Home on the range

I went to visit my mom this morning and she is doing well. She was walking around like a champ. A little Mr. Tudballish with the shuffling, but overall, really really good for having a stroke less than 10 days ago. She was still struggling a bit with eating and using her left arm, but her speech is really clear and that is good. I think she is a little grumpier now than she was before. Now, she has always been a cranky old bat, but it seems a little worse. She has always been very egocentric and that seems to haev worsened a bit, too, but I will take the tradeoff to keep her here. She pulled a manipulative little trick on me as I was getting ready to leave. Dad showed up and I was going to take off at that point and she started to fall from her chair at the dinner table and I had to rush over and catch her. Dad looked at me and looked at her and said "She hasn't done anything like that since she's been home. Only since you have been here." I think he wanted me and mom to know that she wasn't fooling anyone into thinking she didn't have her balance. I don't know what to think, but I tend to believe that it was probably a wee bit intentional to get my attention. She's like that and has been all of my life. She likes to be the center of attention, even if it means going really over the top to get the attention. She used to come to school when I was in high school and stagger through the halls saying "I'm drunk, I'm just so drunk." And, then, she's stumble into the wall and slide down it. Ironically, she doesn't drink and never has. She would mean that she was dizzy. But, in retrospect, I often wonder how much was put on and how much was genuine. Why choose THOSE words? It was so humiliating. I got numb to it, too. She could be dying in the floor and I'd step over her and go about my business because she did it so much. My friends thought I was a bitch, too, for not being caring, but what can you do?

Anyway. I digressed way more than I intended to. I had simply planned to mention that she is recovering well. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.

I took the following pictures the day before the stroke while we were visiting. Sweet Pickle and my dad made some little whirly-gigs or whatever you call them. Dad built Pickle a dragon and had the boy finish painting it in dad's barn. I think he named it Geoffrey. Not sure why, but he did. He also went and played with my dad's chickens. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a big old redneck.

Here is Papa setting it up for Pickle and then Pickle hard at work.

And, the creator supervising the artist.

Here is a penguin my dad made for Hot Rod and the dragon for Pickle. Stinkerbelle got an elephant. See the fan behind the whirlygigs? That was purchased by my parents when they got married in 1957!!!

And, Pickle with his favorite hen at my folks' house. Surprises me to see THIS child chasing, catching and holding a chicken. I love the way the chicken wire framed the picture.

Was going to post these the day my mom had her stroke. I got the fateful car while on the way back from taking Hot Rod to see Charlie and Chocolate Factory, which I loved, by the way. Now that things are getting closer to normal, I feel better. Finished my largest project today, too. *whew* So, now I can focus on the other projects.