Arkansas

Finally I can get online. My father's computer is eerie and bipolar and will not allow me to visit any web site. Very strange.

I am at my brother's house in Hot Springs right now, overlooking beautiful Lake Hamilton. This is always the highlight of my visit, sitting out with him and his wife, having a sip of something (they also like cigars, but I don't).

I will be returning to the 1950s tomorrow when I go back to my parents' house for one more night of air conditioning wars. My father thinks the central air is unnecessary and goes around turning it off. Meanwhile, the caregivers who work there die a slow death from the heat. THe other day I insisted it be left on and Dad said it was freezing so he put on a JACKET and went to sit outside on the patio. I can only imagine what someone would have thought who saw him on a 100 degree day, sitting out there in a jacket.

Takes all kinds, they'd probably comment, and I guess it does.

New weirdnesses at my parents':

Obsession with eyeglasses--where are they? Did I leave my sunglasses in the car? ARe they upstairs? What about my prescription dark glasses?

Obsession with whereabouts of all belongings: Where is my stapler? Someone stole it. Someone walked off with three pairs of my socks. If only we could find Mother's pink purse from twenty years ago.

Pressure for Earlier and Earlier Lunch: This phenomenon begins at around 10:20 and it's a horrible battle to get them to wait until 11. Meals on Wheels brings them lunch at 11am or so, but on some days THEY CAN'T WAIT. So they have lunch at 10:45 and save the Meals on Wheels for dinner. I refuse to eat lunch until 12, though it about kills me pacing around.

Yesterday our wonderful head caregiver put her own large Calvin Klein sunglasses on my mother. Mother refused to take them off all day. This was after her complete cosmetics makeover, which Clarissa does on Mother every day. She also put on a very nice necklace, bracelet, and attractive pants outfit. My mother looked like Lana Turner sitting there avoiding the press. She also looked something like Maxine in the Hallmark cards.

We do have a few laughs.

A bientot
becky