Holy Christmas, My Mom Is Here!

Back when I requested leave for Marizabeth's wedding (Jan.3-7), my Edward was pushing me to request Dec.27, 28&29 off, but wouldn't hint as to why. He said he wanted to share some personal holiday time, and I believed him, I just didn't feel comfortable asking my boss for that much liberty directly after the Christmas break, and directly before our flight out of state. He pushed hard enough, I asked for the 28th.

The 26th rolls around, day off for Eddie, evening shift for me (remember 'cause I wouldn't budge). He said to me that morning, "If work calls me in for some overtime, I'm going to take it ok?" Fine by me. He ends up being back in time to pick me up from my closing shift, my first missed clue.
We're taking my coworker to the bank drop-box, when my mother calls. It's going on 11:45p.m., her time, on a weeknight.

"Mom, what are you doing up, is everything ok?"
"Yeah, I'm just thinking about ya, missing you."
"That's great, I love and miss you too, do you know what time it is?"
And so the conversation went.
She said she had one more present for me.
"Is it bigger than a breadbox?"

I get home and Mom is still on the phone with me about nothing, and there's this echo, which at first had me annoyed, but then Eddie's face couldn't keep the secret any longer.
"No way!" My mom's here!

Stanley took right to
making her at home,
and snuggled right in
with his Nana.

The next day with my mommy went like this:

 

Morning was naturally spent lounging in our PJs,

Enjoying a modest, cinnamon bun breakfast,

and having my mom point out things she clearly had forgotten giving me, such as this book of folk songs I'd never heard:
"Oh that's where that went."

I took Mom for a stroll into Clay Center for some lunch. The only decent enough place to sit down is the Chinese joint.
"Is it any good?"
"Not really."

Oh, here's my mom freaking out about how
wonderful concrete is.
Isn't it just wonderful!



 

Mom is one of those people who ask for chopsticks when they clearly don't have them out for the rest of us knuckleheads to play with.

I was hoping the theater, now coffee shop, would have been open so I could show my mom, and photograph, the 30s/40s decor. It could really be something 'if only'. The whole town is like that, I showed mom how charming it could all be if only someone cared enough, or finished a project around here. I think that's a lot of the Midwest though, and the economy don't help.

That is going to look sO good in your front window.

I happen to know this is illegal... wag of the finger.

Hope they have some good ones.

We popped into the 'Antique Shop' I'd never been in. That turned out to be the highlight of the day. Mr. Newell himself was there, and Mom got straight to chatting him up. He has a decent collection of history's odds-n-ends. He told her about his family and how he was drafted into the Navy in 1943. He and his sons restore pool tables, one of which ended up at Ft. Riley, and after former First Lady Bush found it attractive, they called on the Newells to dis- and reassemble it where it now resides in the White House living quarters.

Mom had noticed painted scenery throughout the upper walls, weathering away with time and water damage. Mr. Newell told us the place, and the pool hall next door, used to be a vaudeville house in the 30's. Now just a mere skeleton of the action the joint must have housed during Prohibition  in the Bible Belt.

That night I had to work, and didn't have a vehicle, or food in the cupboard, so mom walked with me to work so she could indulge in some Subway. I was sad she had to walk back alone, but she was glad to know what my walk into work entails. It's painless. Also, that night my fellow managers and my boss were super great and let me take the next day off so I could spend it with my mom and see her off at the airport.

The next day, we did yet even more driving, when we had to head to Salina, which is unfortunately the closest David's Bridal. The dress I had ordered 3 or so weeks prior was in, but was destroyed. That's a huge long story onto itself, and we spend 30mins dress donning and doffing. Once that was semi-cleared up, we hit a buffet for lunch, and then Salina's mall for some walking around, and man shopping.

Tried so hard to get him to like this
JCPennys leather jacket.
I mean, can't you just see him picking
me up on his motorbike, 
or roadster?


I can.
Also, it reminds me of peanut butter cups.
Yum.






 Look at these fun things:

A rubber band gatling gun?

Santa come back!!!







Gee, what else can we find to do in an empty mall...?

Oh here we go, black-light put put. 

There is also an 'aquarium' which is a big dirty fish tank full of challenged creatures.

We were just telling Mom about the beautiful red-tailed hawk and falcons all along the highways, when we got a fresh glimpse of this snowy owl.

We wore Mom out.

Had to put her away for the night.










The next morning we had to gear up for her flight back home.

It's a 3hr drive to the airport.
They know what the tourists want. There's no shortage of Oz paraphernalia.

 Bye Mommy.

(Well, we dId go in.)

The kids will miss their Nana.


We love you!