Life Is Change

Peach and I went to my mother's today.  Things are moving very fast with Peach and Bob.  They will be on a plane flying to their new home halfway across the country on Tuesday, so this would be her last chance to see my mother.   And, since my mother won't travel any more, it is highly likely they will never see each other again.

Despite that kind of a downer of an emotion, what a great day we had!   (And sober, too!)

First, the two of us had a great visit in the car driving to my mother's.  She had all of her news about Bob, their new house, the move and a bunch of other things.  I filled her in on all that has been going on with the see saw back and forth with Springfield.  She felt very strongly that Springfield was where my mother needed to be and she, too (along with Scott and Mary Wise on this board yesterday) felt that she should move now and go on a waiting list for a studio apartment while she is settling in.  Peach was also pretty convincing that my mother belongs in a one bedroom.

I also had received an e-mail from Ed, who had checked with a friend of his who works with Hospice and her recommendation was that of all the facilities like this, Springfield is the best of the lot.

We got to my mothers and I called Denise, another cousin, the one who had recommended Springfield in the first place.  Denise isn't really a cousin but whatever you call the daughter of your cousin.  She is our late cousin Shirley's daughter, but Shirley was one of the oldest of my cousins, so old enough to actually be a first cousin.  She works in Petaluma and was going to have lunch with us, so she chose a restaurant and a time to meet.

Amy called from Springfield.  She and I talked a bit and I finally decided...screw it.  We're going to do this anyway, we might as well do it now, so I made an appointment to sign the contract on Wednesday.  I also said we would stop by in the early afternoon today so Peach could see the place.

We drove up to Petaluma and met Niecie at McNear's restaurant, which appears to have been a theater at some time.

We had an insanely delicious lunch and I took a picture of the little group.

"This is our family reunion," said Niecie.

Peach showed pictures of the house she and Bob will be renting and told us all about the timetable she has left...she's going to totally collapse when this is all finished, I would not be surprised.

Then we went off to Springfield to meet Amy (who is as charming and pleasant as Scott) and show Peach around.  Niecie, who is a hairdresser by profession and gardener by avocation already has great plans for planting a garden in my mother's little patio area so it's already growing by the time she moves in, which will make this just wonderful for her, since she is already missing the thought of "gardening."

I had Amy take a group picture near the area where they have happy hour every week, where they do puzzles, play card games, and have concerts.  Amy, it turns out, plays the piano and was a music major in college.  (We may be able to convince Jeri to join with her in piano-clarinet duets for the residents at some point.)

"THIS is our family reunion," says me!!!

Amy gave us each a copy of the place's newsletter and monthly calendar.  You can see how excited my mother is to be reading all the activities she can choose to participate in.  LOL.

It is fun to watch her at Springfield, though. There are "sparks" of interest and while I know this isn't going to be smooth sailing, I think she is starting to think it might not be all that bad.

We finally said goodbye to Niecie and the rest of us went back to my mother's for another hour.  She and Peach had a visit while I did some grocery shopping, since my mother's back was hurting too much to think of going to the store.

And then it was time to say goodbye.  No tears.  Plans for telephone chats, Skype chats (if I can find wifi near Springfield)

AND, I want to fly to Iowa in June for Peach & Bob's 55th anniversary.  They want to renew their vows at "The Little Brown Church in the Vale," which is in Bradford, Iowa, just a couple of miles from where they will be living.

I was their maid of honor at their first wedding 55 yrs ago and I asked her if she wanted a matron of honor at her vows renewal.  She was thrilled.   It will also give me a chance to say goodbye to Bob.  Their schedule between now and the time they leave is so crazy, there really isn't time for me to do it before then...besides MY schedule is crazy too.  I have been in the Bay Area every day for the past four days and am NOT going there tomorrow, but will drive to Sacramento for lunch with a friend.  Then back to my mother's on Wednesday to sign the contract, work at Logos on Thursday and back to my mother's again on Friday to take her to an eye doctor.

So no way to squeeze Bob in, even if he and Peach had the time, which they don't. 

My mother's new mantra, repeated often these days is "Well...life is change."  It certain appears that this is an era of change for all of us.