Mom got her roses and was overjoyed. She went into a descriptive frenzy telling me all about the leaves, the quantity, the vase, the box they arrived in, the smell and the roses themselves. She went on to tell me how she and gra’ma were able to split the bunch, she took the one w/ all the red roses and gra’ma took the other one w/ mostly yellow roses. They each took their bunch and vases to their own rooms. She didn’t want to put them in the kitchen because she doesn’t spend much time in there. She spends most of her free time in her room reading and gra’ma spends most of her free time in her “apartment.” Mom said she felt “honored” and how that is what we are asked to do as children is ‘honor our mothers and fathers.’ I’m just happy to be in that space of fully honoring her w/ all my heart w/out holding back because she drives me crazy doing this or that. Maybe we are all these miles apart for a reason. We need to feel this strong love that will override all the idiosyncrasies we both probably have. I don’t think she could do anything that would drive me nuts – oh probably the single most annoying thing I can think of is – She doesn’t stand up for herself! I think she’s gotten better w/ my older brother but she needs to develop some skills for her commission based job. I want to call her work and yell at these young girls that think my mom is just some batty old lady. I want to tell them first and foremost she is a WOMAN just like them and she is MY mother and that in itself is the most important factor. How dare them think they can get away with that – but how dare my mother even being in that situation. What could she have done differently to – okay I’m going to stop before I get too upset in this moment.

Anyway, I’m glad that I sent the flowers and I’m glad she didn’t berate me for doing it. I was able to express myself to her more than if I had tried to write it in a card that only allowed so many characters by talking to her on the phone today.

I talked to Mrs. T today and we talked about what was going on in our lives – just catching up since it’s been awhile since we talked. I think everyone needs a Mrs. T in their lives. She is just an awesome woman that carries herself in such a way that you think she must be made of the same material as Mother Teresa. She was going to be a nun a looong long time ago –so maybe that is what it is.

Today is a rainy day – perfect for the Flemish Beef Stew Clint has going on in the slow cooker. He rushed around getting it ready before he left for school. Seems so funny since I was home all day but he wanted to prepare this new meal and it needed to cook for 8 hours - I wouldn't have gotten around to do it till late. It’s kinda like the Carbonnade a la flamande that you sent, Val. This calls for brown ale or dark beer just as well. We will be trying your recipe next time.

Last week the new little boy I had barfed and I sent him home. Today, J’s mom said that J got sick on Friday and then dad got sick on Sunday. Slade had some yucky burps yesterday and I wonder if it has anything to do with what A had. It’s this kind of “stomach flu” that could turn me OCD - washing my hands and sterilizing everything like a mad woman and driving everyone around me crazy to do the same. Ugh!