August visit

made a surprise trip down to the valley on sunday. i went back & forth about going for a few days & didn't really make the decision until that morning; part of it was i was worried about the heat, part of it had to do with family drama...

main pieces of the puzzle came together & Z & I headed down to my mom's, picked her up then made the drive. i was worried about how things would be, since our return things haven't been that great, but i guess the big picture was she wanted to see nana [& that's a good thing, so no complaints here].

we made it to nana's about 1:30. she's doing alright for being on the cusp of 90. still wobbling around on her cane, but not using a walker. still trying to get by without her hearing aide & missing pertinent pieces of a conversation. oh well, she saw us, we saw her, that was the important part.

i also snuck in a visit with some hs buddies [the true inspiration for the trip]. i was an hour late for their reunion planning meeting, so that attempt was futile, but at least i got to see everyone & spend a few hours visiting with them as well. it really is unbelievable that 20 years have past since i've seen a few of those girls, seriously IMPOSSIBLE!

when i returned to get my mom & Z, nana made sure to repeat herself [& i'm pretty sure this time it wasn't a memory slip, but more of making a point] to tell me....ok...i've got to say this really fast so i don't cry......she told me tobesureicamebacksoontogetmysewingmachine......whaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

did you get that?
so nana has this singer sewing machine that's super old, it's got a wooden top that flips over & hides the machine when it's not in use & it doesn't have a peddle it has an entire little platform thingy to make it run & it has a leather belt connecting the platform thingy to the machine part to make it run.
haha, found a pic HERE
i can not even begin to tell you how much i played with that thing when i was kid!! for some reason, that platform was just the best toy ever!

so yeah, nana told me she wants me to take it. she knows i've always wanted it, that no one else has any interest in it at all, but that if i don't take it asap someone will.
death is ugly.
and immanent.
she's still spry & pretty with it...but dang, 90, she knows she isn't going to be around forever.

alright stop crying!
bunch of pansies!

well, to end this on a brighter note, after leaving nana's we went to visit cousin C & her baby. well, he's 2 1/2 now, not much of a baby. they're doing fine & we had a nice little visit with them. then it was time to fly so mom was home by 8.

when i got home i told B about what nana said & we agreed, now that we're here we will definitely make an effort to visit her more often & next time we'll take the truck so i can bring her sewing machine home with me.