I started reading Joanna Gaines’ book, The Stories We Tell, yesterday morning. Then I picked up my mom for our weekly Terrific Tuesday outing. So much of what I read resonated with me immediately.
When I was a kid, I loved to dress up, go places, and spend time with my Mom. These days, it’s a bit more challenging and limiting, due to her dementia and limited mobility, but we still give it our best shot every Tuesday.
Mom and I went for lunch (a glass of wine, shared Gluten Free margarita pizza, Di tonno salad) then a stroll* around Northpark mall. We enjoyed samples from several stores as our dessert: See’s Candies, Doc Popcorn, and Eataly’s freshly cut parmesan cheese. We pretended to ‘try on’ fancy dresses and declared where we’d wear them.
Time changes things, people, and places. The mall she remembers is still a beautiful place, only some of the stores are still the same. It was built in 1965, so she can recall those times. ** She loves to be out and chat with people. Enter my mantra here: “People are faces until they’re your friends.” She is still friendly and has a silly side.
Returning to my book today, I will see how parallel our lives are and how similar our stories are. Moms are a special breed of people. Cheers to them.
*I pushed her in a wheelchair, so she strolled, I pushed.
** Opened in 1965, Northpark now has over 235 stores and restaurants and annual sales of over $1 billion. It is at present, the 20th-largest shopping mall in the country.
Aloha🌺,
Denise
