Swept Away

The deck needs sweeping. Since we have so many tall trees around our house, debris is continually falling on the deck. In her search for something useful to do, Leola swept off the deck regularly all summer and she did a damned good job. Sometimes the task would take her an hour to do. I have numerous potted plants and flowers out there and she always took care to sweep around them all. Our deck never looked as clean as it looked during the last 3 months. I guess I'll have to get back to the sweeping.

Jon went to visit her. He was obviously wary of her reaction to him given the picture-stabbing incidents. She may have been prepped for his visit by Ligia, the caregiver, because Leola recognized him immediately as her son. To Jon's relief, she introduced him to others saying, "This is my son". Not "my husband". He said she asked, "How's Julie?" and even said, "You picked a good one. I think you can keep her. I approve." Now Jon seems to think the whole Julie-as-the-slut delusion is over with and she is back to being his mom again. Of course he wants to think his mother is back. He desperately wants it. I'm not so sure it's true. But I wasn't there. However, I found the picture frames, minus the mutilated photos of us, in the garage after his visit.

Post Script (to my bad day last week):

My brother Patrick is not going to Iraq after all. His director didn't appove it because he couldn't do without him for 6 months. Pat's disappointed, but I'm relieved.

Daniel is not moving home. I never really thought he would, but he always calls me when he's at his lowest point, teary and defeated, wanting his mother's comfort. This happens less often than it used to, but it is still upsetting for me. I'll worry about him for hours or days, then I'll call him and he will have moved on - the crisis forgotten. Similar to Jon and his mother - only in reverse.