Mrs. Dunkin #35

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35

We ate our dessert and then Jack said “Let’s open presents.” 

We all sat down and I handed out envelopes to everyone.  Jack and Jill passed out all the gifts and everyone opened theirs up with great gusto. 

I could see Josh looking at me and I gave him a wink.  He came up to me and gave me a big hug and he said “thanks grandma you’re the best” and we were the only two who knew what he was talking about.

Things were winding down and Julie said “Mom’s got to be back by 8 Jerry.”

“Okay, whenever you’re ready mom “he said to me. 

I started getting up and Julie said “I’ll pack up your stuff.”

We all put on our coats and Julie gave the bag to Jerry.   We all hugged and kissed each other goodbye. 

When we got to the home, Josh said “I’ll walk gram in” he said.

We walked into the day-room it was all quiet already.  He walked me to my room and put the bag on the table.  “I just wanted to say thanks again grandma.”

“You don’t have to thank me” and gave him a big hug and said “now go on, go” and he left.

I was feeling stuffed so I got my nightclothes on.  Just as I was getting into bed my phone rang.  

“Hello?”

“Hi Annie, Merry Christmas.”

“Hi Stella, Merry Christmas.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t called but I know you know what this feels like.”

“I do.”

“I tried to get into the place you were at but they didn’t have a bed.  I’m at a new place that recently opened its okay.”

“Now Stella, you have to have a positive attitude and it will be better.  You voice sounds a lot better.  How’s your arm doing?”

“It’s slow going but it’s improving.  Did you go to Julie’s for Christmas?”

“Yes, I just got back.  I think I must have eaten too much.  I’m not feeling well.”

“I’ll let you go then and you get some rest.”

“Okay, night Stella.  I’ll talk to you another day” and I hung up.

I went right to sleep.

The next morning when I got up I still didn’t feel well.  When Kate came in with my medication, I told her I was feeling sick and a little nauseous.  She checked my temperature and I had a fever.  

“Looks like maybe you’ve got the flu” she said.

“How can that be I had a flu shot early this year?”

“I guess you are just one of the unlucky ones.  I’m going to have to close your door and put a sign on it for people to know to you have it. I’ll call the doctor and have him come check on you.”

“Okay, I’m too sick to argue with you” and Kate left closing the door behind her. 

The doctor came in later in the afternoon and confirmed that he thought I had the flu.  He gave orders to put me on fluids and bed rest.  Frankly, that’s about all I could do anyhow.

The rest of the week, I lay in bed half-heartedly watching TV and sleeping.  My kids called to check up on me and I told them I wasn’t well enough for visitors.

On New Year’s Day, the phone started ringing “Hello.”

“Mom how are you doing” Julie asked.

“I’m still a little ill but this is the best I’ve felt so far.”

“I don’t suppose you want to come over for pork and sauerkraut then?”

“No, just hearing those words turns my stomach.”

“It sounds like you’ve turned the corner though.  You will be up and about soon.”

“Is that your professional opinion?”

“Yes it is.”

“I’m finally getting my money back from your education.”

“See you are already starting to get your sense of humor back” and she laughed.

“Ha, ha, ha, I’ll talk to you later doctor when I’m feeling a hundred percent.”

“Bye Mom” and she hung up.

I got up and decided I really needed to get into the shower.  Just as I was about to go in Kate came in and said “I was wondering Annie, do you want to try a little more solid food for lunch?”

“I am starting to feel better.  Okay,  I’ll try it.  I’m going to get in the shower.”

At lunchtime, Cheryl brought in a piece of chicken, au gratin potatoes and carrots.  I ate it up and then for the rest of the day.  I just rested.

  

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Mary #41

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41

Mary and Elizabeth walked in the back door. 

“Elizabeth, are you hungry?”

“Not really.  I could use a glass of wine though.”

“You go sit in the living room and I’ll bring it” and Elizabeth went and sat on the sofa.

Mary brought the glass to her and said “Well, that’s one down.”

“Do you want to talk more about the B&B?”

“No, why don’t we save that for treatment day.  It will give us something to talk about.  Until then we can think of ideas.  I have another notebook if you’d like to write yours down.”

“Okay but I warn you by next time I might have the whole notebook full.  I’ve got so many ideas floating around my head all these years.”

“While they are floating around your head, remember to think about the cost of things too.  You know I’m unemployed now.  I’m not going to have a ton of money for too many improvements.”

“You would if you would let me be your partner.”

“I couldn’t do that Elizabeth.  I don’t want you spending your money to help me out.”

“I’m not doing it to help you out Mary Jenkins.  This is all about me.  I told you how much I’ve thought about this.  It would be a dream come true for me to be involved, hypothetically speaking of course.”

“If I do it, I would certainly let you be involved since it was your idea in the first place.  I have to still talk to my brothers about it.  They might want the money from the sale of the place instead.  Who knows?”

“When were you going to talk to them?”

“I think I’ll call them later tonight and see when they can come over and then I’ll mention it to them and see what they say.  I promise.”

“That’s a cute hat” Elizabeth said picking it up off the coffee table.

“I made it for you.  I thought you might want one for when you go outside when there’s snow."

“Aww, thanks Mary.”

“Elizabeth!!” Mary said loudly.   “We forgot to get your medication.”

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll get it tomorrow.”

“Didn’t you hear what the doctor said?  You have to take it.  I’ll run up to the drugstore and get it.  I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, I think I’m going to go upstairs and take a nap while you’re gone.  I’m feeling tired.”

“I’ll wake you when it’s time for your medicine.  See you in a bit.”

Mary headed out to the drugstore.  She handed the prescriptions to the pharmacist and then looked around the store while she waited.  She picked up a couple of magazines and couple of bags of hard candy.

When she went to the counter the prescriptions were done and she paid for everything and went home.

When she got there Elizabeth was upstairs so she looked at the prescriptions and wrote out a schedule when they had to be taken and put in on the fridge.  Another hour and she would have to wake Elizabeth up to take a pill.

Mary turned on the TV and watched for a while.  It was starting to rain again and she put more wood in the fireplace and lit it.  It was starting to get darker earlier now. 

She could hear a commercial for Christmas on the TV.  She couldn’t believe somehow she had missed Halloween and soon it would be Thanksgiving.  Elizabeth would have her next treatment the week after Thanksgiving. She thought about inviting Sadie to come.  She decided to give her a call while she had the chance.

She dialed the number “Hello Sadie, is that you?”

“Hi Mary, Can you believe it?  Besides being laid off, now I’ve come down with a doozy of a cold.  Good thing they’re paying for my health insurance for another month.  I’m going to the doctors tomorrow to make sure it isn’t bronchitis or something.”

“You poor thing, I was missing you and thinking of Thanksgiving.  Would you like to come here for Thanksgiving?”

“That would be fun.  My parents are going to be out of town with relatives and I was wondering what I was going to do.  Spending it with you would be great.”

“I don’t know exactly if we would be having it here or at one of my brothers but I would like you to meet them anyhow and Elizabeth of course.”

“How did it go today?”

“She had her treatment.  She’s sleeping now.  I’ve got to wake her up pretty soon for her pills but so far so good.  We’ll see how she feels in the next few days.”

Sadie started having a coughing fit and said “I’m going to go now.  I’ve got to take some cough medicine.  Talk to you later.”

“Okay, take care and good luck at the doctors” and they hung up. 

Just as she hung up the phone rang again making her jump.

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Mrs. Dunkin #34

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34

I told my children I would be staying at the nursing home Christmas Eve.   The ladies had become like family to me and I wanted to spend it with them.

I had bought each of them a Christmas planter and they were thrilled.  We sang songs, watched Christmas movies and played games all day.  Santa had come and gave each of us each a calendar for the new year. 

Right before bed all the ladies went into the family room.  We turned the lights on and looked at the Christmas tree we had decorated.  We didn’t mean to brag but we thought we did a pretty good job. 

Suddenly, Nancy said “It’s snowing and big flakes too.”

We hadn’t had snow all week and we wondered if there would be a white Christmas.  We were excited as kids looking out the window with glee.  Then Audrey started singing Silent Night and we all joined in. 

The next morning I was up bright and early.  Jerry was going to come get me around noon so I got up and took my shower and got dressed.  I wore black pants, a crisp white shirt and I put on a red sweater.  I put on my pearls.  I looked out my window and we had gotten a lot of snow.  I took out my winter coat and put it on the chair.  I also got out my boots.  I took a pair of slipper socks and put them in my coat pocket so I could wear them at Julie’s house.

I was going down to breakfast when I saw Cheryl bringing my tray.

“Merry Christmas, I thought you might be eating in your room.”

“Merry Christmas, no I’m coming.  Drew the low straw again?” and I laughed.

Cheryl walked down with me and set my tray down where the other ladies were eating.

“Merry Christmas” everyone said to me.

“Merry Christmas to all of you too.”

Breakfast went by pretty fast and then I went to my room and waited for Jerry. 

12:00 on the nose he was standing at my door.  “Are you ready to go mom?”

“Yes, I’m ready.  There’s a lot of snow out there, huh?”

“Yes there is.”

We got out to the car and the whole family was there.  Sue had moved to the back seat and everyone greeted me with Merry Christmas.  There was singing along to Christmas carols on the radio while we drove to Julie’s house.

When we got there we all went into their family room.   Julie was in the kitchen so Sue and I joined her helping her finish up the meal and then we all sat down to eat.

She had made a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus and salad.  We all ate and ate until we were so stuffed we could barely move.  Sue and Julie cleaned up when we were done and they put desserts on the table.  We all sat around the family room talking about past Christmas’.  There were a few tears from me when the kids remembered times their father was trying to put some of their toys together and had a hard time. 

Jerry said “Julie, remember dad would always take us to the drugstore to buy mom’s gifts.” 

“Yeah, always a lot of great gifts at the drugstore” and she laughed.

“Hey, it didn’t matter where they came from.  I loved them because you got them for me.  Remember it’s not the gift that counts” and I smiled.

“Sure mom” Jerry said.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you about my house” I asked and thought this is it.

Julie said “To tell you the truth mom, we haven’t done much with it.  Everyone’s been too busy.”

“This might sound crazy but what do you think about renting it out?”

“Renting it, why” Jerry asked.

“I’m just not ready to sell it.  I always hoped one of you kids would want it.  With the economy the way it is, I think I would lose a lot of money on it.”

“That is true mom and it is a nice house.”

“Jerry and I have been thinking about downsizing.  With Josh off to school in the fall, we think our house is going to be too big for us.”

“It would be so cool to live at grandma’s house.  It would be closer to school and my friends” Jerry’s daughter Amy said. 

“Yeah, just think how much money I would save on gas.  We would be closer to all the stores too.”

“That’s a rousing endorsement” Jerry said.  "We’ll think about it and let you know mom."

“Okay dear.  It would thrill me to no end to have family in that home.  Who’s hungry for dessert?” and we all went to the table.  

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