...we got a poem from Mom!
Simply the best.
Each year recently, Mom frets that she might not have another poem in her to send us off on our journeys. Still, every year, one arrives in the mail. She said inspiration strikes suddenly; this year she was on her way to lunch when it did. No problem, she just grabbed a napkin and a pen and jotted this down. She’s a wonder.
When Mom first moved into her apartment at a retirement community, a family friend predicted she’d be running the place in three months. Well, it's taken three years, but his prediction proved true this year when Mom was chosen president of the Residents Council. I don’t know when she’ll have time to carry out her duties though; I can never reach her by phone as it is. Between walking a mile and a half every day, riding a recumbent bike a mile and a half three times a week, organizing the pinochle club, leading the rosary and the residents’ choir, participating in every trivia activity that's offered, serving as the community welcome wagon and posing for marketing photos and videos, she’s the busiest 87 year old I know.
When I visited this year, Mom strong armed asked me to do a presentation on our past several years of travels. I was worried about how I would be received; they pre-empted bingo for my talk, and, just as on cruise ships, bingo is serious business. Thankfully, there were no protests, and I spoke about the highlights of French Polynesia, Easter Island, the Mediterranean, Australia and New Zealand for nearly an hour to a rapt audience, allowing my photos lead my discussion.
I guess it went well; I’ve already been recruited to return next year to talk about our trip around the world.
And this time Mom won’t even have to strong arm me ask.
Simply the best.
