Sunday, February 22, 2015 

Cold and snowy. Snowy and cold. Icy and cold. Cold and icy. Snowy and icy and cold. The permutations are few, yet some still speak of spring. It’s all about hope. Still, if I catch that troublesome groundhog, there will be real trouble!

Valentino refuses to go out and if he does, he stands there looking for direction from me, as I hover on the back porch. I got little sleep last night. He needed to go out and didn’t want to be there alone. I understand. I empathize. Nonetheless, after I let him out, he needs to make his own decisions about where and when to do his business.

I am grateful that we have indoor plumbing and that mom can waltz to the bathroom a half dozen times at night. She has been doing it relatively noiselessly, unless she calls, which she does nearly every night. Or at least, I hear her calling me every night. She never recalls having called me. So there’s no way to know whether I am dreaming or if she is interrupting my sleep. Still, dreams rarely awaken me. Mom usually does.

She has been singing quite a bit lately. Vicino al’mare mainly, but she doesn’t remember all the words. This hasn’t stopped her from going on for an hour or more. The other night, she nearly drove Rob crazy while I slept. He stays at the computer to do Sudoku, but her incessant singing proved a distraction.

This morning, she awoke early but is still in bed, calling every few minutes.

Sandy!

What mom?

What time is it?

It’s 7:00 am.

Oh, wake me later. Where’s Rob? (Laughing) Is he still sleeping?

Yes, mom. It’s only 7:00 am.

Wake me later, will you, because I love you. I really do. Where did you get that shirt?

Betty bought it for me.

I really like it. Wake me later, will you?

 

Seconds later:

Humming, then, Sandy!

What mom? (“Swiffering” the furniture and shutters as I go)

Why is that always moving (she points to the shutters)?

Nothing is moving, mom. It’s your eyes.

The others don’t move. Just that one.

Go back to sleep mom. It’s not moving.

Why are you always cleaning?

Because I was raised by a crazy woman and her crazy sister Vera. All they ever did was clean. And now, I’m crazy, too. Just like my cousin Karen.

Oh

It won’t be long before she calls again and before I put her in the shower, while she complains bitterly that she has already had her shower. Still, once mom gets under the warm water, she says that it feels so good.