Gossip...

My mother at a much better time. I love this picture, as it shows her spirit and warmth and kick ass smile.

Since taking Mom anywhere has become such a difficult thing to manage, I try to limit driving Miss Lynne to fun things, such as lunch or scenic drives and an ice cream cone. My sister will take her to get her nails done, but I sort of like doing them in her room. Now take into account the fact that she always had them done regularly, and they were 'fake' (built up) so they always looked nice. I, on the other hand, haven't done my own nails since before most of you were born, so doing Mom's requires skills I simply do not possess. I am getting better though, and only snip off the end of her finger once in a great while... (ouch!).

What we DO while I do her nails is gossip. Well, I gossip, since Mom can't talk, and she listens and makes the appropriately shocked or pleased noises as she can. Sometimes even when they're warranted!

I adopt the "getting your nails done girls night out dish the dirt" kind of gossipy tone and start talking about whatever has happened recently: The Brad/Jennifer/Angelina play, the bennifers, all kinds of ripely exaggerated gossip until we both laugh, each for a different reason.... and it's a good day even if I HAVE nipped the edge of her finger with the clippers, and her manicure looks rather as if it's been done by a giraffe... a good day...

I miss my mother a great deal...

me