was in and out doing some last minute Christmas errands and Joe has been in his office all day except for tending to our poor Haley who is three days out of surgery to repair the tendon in her right rear knee. Mom stayed at her end of the dining room table with all of her crafts and worked industriously and quietly. Julie was out as was Erin who drove to Waco with Stacey and kids in search of a Baylor polo shirt for Eli.

This evening as I held Haley on my lap while reading a book, mom came into the bedroom and sat on the sofa beside me to comfort Haley and to say that she had received more mail - Christmas cards. She could not remember who the mail was from except the one from "my David" with a picture. After she went to retrieve the new mail along with the ones she received the other day, we did the "who is it from" drill. I started with the one from Judy. Not a clue who that was, not even when I mentioned Joey. I told mom that Judy is her sister. Then I read the one from Dolly. Not a clue. I advised her that Dolly is Judy's sister. Puzzled look. Explanation: "Judy and Dolly are your sisters." "My sisters? Puzzled look. No connection.

I went to the card from David with a picture of him and Sherriann at their wedding holding Dominic, his new, first and only grandchild. Mom knew it was a picture of David and his new wife and their new son. Several simple explanations later about it being his grandson, "Pam's baby" - confusion - "Pam - your granddaughter in Ohio, Matthew, your grandson's sister - Matthew and Pam who lived down the street from you on Thayer Ave. - Pam had a baby" - NOTHING.

Then the card from Betty and Beth and trying to trigger something with "the family who lived in the house behind the mission where we used to go to church." AHA! Yes! Beth was at her birthday party!

The last card was from Ray and Becky (Joe's sister whom she has known since before I knew Joe). The card had a picture of a covered bridge on it. I asked her if the bridge looked familiar and Mom said yes, she knew the bridge. Not sure that she did, but by this time she was so confused she was agreeing with anything. But Mom did remember that she had a picture of a covered bridge that someone had painted and yes, I told her that Ray had painted the picture for her. No other glimmer, just the covered bridge.

And that's where we are today. She wants to send Christmas cards too, so I promised to work on that with her tomorrow. We also talked about getting up early to go to daily mass at St. Ann's. I'll let you know how that goes. THAT she'll probably remember and be up and dressed at 5:00! I did get a mention in about getting her hair cut - "no way." I'll keep trying.