Obviously, since moving back to PA... I've spent lots of time with my mom. After all, she is one of the main reasons why we moved back here. Lately though, I've been trying to have a schedule of sorts, so that she knows I will be down on certain days.... and for a certain length of time... with the focus of helping her do things around the house, run errands and such.
It is two-fold... in that it gives her a reliable time when she knows I will be there, and 2) gives me a well-defined time in my studio... so that I can (hopefully) get work done. eh... it might work.
But I digress.
Last week, on one of my "blocks of time with mom".... I helped her clean out the closet in the guest bedroom of her house. You have to understand upfront, that my mother is not-so-subtly afflicted with an overactive OCD tendency. Not a hoarder... just super-thrifty. Meaning.... she saves everything... in bags and boxes... sorted (by color, by type, etc)... well, you get the idea. So, as I went through the tower of empty boxes (because you might need them to wrap something), and the various boxes of gift wrap (that go back to the 1950s), and the bags of greeting cards (for every imaginable holiday)... was this not-so-insignificant stack of sheet music. In one of the envelopes holding music (which by the way, was falling apart from age)... was this church bulletin. Apparently, my mother had been part of a choir that sang for a special service on October 15, 1950 in the Lutheran Church. The folder, and most of the stack of music; was apparently sheet music from rehearsals for this performance, as well as music they sang at the event. And, apparently... she still had it.... as well as copies from several of the other performers; hence the large stack of music.
Now... you have to understand... this was before my parents even married. After they married, they moved at least 8 times (that I know of) before getting to the house that she lives in now. And, almost 66yrs have passed in that time.... and the last 48yrs was right here in this town.
And she still had it.
And she still "was meaning to" return it to the Lutheran Church (about 6 blocks away). Needless to say, I took it over... with a sincere apology for the lateness of delivery to the bemused woman who answered the door of the church.
You may think I am hollering. I am not. Heaven knows, we've all been there.
I think it's funny.
And it gives me hope.... that no matter how long I take to do a project; it still might get done.
See you all tomorrow.