Haunted Chair

I just got off the phone with my mother. They live in Washington state, where I was raised. They have had a pretty rough year, but my mother had me in absolute hysterics a few minutes ago.

My father fell and broke his hip last year, this is after a 72' Blue Spruce tree crashed into their house during an ice and wind storm.

Now, mom and dad went to stay in a motel, which ended up lasting 4 months...insurance covered it but contractors really took advantage of the elderly. Two weeks after getting into the motel my father fell and broke his hip. Surgery, rehab you name it he has been through it. But, he and my mother both have been able to keep a sense of humor, which is part of the reason our telephone conversation today was so funny.

Mom got dad one of those lift chairs. My father has always had "his" chair, he watches TV in it, naps in it, etc. Since he broke his hip he has had some issues with balance, and getting in and out of his chair. Mom has had to lift him in and out. Anyway, the chair was delivered last week.

I guess dad fell asleep in his chair. At 1:30 am, Mom was sitting in her chair watching TV and reading a book. From what she says, you really shouldn't fall asleep in the lift chairs with the remote still in your hand. The chair moves very slowly and is very quiet. She is minding her own business, reading her book and the next thing she knows a sleeping man is being thrust onto the floor. Yup, he even stayed asleep until he hit the floor. Split his forehead open, blood everywhere. He is trying to figure out what happened, mom is trying to figure out what happened, meanwhile the chair is raised up fully.

I'm sorry, but I can just hear the chair now..."okay folks, did you really think I was going to sit here all night and not do anything?" My father swears the chair is haunted, mom thinks there may be a problem with the remote...maybe it is too sensitive. Come on people, it is 1:30 am, you are elderly, go to bed...I am threatening them with a babysitter!!

Lucky Me

You know, sometimes I really wonder how I got so lucky!

I had a wonderful childhood. I grew up in a small town in Washington State. The "Apple Capitol of the World". I have a mother who worked a full-time job out of the house and a father who worked in a food processing plant in the town he was born in.

Growing up we did not have a lot of money. Although, at the time I didn't know it. I know on birthdays we went out to dinner. I knew that we went camping twice a year on the coast with the entire family. (which consisted of my grandparents, all the brothers, sisters, their spouses, children, cousins, my gosh there would be between 50 and 100 family members each camping trip) I knew that I had food on the table, a sister, parents who would play board games and cards with me. I didn't realize that the Turkey Soup for dinner one night was because that was all that was in the cabinet, I didn't know that the rest of the neighborhood thought my sister and I were neglected because my mother worked a full time job and my sister and I had baby sitters in the summer.

Growing up and to this day, I know I was blessed. I had a wonderful childhood. As I raised my children I would remember different things and realize how hard my parents really had it. How they struggled to make sure my sister and I had everything we needed and a few things we didn't need, but we wanted. But you know one thing my sister and I always had....my parents and their love and attention.

Probably more attention than I wanted at the time, but you know what, they did it right. Thank You Mom and Dad, I wish I was as great a parent as you.

Just wait til you hear about my first date, the Samurai Sword, and poor Scott....

I know you are on the edge of your seats...