Just A Note

I'm back for just a few.  It's been a bit of whirl-wind in the last few days.  As I mentioned in a past post, after my mother was hospitalized last Sept., two weeks after she turned 90, all went to hell for her and my sister decided to return to El Paso to be her full-time caregiver.  I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate her for doing this, uprooting her life in Phoenix and returning home to care for our mom...she's a friggin' saint!  Anyway, due to my mother's deterioration, her needs have become more profound, making it an emotional and physical roller coaster for my sis, so she decided she needed to take off a every 2-3 months, just to reboot.

So she left for Michigan last Tues. to visit an old, dear friend who is terminally ill, but still enjoying her life at full throttle.  My mother was already complaining about feeling badly, again, but then what does one expect at 90??!??  My mother went up the road to Las Cruces, NM, to stay with my brother and we knew he and his girlfriend would treat her like royalty, which they did, briefly.  On Friday, Fred called and told me her bp was high, very high.  Long story already made long, I went to her house, picked up her living room on wheels (Buick) since it was more comfortable to drive her back to El Paso and take her to the ER.  She was admitted, eventually, and my brother told my sister of her hospitalization.  She was upset at my mother's condition, but not my bro and me.  You see, the last time she went out of town, Mom ended up at the ER the day after she left, same problem, her leg spasms.  However, we told her to stay put in Michigan, enjoy her time with Julie, her friend, and know Mom is in good hands...she knows there will be bigger challenges upon her return.

So my friends, please pray for Mom and Letty as rougher times are ahead for them. Of course, Fred and I will also be vigilant and there to help, always, but the bulk of that 24/7 is on Letty's shoulders.  Thanks.

Now for just a lighter little transition, we celebrated Mother's Day yesterday since my son, Ian, wasn't here last week on the official day.  Now my hubby was taught never, EVER, use gift-giving occasions to replace broken coffee makers, toasters or anything that deals with kitchen crap (my ex one year gave me those exact thing for a Mother's Day, plus, I didn't get a chance to eat my nice Mother's Day meal at our reserved table at the country club...had to take out a screaming baby, Ian, out to the lounge area since the little guy was hysterical, his autism was still unknown.  I thought that perhaps one of the 4 other adults, who were our guests would come out and take care of him while I went back to the dining area to enjoy a meal, but an hour later, they all came out to the lounge, bellies full and ready to go home...memorable!).  However, I told him I wanted a a cast iron skillet...yes, ladies, you read that right, a cast iron skillet.  During one of my visits to Austin last year, I was staying with one of my best buddies, Irene and she promised to show me how to make chiles rellenos.  Now Irene is not of Mexican heritage but one hell of a great cook and her chile rellenos are the bomb!  I suppose I wasn't paying attention when my mother used to make them and she didn't like making them very often due to all the mess of frying them up.  Anyway, Irene told me a good Southern woman always has a good cast iron skillet for such delectable dishes and I really never considered myself as a good Southern woman since I'm Mexican-American, but I'm also a Texan and this state did participate in that little war back in the 1861-65, so that does make me a "Southern Woman."   So last night, after a really nice steak dinner prepared by my honey, both Ian and he presented me with two cast iron skillets...told him he could purchase them at Academy and didn't believe me since it's a sports store...he was quite amazed at the variety of kitchen ware Academy carries!!  LOL  They're already pre-seasoned, so I don't even have to do that..Yay!!  So very soon I shall enjoy making chile rellenos in my new cast iron skillet along with whatever I can muster.

Well, time to check out...going to run to the hospital for my mother's lunch to feed her.  Take care all, and as always, peace out.