Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 8:39 am
Thanksgiving 2023
My friend/former mother-in-law is doing worse with her Alzheimer's. Less and less able to understand direction or know what to do on her own. She and her husband were in the backseat of a car. When we got to our destination, he got out and she said, "What do you want me to do?" He told her she needed to get out of the car. "Where? Do you want me to come over there?" and she scooted across to his door. But she knows us all and can listen and laugh and be happy. I know fake pets or baby dolls are good for folks like her. She had a sweet little teddy bear that she was taking on after and straightening his ears and talking to him a lot. That was new.
We had seven at the table for lunch. The three of us, his son and his husband and another good friend, and a woman that used to live in their neighborhood that is single and about my age. I had met everyone before and it was very easy to be with them all. My father-in-law made a fabulous turkey meal without any help from any of us. I would like to be helpful and I guess I did help saute some celery, but he did most everything. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato pie.
The three of us watched the Cowboys game and were barely keeping our eyes open by the end. I made myself TRY to stay awake until 9 p.m. so I wouldn't be awake in the night. I didn't even make that. I was asleep at least by 5 until 9 and slept solid until 7:30 in the morning. Tryptophan!
Yesterday we had leftovers for lunch and we watched a lot of TV news and sat out on the porch a little while and then I headed home. It was bright and the fall leaves were beautiful. The drive to Tyler had been crowded and a constant vigilant struggle without ever getting to use cruise control. Yesterday it was an easy drive with cruise control right on the speed limit. Just a few slow downs here and there, but pretty easy trip and then a good nap yesterday afternoon.
Last night was the Texas game with a big win. And then... I guess I can't be trusted with fire anymore... The cats made me get up and feed them at 5 a.m. I came around the corner and wondered what I was seeing. I left two candles burning on the coffee table! They were fine, but might not have been. And I'd left the gas logs fire burning, too! What was I thinking?
As soon as I get my act together this morning I'm going to go see my old friend that I reacquainted with, let's call her Zee. She's dogsitting at a cool old mid-century modern house and wants me to see it. This will be fun. No idea how much day I'll have left afterward, but I will get more of this Christmas mess arranged and sorted.
And just for my memory in the future. Sister, her husband, son#1 and his wife came for Thanksgiving at their house and later a couple of friends came to watch the game and the kids left. Son #2 had his family and his wife's two sisters, one from Ohio, with their husbands and one baby all at his house for fried turkey.
We missed Mother, but she hadn't been with us on Thanksgiving the last couple of years anyway, so it wasn't the "absent chair" like it was when Daddy was in the hospital before he died. We were all fine.