HAVE GOWN......WILL TRAVEL

She's at it again.

When I visited Mom today I found she had packed most of the contents of her drawers. Her laundry basket was filled to the brim and overflowing with clothes - clean clothes, folded clothes, soiled clothes, and all the nightgowns she owns. She had crammed a pair of tan shoes into the basket and on the floor was a mis-matched pair of black shoes so I was sure she was wearing a pair just like it. I'm often amused at the things Mom chooses to pack. Today she had the clothes, the shoes, a few snacks from her fridge, her eyeglasses case in which she keeps a tube of lipstick and a broken comb (she has other combs, but prefers the one with broken teeth), a few books, and on the very top of the heap sat a new roll of bathroom tissue. I assume she was preparing for any eventuality. When she left on the weekly Country Drive (via the senior bus) I stayed in her room and unpacked her things - again - for the 12th time. I probably should leave things as I find them and see what happens, but I try to keep her areas tidy and want her to be comfortable.

I realize she's not doing this to annoy me. She simply has the need to pack and get ready to leave, but this is getting old very quickly. There were a lot of things I wanted to accomplish today and unpacking Mom wasn't on the list. Maybe it should have been. As I was returning items to their places, I wondered why I was always surprised that Mom had once again packed her things. I'd been told this was common in people with dementia and it sometimes lasts for years. I'm just not used to this yet, but I'll learn. 

My "reward" after unpacking my mom and then enduring allergy injections, was to browse through a thrift store which happens to be on the way home from the allergist's office. I didn't need anything except some diversion, but I found two "treasures", which made the stop worthwhile. One item was a wooden Cheetah tray to which I've already added a sawtooth hanger. It's going on a wall in the cat barn. The other item has found a home on one of my shelves. It's a nice piece of Rowe pottery with a lid. The heart decoration is cobalt blue and closely matches another piece I have. I'm not any sort of an expert at pottery and I'm not a collector, but I recognize the Rowe name and I like the pot - plus, it looks nice above the little crock that it matches.

It was another busy day, but after unpacking Mom, getting allergy injections, working at the former house,  tending the cats, fixing supper, and preparing music, I still had a chorus rehearsal to attend. Actually, singing with my group tonight was a good stress-reliever. I hadn't been with them for a few weeks and I'd missed them - and the music. I like to think I handle stress fairly well, but this situation with my mom is truly testing my endurance (as well as my patience).