I Stand Accused

By my Sissy La La. And luckily I stood up for myself, defended against the emotional and moral judgement set upon me on Saturday.

Amy and I set out about 11.30am to transport Uncle Bob from Maple Valley to the Issaquah skilled care nursing facility. Uncle Bob needed a bit more rehab from his ailments and hospitalizations of late. We knew it would take a while.

"Amy can you find this?"
"Wendy can I have another cup of coffee?"
"Julie where did you put this..."

I don't really recall the segue as to how Amy brought up "my charge." But it went something like this.

"Wendy do you remember what you did to me to make a scar on my face? I don't remember how it happened but I have this scar on my chin."

"Amy, I don't think it is a scar."

"Well, it is really deep and I don't remember getting hurt as a kid."

"I have a feeling I know exactly what it is from. I think I have one that is really similar. Right here, on my face to the right of my chin."

Amy looks up from what's she doing and confirms that yes that's about where it is on her face.

"I hate to tell you this, but um, yeah, it isn't a scar. It's a wrinkle."

Amy screams, "ahh." Julie busts out laughing. Uncle Bob chuckles away on his hospital bed. The ice is broken a bit. Laughter was definately in order.

Cut to t minus 6 hours later.

Hopping down a different bunny trail for a moment... after Amy and I had a 9 hour event with Uncle Bob on Saturday and Mom had a 7 hour event today with Uncle Bob, there is a newly formed verb in this world. When your day gets away from you and you don't get everything done, you've been "unkiebobbed." I will definately use this verb along with my "practicing avoidance behavior." Yes, I tend to proscrastinate. And when I do, I overachieve "practicing avoidance behavior."

But I digress...t minus 6 hours later, Amy and I are organizing Uncle Bob's things in the nursing facility room. A little tight on the space as the wardrobe is directly behind the vanity area. Lighting is good. I pause and smile and inspect my own "childhood scar" in the vanity mirror.

"See Amy, look this is what my wrinkle looks like."

Adjusting her glasses (because she really does need bifocals but won't accept that her eyes are aging,) she agrees that that there is a wrinkle.

"So show me yours." And there my sister and I stand side by side, vying for mirror space in the nursing home room. Which is not private; Uncle Bob nearest the bathroom and his roomie Randal on the other side. Being good 40 year olds, we don't start picking our black heads and checking out other dermatological concerns.

"Look towards me." Amy turns and I check out her scar.

"I hate to tell you this. But it's confirmed. You've got broken blood vessels on the bottom and a wrinkle on the top."

We laugh, Uncle Bob laughs. I think Randal laughed too.

Tucking Uncle Bob in for a rest and good God we helped him tuck in a pinch of chew too, we left to go get dinner.

I love you Sissy La La.

Want Versus Need

A wise counselor once told me there are only 5 things you need in life: food, water, oxygen, shelter, and the ability to go to the bathroom. Everything else is a want. It is in this perspective that I feel blessed with such a generous, loving, want fulfilled life every day.

May is for trying motorsports