Thursday, June 15, 2017

Swimming With Arizona Grande Dames While Uncle Mooch Takes Mom To Dad

Every morning, for the past five mornings, I have found myself swimming with a growing number of local ladies.

It started with just Ann and Phyllis. And then several other ladies were added to the mix.

And then a couple days ago someone who preferred not to be referred to as a lady, but instead a Grande Dame, showed up. The Grande Dame's name is Jacqui. A fancy way of spelling my sister, Jackie's, name..

A couple hours after the regular morning swim with the coterie of ladies, and the Grande Dame, mom opted not to do the regular pester, I mean, visit with my dad. Instead I went to my aforementioned sister Jackie's place to utilize her wi-fi and do some more pooling. The pool pics did not turn out to my selfie satisfaction. But the view of the front of my sister's house, which you see above, did turn out to my satisfaction.

Being at my sister's, with a normal internet connection, I was able to see what my phone Blogger app bloggings look like.

Not good.

With one, the photo did not appear. Paragraph breaks did not exist. And the picture showed up at the bottom, with one of them sized way too big. Maybe I need to explore the 'settings' part of the phone Blogger app.

Some time after noon I returned to my mom's location. I thought mom would be all antsy to get to my dad.

Instead we dawdled.

Mom thought dad was in a bad mood yesterday. Mom can not see. Dad got new hearing aids yesterday which resulted in me having what will go down in my memory history as one of the most poignant moments I have ever experienced. I have no idea why mom thinks she can accurately perceive dad's moods.

This entire experience of being here with mom and dad has been a bit overwhelming. My siblings, well the three of the four I have seen and talked to, have helped me get through this day to day.

Eventually mom and I left Sun Lakes and headed north to dad. On the way we made our regular drive-thru McDonald's. Today it was double cheeseburgers and large Cokes. Well, I had a Coke, mom surprisingly went the diet Dr. Pepper route. Dr. Pepper is a Texas thing. I don't know where my mom picked up this bad habit.

I delivered mom to dad, who was in bed peacefully resting. I left mom there before I had to witness mom disturbing dad's restful slumber.

I am now in the lobby, with my laptop, looking at the view you see below.


Dad's room is to the left of the view you see here. It looks like I am sitting outside, but actually you are looking out a big wall of glass.

We are heading into record breaking heat here, arriving on Monday. Each day's forecast seems to increase the degree by one. Several days ago Monday was to be 119 degrees, then it went up to 120, but cooler on Tuesday. This morning Monday went up to 121, with Tuesday potentially hotter.

I have been above 120 only once, with Spencer Jack's dad and Spencer Jack's favorite Uncle Joey, way back in 1998, in Death Valley. The weather forecasters here make it sound like a weather Armageddon is coming with dire worries about the electrical grid.

I just remembered another time I have been above 120. Also in Death Valley, with Big Ed and Dale. If I remember right it was 124 at Badwater, that being the location of the lowest level below sea level in this hemisphere. I do not think the Phoenix zone is below sea level. I don't know what the Valley of the Sun's excuse is for getting so hot.

I suppose I should go check on my mom and dad. Mom likely has been pushing the red button to get someone to get dad up. When he needs to rest.

Have I mentioned my mom has forgotten who I am? She calls me Gerry. Sometime she realizes I am not Gerry. Gerry is my dad's youngest brother, known to me and my siblings as Uncle Mooch.

Mom better not start calling me Uncle Mooch. That name is reserved for only one person. And it is not me...

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