Sunday, November 23rd · Mom arrives
10:30 am Picked up Mom at the airport. Spent two hours sitting in a restaurant listening to her Life Story. Clearly my penchant for silence has roots in my childhood.

Monday, November 24 · Wisdom tooth extraction
11 am I don’t know what terrified me more — the risks of oral surgery and IV shots… or the thought of my mother driving a semi-comatose me home afterward through a snow storm.

When I arrived, the nurse attached a number of rather old fashioned contraptions all along my arms plus a hose for laughing gas. It was very discomfiting. Minutes later I was slurring, “I feel like I’m underwaterrrr…” Realizing she must hear this babble all the time, I shut up. The surgeon came in shortly to give me the IV shot. Ouch ouch ouch. I lay there wondering when I would fall asleep when suddenly the nurse was waking me up. She handed my mom a bag of medicines and escorted me to the car. I tried to keep my eyes open for the perilous ride home, but the next thing I knew I was lying on my bed doped up on Vicodin with a blood-soaked gauze in my mouth. How did I get here? I woke up three hours later to the smell of my mom cooking rice porridge in the kitchen. Yum.

Wednesday, November 26th · Dinner meeting
K, mom and I had dinner at Andiamo’s. Ate gnocchi out of one side of my mouth. The server was extremely nice to my mom, being all witty and smiley. What was up with that? But hey, it makes the mother happy. He got a huge tip.

Thursday, November 27th · Thanksgiving
It was also a reunion for my mom’s family. 42 people were present. This side of my family has mostly male offspring. There are 12 boys to 5 girls. On my dad’s side, the ratio is 3:7.

Friday, November 28th · Dinner at the Roadhouse
Not completely relaxing since it still feels like I’m at work, but always fun. Case in point, met Elph and Brian there at the chef’s counter. Then Ari treated us to dinner!

Saturday, November 29th · 150 miles
Listened as mom unburdened all her concerns on me in a coffee shop in downtown Birmingham. Then spent an hour at the Cranbrook Museum of Art, Andy Warhol exhibit. That night, K and I set up the Christmas tree in the living room. Curled up on the couch listening to Christmas songs and watching the twinkle of the ornaments.

Sunday, November 30th · Snow storm II
Mom wasn’t answering her phone. Worried myself silly for hours. Ran through all kinds of alarming scenarios. At 6 pm, she called back saying she was asleep the whole day.
K and I decided to unwind by watching the Changeling.

Monday, December 1st · Good food goes a long way
Bought 5 different cheeses, 3 kinds of salami, coffee, spices, bread, coffeecakes, and brownies at the Deli for mom to take home. While I was there a pregnant woman was talking to a retail staff member. Her water broke but she wanted to come in for a bagel. Then decided to shop a bit too. Hardcore.

Tuesday, December 2nd · Last day
Pancakes for breakfast. Drove mom to the airport for her 19-hour flight. K too had to get back to work.
7 pm · It’s all over. Having the house to myself, I took a loooong bath, read The Watchmen, then slept and slept and slept.