MOTHER, MAY I!

Wednesday felt like a strange day to leave.  I did not go to Joe, and I did not have a nail appointment.  I did not have to prepared dinner and dessert.  It was quite strange to have one item on the agenda, and that was to get to the airport in time.  What time was on time?  I always prefer to get myself settled with plenty of time to work myself up for the flight!

I had left my packing until Tuesday.  I got up early and after making myself some coffee, I went back to the room where everything was lying around the two suitcases, and looked with sheer overwhelming anxiety.  Where would I start.  I cannot think why I was so concerned, but I stood and stared for a long time.  Putting my clothes on the bed, so that everything was in one place, added to the angst.  Pulling myself together was not an easy task but I sat down on a chair and thought it through.  How difficult could it be to pack two cases?  Clothes, toys, more clothes, presents, more clothes.

Richard had called me on Sunday, and asked if I had received a message from him, asking to bring some things for a friend.  I had not, and it really was rather too late to do anything about it.  Or was it?  Dana said that we could make a trip to the mall on Monday and see what we could find.  Considering Dana's normal aversion to anything with the word 'shopping', I was amazed.  We left work on Monday night, and fought the 'quitting time' traffic.  I had made sure the shop had the items in stock, and managed to get most of the 'order'.  

The extra clothes purchased on Monday were in the bag on the bed, next to the suitcases.  After drinking half a cup of coffee, I got up, told myself to stop being ridiculous, and started to put things into space saver bags.  Once I had filled the first bag, I was found it a little easier,  The bags almost packed themselves, which was just as well as  although I was a little better, I was still not firing on all cylinders!  

By the time I had to leave the house, I was amazed at how much I had accomplished.  I probably would not have to unpack and repack the next day, which is my usual practice, 

The postman asked when I was leaving, and if someone else would be bringing the mail down.  I said that someone would be down at ten past four each day.  He asked me if he should wait by the door!  I told him that would be very nice of him!

Back to Wednesday morning, and I completed everything on my list before leaving for work.  It was not too busy, but Grant and Samantha had been 'shadowing' me for a while, and they promised to help Dana with my job.  

The trip to the airport was traumatic.  Nothing happened.  Traffic was light.  We had plenty of time.  Nonetheless, I was not there six hours before my flight, and this could jeopardise my ability to get on the plane, couldn't it?  My daughter loaded my bags on the scales, and they were much lighter than usual.  I sailed through security on my special pass and went the lounge for about ten minutes, before heading towards my gate.  If I was not there a considerable time before boarding, they would not let me on the plane.  Would they?

I started to clap as the two military personnel came forward during pre-boarding, but not many people joined in.  I know it was not July 4, nor Memorial Day, but I felt the urge to show some respect to the two young lads who were flying on the same plane.  The man taking the tickets, shook their hands, and thanked them for their service.  The first soldier turned and smiled at me.  The man taking the tickets did not shake my hand.  He did not thank me for spilling water onto his scanning machine either.  I cannot think why!

Arriving in Houston early, I made my way to the lounge, and was greeted with a sneer. Perhaps if I grunted, instead of spoke pleasantly, or snarled at the desk staff, instead of smiled, they may have a little more respect for me.  Perhaps with my pigtails and pink t-shirt, I do not meet the criteria, but I am sure if a celebrity entered wearing a ripped top, torn shorts and old sneakers, they would get a warm welcome.  However, I chose not to make a scene, and headed upstairs, where I took a seat in the restaurant.  "Is that all?" was the question from the waitress who took my order of a 'small plate'.  Yes it was.  For now!  However, she was nowhere to be seen when I decided I would like a salad as well. I began to question myself.  Was there something about me that was particularly offensive today?  After eating my salad, I left the dining room and headed to the buffet.  I had not eaten breakfast, nor lunch.  My lay over was a little more than five hours, and I was bored before the first one was over.  I took some cheese and a dessert and went to sit in an empty area.  With my laptop open, and 'The Archers' omnibus playing on radio 4, I started to eat my next course!  Within seconds, a man with a glass of wine, came to sit next to me.  He had a plate of chips and queso, and was making a phone call.  With at least a dozen spare seats, I wondered why he had chosen to sit next to me!  However, it did answer the question as to whether I was wearing a repellent scent!  

Despite my impending large meal on the plane, and the excessive amount I had already eaten, the chips and queso looked too good to pass up.  Samantha called as I was tucking into a small portion.  

The next couple of hours were taken up quickly.  I had promised my 'ex' I would bring him back some cigarettes, much against my better judgment.  My gate was in terminal C, and the lounge where I had been feasting was in terminal E.  I took the shuttle across and then back again, when I was informed that 'C' was the only terminal without a Duty Free shop!  I shuttled back to 'E', bought the offending items and headed back to 'C', where I went to the regular lounge.  I was greeted with a big smile.  "Ma'am, you can go to the Polaris lounge, in E", said the young lady with delight.  I informed her that I had just come from there, (twice) and would stay here until my flight was called.

The flight was full, and did have a celebrity of sorts on board.  Not me!  A senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, was one of the passengers. I think it is quite exciting to shake the hand of someone who is in the news on a regular basis, whether they be Republican or Democrat. I wondered if he had any problems in the lounge! 

Ted and I travelled across the water on different sides of the aircraft, and did not speak again.  I deplaned and headed towards immigration, with my new passport, and surprisingly enough, no one questioned the picture that looks like a deceased criminal!  

I arrived at my mother's house, just before her carer left, and was exhausted.  However, mum wanted a sandwich for lunch, and without realising that I should have insisted she could do it for herself, I obliged!  

My grandsons were almost as delighted to see me as they were to see the snacks and things I had brought with me!  I spent a couple of hours with them, and promised I would see them the next day.  I had to go back and make dinner.  Home from home!  My mother was still walking with her trolley which made a squeaking noise.  It was like Mrs Meers laundry basket in 'Thoroughly modern Millie', and I laughed each time I heard the sound.

Friday was a very busy day, despite having had very little sleep.  Each time I heard my mum get up in the night, I waited to hear her go back to bed, like a mother with a toddler.  Will they fall?  Are they okay?  I headed out to Watford after breakfast, to find an Internet option (as mine is now obsolete) and register my phone with the new company that has taken over from that I was with.  Although I cancelled the contract years ago on the two phones used by Samantha and myself when we come 'home', and took advantage of the 'pay as you go' option, in order to keep the numbers, we stayed on the same 'account'.  The account holder is her father, and I was unable to re-register the phone without him being present.  A phone call would not suffice.  Thankfully, my relationship with him is very amicable and this would not be a problem.  Besides which, he did not fancy the prospect of feeling the wrath of his daughter should she lose her number!

Getting back on the Internet was slightly more difficult.  The company who provides the phone service had an option, but it was monthly.  Their 'pay as you go' was really not 'frugal friendly'.  I missed the first subtle suggestion to go to another store and the poor salesman who was trying to help me had to repeat himself.  It took a little while for me to realise why he was staring so intently at me.  I had never heard of the alternative provider, and wandered through the centre aimlessly.  A security guard showed me the way!

Unable to 'work' either of my phones, and feeling like an IT dinosaur, I let the salesman set up an account and order me a hotspot!  I managed to put in my details where necessary, but was totally ill equipped to do anything else on such a small screen.  "You can do it on a laptop when you get home", he said, helpfully.  "I don't have Internet", I responded.  'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza.....".  The hotspot would arrive Monday!

I spent the afternoon babysitting the boys and we had a great time.  Ollie was a new super villain, 'Metal Arm', and Jamie was a variety of heroes, from the Hulk to Spiderman and several alphabetically in between.  I was the 'jailer' for the 'jail' that had been made from dining room chairs.  Of course I never let my kids use the dining room chairs as toys!   I failed miserably as a jailer, but scored points as a fun-playing grandma.  Not sure that their parents will see it that way!  I was reluctantly relieved from my duties around five and headed home to get mum ready to have a night out!

I am glad to say (although sorry to say) that I bullied my mother into leaving the house on Friday night to go to Richard for dinner.  This was going to be her 'outing'.  It was as if it was 'pay back' time, for all those occasions when I did not feel like doing something as  a child, and she basically told me to 'Get ready, we are going!'  We made it to the car, and although she had a little trouble negotiating Richard's rather high front door step, she enjoyed herself.  However, when we came home, she got her own back.  I remember when my grandmother was in hospital, this eight year old girl (me) told her mother she wanted to be a nurse.  "Why?" she said, "You have to work nights, empty bed pans and run around after all the patients". I instantly chose against nursing, although I have nothing but admiration for them.  Without going into details, I became a 'nurse' on Friday evening, and as I was speaking to Samantha on the phone, I told her that my mother had made an eight year old girl's dream come true with a vengeance.

Saturday was a 'mixed bag'. "Wont be long", I said as I left to go and buy some dinner, which I had promised would be 'home made'.  "Make sure you are not", I was told.  The eight year old became an eighteen year old borrowing her mother's car to go to collect someone from the station.  I never borrowed my mother's car until I was in my late fifties, and she preferred not to drive! Just before I left, my hotspot arrived.  I would try and get it to work later that afternoon, and perhaps by Thursday I would read the instructions! I went to meet my sister in the the shopping centre.  "Please find me the right chicken for dinner, so I don't get into trouble....again", I pleaded.   We walked around the shops and then I headed home.  I spent all afternoon inside.  Although the word 'grounded' was, I believe, imported from the country where I now reside, and was not something that my parents ever said, or had to impose, as far as I remember, I felt as if I had been caught red handed driving the car without permission, or not doing my nursing chores, or just being a bully!  At nine thirty, I went to bed!

Not having slept for any length of time since my arrival, as I am constantly listening for my mum to make some movement, I fell asleep on Sunday afternoon.  Mrs. Meers laundry basket awoke me.

I had collected Elise mid-morning and we had bought lunch for the family.  Far flung from the next town, to two hours up the motorway, to five thousand miles across the pond, we do not often get together.  Obviously, Samantha and Edward were not here, but my niece and nephew, spouses and children arrived after Richard and the boys.  Steph was on her way back from a hectic (or other) weekend with some girlfriends.  

As I now have the ability to get 'online' and am feeling the freedom caucus calling 'rebellion', I will attempt to 'make arrangements' with friends.  Of course, my main 'priority' is to spend as much time with my grandsons as possible.  I do not want to leave my mum too much, as I know she appreciates the company, but I have to convince her that whilst she would happily not leave the house, I am going a little 'stir crazy'.  

With a doctor's appointment tomorrow, Monday is already 'tied up'. She likes to be there about eighteen hours before her appointment. Where have I heard that before?  I only hope I do not follow her in other aspects!  

Whether I succeed in my rebelistic hopes will definitely be in .... another story!