Mommy Dearest

For the last three weeks Jane and I have been caring for my mother. It's not that she needs someone to look after her, it's just that we were in Topeka for almost two weeks preparing for and celebrating her 80th birthday. Then we brought her home with us for about 10 days. This past Monday I drove to Oakley, Kansas, where my brother met me and I gave him my passenger. Mom. He took her back home to Topeka.

When mom is with us she's usually pretty low maintenance. She goes to bed early (now that I have a TV in her room) and she sleeps late. She doesn't eat much and her demands are few. But Jane and I like to treat her to some special activities that she doesn't get to do back in Kansas.

Just about five miles from our home is the entrance to Pike's Peak. At the foot of that road is a tourist trap/Amusement Park called The North Pole. Naturally it's built around the Christmas theme featuring everything from Santa on duty every day to an actual frozen pillar of ice functioning as that mythical spot....since the north pole isn't and never has been found in Cascade, Colorado.

And the best part? Admission is free to persons over 60. Bingo! All three of us walked in without dropping a dime. Now, I'll admit that we weren't interested in many of the rides, but we did venture on a few. Mom was more interested in the gift shops, which make up the majority of the park. And yes, she found several treasures to take home with her.

But here's what I noticed. My 80 year old mother is 4'10" tall. She's SHORT! trying to get her on the rides was sometimes a challenge. Then I realized that I had been facing the same challenge everytime I'd helped her get into my Escalade. She's SHORT. And then when my brother arrived to pick her up, he arrived in his Avalanche. Thank God for running boards.

Come on mom. They're holding the train for us.

Hop up in there mom

Hurry mom! there's a car behind us.

I guess it's something we all have to look forward to....if we live long enough.

And then I'm driving home and I run up behind this character.

Look closely. That's right. He's got a pair of crutches strapped to the back of his MOTORCYCLE. Either he's alredy hurt or hes anticipating problems. Life is always interesting. Laugh Often, Love Deeply, Shine Brightly.