MOM AT 90

This past May, we flew to Indianapolis to join my sibs and extended family in celebrating Mom’s 90th birthday.  Actually, her birthday was in April, but some of the family couldn’t make it then, so we settled on Mother’s Day as a suitable alternative.  I won’t repeat here my health woes that cropped up, covered in my previous post, other than to relate a funny episode.  When Loni called the paramedics for me, it was about 5:00 am.  Mom was asleep in her room with the door closed, and my nephew and his wife were asleep in another room, also with the door closed.  My niece was on the downstairs couch.  The paramedics made a bit of noise when they tromped in;  there were four of them, and they were there at least twenty minutes before hauling me out.  During that time, only my niece woke up.  We asked her to tell everyone what had happened when they woke up.  She went back to bed.

Fast forward to the hospital, and it’s now about 9:00 am, and they’ve finished with their tests and are mostly observing me in preparation for discharge.  We call the house to let them know what’s happening, and Mom answers.  I told her that everything was OK, and that we’d be home when my sister was able to pick us up.  There’s a long silence, and she says, “Who is this speaking?”  Mom, it’s me, your #1 son.  She got a little confused and asked where I was.  At the hospital, Mom.  Then she said that she thought we were upstairs in our room still asleep.  Apparently my niece was still sleeping and hadn’t told anyone.  Mom had gotten up, fetched and read her newspaper, and wanted to get breakfast underway and was wondering why no one was up.  Amazing that they all slept through the paramedic ruckus.

Anyway, it’s Mom’s 90th, and we were all to gather at a nearby restaurant where they had a separate room for us.  Mom looked great!  We had a small centerpiece cake (in the background, with the “90” candles on top) surrounded by a several dozen cupcakes of assorted flavors.  I thought that was a great idea, as everyone could choose his/her own flavor and it eliminated the cutting routine.  I can only vouch for mine, but it was delicious.

Mom got to blow out the candles on the mini-cake, then take it home for the next day.  I made sure I got a bite.

Presents were brought up in party bags and Mom had a ball going through them and reading the cards that went with.

I took some video, but can’t figure out how to reduce the file size so that I can upload it to uTube.  It’s almost a gigabyte, so would take forever on my lousy connection.  I might post it later.

After the party, we all repaired to my sister, Susy’s place, and had a good gabfest into the evening.  The collage below is of some of my nieces, nephews, their spouses, and children.  I didn’t get the camera on all of them, so it’s not the complete set.

OK, Mom.  Keep ‘em coming.  100 should be no sweat!