telephone conversation

Mom: How have you been?
A.: Pretty good. What about you?
Mom: Overall, good, but I've recently been finding it painful to walk. Everything else is great-- I bought a new tv...
A.: Have you seen a doctor about finding it painful to walk?
Mom: No, I'm going to deal with it myself first. See, the small tv in the kitchen broke...
A.: How long has this been going on?
Dad: I agree that she should see a doctor.
Mom: A doctor would just tell me to wear orthopedic shoes, and orthopedic shoes are so ugly.

I did not make any comments about mom's existing comfortable shoes, nor did I point out that Crocs, for which she has shopped, are the definition of hideous (given the choice between wearing Crocs on my feet and carrying a He-Man thermos, I'd opt for the latter).

Mom: Anyway, I suppose I could have tried to fix it, but I just couldn't figure it out, so I just decided to get a new one. I need a tv in the kitchen.

Mom proceeds to talk about the tv for a few minutes.

Mom: Are you still riding to work?
A.: I haven't over the last couple of days, because I've had a cold.
Mom: A cold? How did you get that?
A.: I'm not sure. It's pretty mild, though.

Has mom always been bewildered by easily explained things, like seasonal colds and 4th of July parties that start a few hours before the fireworks? (See last week's blog.)

Mom: Are you going to Oklahoma?
A.: I don't know, it's still up in the air. I'll let you know when I have more details.

This, too, has been going on for years. Mom asks me about upcoming business travel; I tell her it's likely but I don't have details. I'm no happier than she is about not really being able to plan ahead, but that's just the way it is. My supervisor opted out of a trip to the west coast with her family because she, too, is unsure of when we'll be traveling for work (and, I suppose, what in general will be going on with work). The where/when exchanges with mom got old a while ago; I don't understand how they haven't gotten old for her. If I give her any details, she acts upset that I haven't told her before and presses for more details (when, a few weeks ago, I said we might be going to Oklahoma, she asked why I hadn't told her before). Of course, my not having information has never been a reason for mom to stop asking more questions, to which I couldn't possibly know the answers.

Mom: When would you go?
A.: I don't know. I will tell you when I have more details.
Mom: It's probably hot there.
A.: It's hot here, too.

A.: Oh, I sent you all some China pictures...
Dad: When? We haven't gotten anything...
A.: I sent actual photos, by snail mail.
Mom: I don't understand... are they on a CD, or DVD, or...
A.: They are printed photos. On paper.
Mom: Why?
A.: Because I'd ordered some for myself and have found them nice to have, and thought you might like some.

It takes a little bit more explaining before the confusion subsides.

The pictures I sent are mostly family photos. I don't think we're all three together in any of them, but there are quite a few of my parents,
and some of me with one of my parents. There is also that one of me with the hippopotamus, which I think is hilarious. He/she was so friendly, just swam up and wanted to play.

The pictures bring back a lot of great memories from the trip, even though it was full of drama and some stress. It's good to remember the fun stuff, so I just thought I'd share.