Christmas Break

Ray doesn't like to miss classes (his parents agree) which leaves school holidays for family trips. Jury duty, my part time job, airfares, weather and highway conditions were all factors that we considered before we decided to pile in the car and drive to Reno to see my family over Christmas break.

Road trip

Two pair of glasses, Dave?

It is always great to see everybody. Our mother seems sort of regal to me now, I've just realized. She is the head of the family, the eldest. The fog of her Alzheimer's has thickened, though, and my siblings warned me that she no longer appears to recognize who we are. She used to say "Hi, daughter" or "There's my family" when one of us came to visit; now, we guess, she only knows that we are there to see her. I saw her face brighten when she first saw me. She didn't look puzzled. She didn't say hi or anything at all. She just lit up for a flash and then looked away.  

It was good to have my sister's grandchildren along for the visits to Memory Care. Little kids dash around and play catch and ask questions and have plenty to say so there is no need to direct conversation toward a person who can no longer engage.  We brought in a swirl of activity and then we left. 

Goodbye Mom, I love you. Okey dokey.