While taking Frankie out for his morning ablutions, he became guarded, on alert, a low grumble at the base of this throat, hackles partially raised.
Me, scanning the immediate area trying to locate the source of his discontent.
Nothing.
No birds, squirrelies, no dogs or cats, no people, no cars.
Nothing.
What was so upsetting for him?
Getting on my haunches, I look in the direction he is so intently gazing upon.
A reindeer.
A Christmas light reindeer.
Only one.
Unlit.
But the mere presence was enough to alert Frankie to an assumed threat to the peace and tranquility of his everyday world.
Just what you want to deal with first thing in the morning. Pre-coffee, having just scooped up warm, stinky poo.
Threatening reindeer.
Go Frankie.
Our afternoon, yesterday, was spent wheeling my mother through the mall.
She wanted an outing.
And a writing tablet and Christmas card for my father.
I was somewhat reluctant to go to the mall on a Sunday afternoon, a mere three weeks before Christmas.
Em and I had gone to a movie Saturday afternoon.
Breaking Dawn.
Better than I had anticipated by the way.
And it was chaos.
People pushing and shoving, banging into one another, an "excuse me" as far from their lips as the Christmas spirit that was supposed to accompany these ersatz shoppers.
I wasn't expecting much more on Sunday.
Luckily, we went late enough in the afternoon that maneuvering was all that was needed to get through the throngs of shoppers.
No pushing or shoving.
I didn't even have to wait in a long line up for coffee and muffins.
We had a nice, long talk with Mum about the trials and tribulations we're experiencing with the kids.
She may no longer be the physical self I remember when growing up, but her mind is as sharp as ever and she shared with us the wisdom of her experiences.
Making us feel better, if not providing concrete solutions.
Those are our mistakes to make.
But it was still the mall, on a weekend.
And after an hour and a half, we'd all had enough and off we went back to the grove.
She also wanted a sweater.
But there was NO way I was going from store to store in search of THE sweater my mother wants to purchase for my father.
And my mother is picky.
Particular.
Knows what she wants and settling is never an option.
Therefore, we made plans for a week from today to tackle the mall early Monday morning, as soon as it opens.
Me hoping against hope that it isn't too busy that she and I will struggle to get into stores, out of stores. . .
Stephen with us, pushing the wheelchair.
Preventing me from doing something that would require police intervention.
Today is a mish mash of meetings.
A walk at noon to shake off the cobwebs of the morning and re-energize me for the afternoon.
And coffee.
Lots and lots of coffee.
Title Lyric: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
No comments:
Post a Comment