"Where's the other person who's with us?"

Today was an adventure with my mom, it always is when I take her out because I never know what words will come out of her mouth.

The ride up 95 was pleasant with the sun shining and Christmas songs playing on every station.  My mom, she sang along with the radio and at one point, she was conducting with her hands.  She showed me how the woman at the new Senior Center moved her hands when they were singing last week.  It made her laugh out loud, which made me laugh because I had no idea what she found so funny. 

We had one of those moments that I know I'll remember long after my mom is dead.  I am predicting that when I drive in my truck around Christmas time, after my mom has died and that song "Sleigh bells ringaling, ting-ting-tingaling... we'll have a lovely sleigh ride... da da da da da.."  comes on the radio, it will remind me of my mom.  I hope I laugh instead of cry when the memory hits.

Today was a day where I made some good memories with Ma.

By the time we got up to Kittery, it was lunch time so we stopped at the Weathervane and had a grilled swordfish lunch/dinner.   We sat in the booth and my mom looks at me and says, "Where's the other person who's with us?  Aren't they coming in?"  The waiter was totally confused and said, "Oh, are you waiting for someone else?"  I replied, "No, no, it's just the 2 of us."  My mom she looks at me and says, "Really, there's only you and me?"  "Yup, just you and me Ma."  The waiter left not knowing what just happened.  I chuckled because my mom made his brain stop.

Nothing like one of my mom's hallucinations to make one's brain stop as you attempt to find the logic.  When will I ever learn, there is no logic with the demented brain.  I still haven't gotten to the point where I can play along with her imaginary visitors.   My facial expressions tell all.

Lunch was delicious.  My mom ate everything on her plate, including a baked potato.  She ate it like she was cheating, but I wanted to see if she could handle the potato now that she's on the thyroid supplement and the additional Phosphatidylcholine powder.

We had a bright idea to drive up to Sanford and check out Marden's.  It's been ages since we were up there, probably last year when I bought my fake Christmas tree for 25 bucks.  I fixed the broken string of lights and now I have an awesome tree that doesn't leave needles on the floor for the kittens to eat.  Marden's didn't have anything good, not for us anyway, not today. 

On the drive back down 95 we swung in to the Kittery Outlets and my mom bought 2 pairs of pajamas.  I left her in the Jockey store to shop on her own while I picked up under garments for my husband.  I overheard the store clerk asking my mom if he could help her.  She said yes and then I heard the guy ask her what size she needed.  I heard my mom say, "A small." 

I poked my head up from behind a counter and said to the guy, "she'll need a large."  My mom, she still thought she needed a small.  God love her.  I did convince her that buying a small would only require that we return the item and it would cause us to have to drive way up to Maine to return it.  I showed her the large and convinced her that this was the size she needs.  I told her that next year she'll be a size small which worked.  She got 2 pairs of pj's and she was happy.

As we were leaving the store, she saw gloves in a box next to the register.  She picked up a pair, didn't try them on and bought them.  I had the clerk take the tags off so that she could wear the gloves.  Note to self... make sure Josie tries stuff on first before removing the tags.  She couldn't fit her hand in the gloves.  The clerk found a pair that fit her and we were finally on our merry way.  My mom was thrilled to have a new pair of gloves and even happier that she got an extra 10% off because she's a senior.  Her gloves cost her $4.25, a bargain in her eyes.

The extra choline appears to help her find her words but she still hallucinates; mostly dead relatives.  My mom is happy and feeling great.  I just wish I could get used to her hallucinations.