History and Hysteria

Today's title brought to you as homage to Blackadder III.

Our sainted mother (OSM) leaves tomorrow morning. I spent the day packing up some clothes, one of her ancient photo albums (the front is embroidered with the words "One Touch," which my sister and I said meant that "one touch, and all the photos fall out.") and some of her favorite food items.

We had lunch with one of my mom's friends, Auntie Eva. Not a relative, but one of those venerable ladies that have seen my mom through some tough times in her life. I took them both to lunch, and Auntie Eva caught me up on the doings of all her family, her grandkids and their kids. Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle, this woman practically needs an entire phonebook to track her relatives! She's generous, warm and funny, and is one of my favorite aunties (not the least reason is that when she used to visit us, she'd bring us a box of pastries because she knew mom couldn't afford them...and even today, she brought us a box of mochi and a goodie bag of local treats for me...this woman is a saint in her own right).

My mother is a manipulative woman; I get my tendencies thusward from her. She convinced Auntie Eva to drive us to the doctor (whose receptionist, upon learning that OSM is leaving the state, hit me up for the balance on OSM's account...and they only take cash, which I unfortunately happened to have enough of on me), to lunch and then to the pharmacy to pick up her prescriptions.

I looked over all of OSM's treasures and trash, trying to decide what's got to go with her tomorrow and what can be discarded forever. I wish I'd brought my digital camera so I could at least eBay some of her things to get some money for her. But alas, it's all going to go to some lucky Goodwill shopper.

Is it really only 18:20 here? It feels like the longest day ever. I'm already tired of looking at all those boxes and piles in OSM's apartment. She keeps telling everyone she's going to come back, and I've been going around after her explaining that no, she's not. Everyone's already told her she should go. I hope she goes along docilely tomorrow morning and doesn't disappear between flights.