Taking Care of Mum

Each age carries its own blessings and challenges.  At the moment my girls are 12 and 15 years old.  They are continually fighting and sometimes getting along well.  I'm living with Jekyll and Hyde.  The eldest is also dating or dating again the same guy, someone the youngest disapproves of after listening through their shared bedroom wall to their fights and her sister's tears.  Yet, she finds time to recognize when I'm dragged out or feeling down. 

Yesterday was one of those difficult days.  The walk in clinic with her for flu shots and orthopedics referral was easy.  Canadian Tire for house organizing and lighting supplies was simple enough.  Giant Tiger for groceries was far more difficult.  We even did price comparison on laundry detergent; which was the lowest cost (6 cents for no name, 19 cents for tide/load).  Paying was the problem.  Living pay cheque to pay cheque on a regular basis is worsened by the financial demands or expectations of the expensive Christmas season.  I really wish it wasn't so commercialized.  Well, I didn't have enough to pay for our cart full of groceries.  It took about half an hour to take some from this account, some from savings, some from Taylor's account, some cash in my wallet, etc.  Thankfully we didn't have to walk away nor put anything back.  But it was embarrassingly humbling.  And as we're leaving the store, a table is set up as a fund raiser, lotto ticket Christmas trees.  Sorry, I can't help you.

When we got home, Kenzie told me to go downstairs and relax, do some scrapbooking.  Then she put away the groceries, cooked a frozen pizza, thawed a frozen cake, and brought me down my supper: slice of  chocolate cake, two slices of thick rising pizza, ice tea, and a bottle of wine.  :)  She had it covered.  Sometimes hugs come in the form of acts of service.  Sometimes what we give to others, comes back to us when we need it most.

23 November 2017