Quick mom blog

Mom's mostly in good spirits, and whatever comments she can't help making, she's making constructively (as her comments go). For example, she pointed out that I'm quite Type A but added that that was okay. Also, in lieu of "you're fat," I got "that dress doesn't flatter you. I can't tell you're thin when you wear it."

The upside of her decreased mobility is that she hasn't been able to hit the discount stores, so the house is less cluttered by six weeks less shopping opportunity. Still, I wish my dad would seize the opportunity of her taking more time to rest to take more time on his part to throw $hit out.

A lot of what she does to excess is just an extension of what she's always done, but now I have a better reason to be patient about it. So when she talks to me while I'm reading or lifting weights, I actually stop what I'm doing and listen instead of asking her to wait until I'm done. This actually does pain me, as any introvert will understand: lifting is my quiet time and I don't want to talk or listen to anyone while I'm doing it. She also tells the same stories over and over and over again--she's always done so--and moralizes over and over and over again. And she tells stories inefficiently and ineffectively. I don't mean (only) that it takes her longer to tell them; I mean that they're all over the place so I can't actually follow what she's talking about. She just told me about a short story that she'd read ages ago, but it wasn't until she was done that it was clear that it was a short story and not a news story. And, as always, she gets caught up in unnecessary details ("was it just one person? maybe it was two? it doesn't matter. But I think it was two people. No, maybe it was one.") Dad pointed out that she's always done it and now it's just worse. True, true.

Last night, I came back from a walk with Jay and his bf to find Fox News blaring on two different TVs at the same time. This is an affliction shared by both parents, but mom is more prone to venomous political rants. I do my best to tune her out.

So that's where we are.