Mother Mother

I was so excited to pick up  my mom on the night of November 3 to begin two whole weeks with her!

We took her to the Arnold Arboretum and the outlets at Kittery, Maine.  Naturally, she found some great bargains at the latter.  She really enjoyed taking little AC to playgroup with me, especially since she could watch her through the two-way mirror.

Unfortunately, the Sunday after she arrived, my stepdad called to tell her that he wasn't feeling well.  (Many of you know that I really do not care for my stepdad and only tolerate him for my mother's sake. Big AC and 99% of my mom's family feel the same way.)  Then Monday he called to inform her he had been hospitalized and then released later that day.  The next day I overheard her telling big AC that she might ask me to find a flight back before her scheduled departure on the 17th. Thankfully, things seemed to get better, so we kept going, despite the cold rainy weather. I even braved The Christmas Tree Shops with her (it's like Big Lots, from what I understand) and she "only" took 1.5 hours!

Alas, any good time needs to be ruined by my stepdad. (That's why I do not look forward to the Xmas holidays at all.  He ruined so many of them when I was growing up.)   He called her late Thursday night and told her that he tried to go to Safeway but instead got really bummed out and sat on someone's stoop and cried and cried.  And that he felt hot and cold.  Naturally, my mom freaked out and asked me Friday morning to find the first flight back for her.  After a day at Jamaica Pond, feeding ducks and geese, we took her back to Logan Airport, five days before her original scheduled departure date.  (My cousin texted me to assure me she'd picked up my mom at SFO, and that she saw my stepdad--he didn't look good at all, and it may be a prostate issue.)

To console ourselves, we drove from Logan to Quincy, where I'd found a -- gasp! -- Filipino restaurant.  I didn't think there would be much for me to eat, but the pancit, steamed rice, and FAT veggie lumpia (see image below) totally hit the spot.  Who woulda thunk Filipino food would be our comfort food in BOSTON?!

Poor little AC was so confused.  She cried and cried when my mom walked to security, and keeps asking for her.  I am not only sad that she had to leave so soon, I am feeling homesick all over again.  It's cold, already in the 40s, and there isn't much sunshine.  

At this point, I'm considering renaming this blog "Cry Me a (Charles) River."