We SHOPPED until We DROPPED!!

It has been a long day. Fridays are the only mornings we MUST get up! We were in Fort Worth and had Mother at the beauty shop by 9:58! Louis Dean and I have been so tired working on this bathroom we decided to go back to my sister's house and REST til Mother's hair was done. LD went one better than that. He stayed there asleep on the couch while I picked Mother up. He needed the rest. She and I ate at The Red Lobster......always ordering the same thing. Shrimp Salad and Clam Chowder Combo. She gets the chowder and I eat the salad. It is the perfect amount of food and we were both FULL!

Then on to Macy's!

I am sure Mother misses getting to shop like she used to before she had a stroke. We walked in and Mother made me understand she knew exactly where we were! She then proceeded to march us straight to the back of the store without getting anywhere near where she wanted to be! When a sales lady asked what department we were looking for Mother began telling her and of course she couldn't understand what she was saying! Finally Mother pulled the neckline of her blouse over to reveal a bra strap! Ah, YES! the Lingerie is on the second floor! She directed us to the elevator. We stepped off in the furniture displays. After wondering around that area we discovered the BRAS! Then we had to find 'Bali'.....Mother saw a big sign and made me understand THAT was the brand she wanted. We looked at bras and silky pajamas.....and then MORE of the same. It was finally time to try them on and she had the opportunity to sit down for a bit in the dressing room. We took our time since we were tired. She finally chose ONE of the bras and since she wanted THREE and it was buy two get one free......she bought three of the SAME! Works for her!

Now Mother had TWO checks and TWO stores she wanted to shop. However, she wanted slippers and sox as well as the lingerie at Macy's. Slippers and sox were on the FIRST floor! We journeyed back downstairs, found what she wanted and made it back UP stairs again. First check SPENT!

 Mother spied a mall entrance so we headed that direction for a Bath and Body Works. The thing is.....we were on the upper level and the other shop was on the lower. I didn't see an elevator but DID see some very long and steep flights of stairs. We went back into Macy's in order to get to the bottom floor. Mother knew just what she wanted at Bath and Body Works. Three tubes of the Warm Vanilla Sugar Lotion. Second check SPENT! One more stop at CVS and we were back at Nita's!

Mother was tired and her poor ankles were swollen horribly......but she had everything she wanted except one item. I'll find that for her before next Friday. I will also hem her pajamas next week and she will be in good shape! Even though Mother can no longer speak clearly she continues to be a great communicator. She cut out the name on the box of an over the counter medicine she was running low on and handed it to me so I would know what she wanted to get. I said, "Mother, can you SAY that?" She tried and, NO, she couldn't. Then she looked at me and said as clear as a bell, "See? I told you I couldn't say that word!" We laugh so much on our Fridays together!

One sister takes her to the doctor visits and handles her fiances and Mother lives with the other sister. We are all glad we are not an only child. It takes us all!

My mother is an amazing woman! When she suffered a stroke 5 1/2 years ago, a nurse told me Mother would never be who she once was. They did not think she would ever speak clearly (and they were right about that) or feed herself or dress herself. They did not know my mother! She is pretty self sufficient, knows her own mind and has a wonderful sense of humor. Every Friday (nearly) she and I make memories together.

Now what shall we do NEXT week? Oh, yes......we are going to take a drive through some of our old neighborhoods!