Second Mom Time

Earlier in the week we received the very disturbing news that the woman I think of as a second mother had fallen and broken her hip.  She’s ninety years old so not a small thing.  As soon as my wife heard about it she declared we were going up to see her this weekend.

My Second Mom

That is something I love about my wife, she really is my conscience.  I probably would have found a thousand other things I had to do and a way to rationalize not making the trip.  As soon as she said it though I knew she was right. 

Some of Foliage We Saw Yesterday

The trip up to New Hampshire was glorious as the brilliant red maple leaves were striking along our route.  They seemed to be a little early this year and causes me pause about next weekend’s planned annual leaf peeping exercise.  It was still an incredible drive through some of the most beautiful scenery on God’s green earth. 

Fall in New England

We also seized the opportunity to take the Keene Friend out to lunch before he had to report in to work at his horrendous employment schedule.  He hadn’t seen my wife since she had returned from Panama so it was a fun time and he fully exonerated my behavior at the recent high school reunion under ruthless spousal questioning. 

Lunch With Keene Friend

He left for work and we made our way to the hospital.  I worked there when I was in high school but this was the first time I’d been back since my daughter took a Christmas time tumble down the stairs more than a quarter century ago.  It has changed significantly. 

The Keene Hospital - My Old Stomping Grounds

We ran into a very ice nurse who shepparded us through the new arcane pathways to the rehab floor where we linked up with my second mom.  She looked exactly like we’d seen a few months ago when we stopped in to visit her.  She was still feisty and more than ready to offer her opinions on the nursing care.  She was a life long nurse herself in the very same hospital so she had grounds to compare.

She really is the last link I have with my own mother outside of my sisters and we reminisced about that fourth person who I’m sure was present in spirit.  As we left the hospital I thanked my wife again for insisting we come as I truly enjoyed the time I got t spend with that special lady.

My wife took my gratitude as a license to shop.  Since my Keene Friend was at work and the Cantankerous One somewhere deep in the heart of Dixie – I was on my own.  She dropped me off at the Elm City Brewery and promised to be short, only an hour.

The End of my Journey Down the Bar

My favorite bar tender was on duty but I was forced to sit near the end of the bar as far away from my normal post as possible.  Not to be daunted as soon as a seat opened I would shift down the bar.  I eventually reached my preferred seating although the process took nearly three hours.  Wait, three hours, what happened to the short shopping time?  I think we all know the answer to that question.   

Big Papi Watches his Second Homer Leave the yard

A bevy of college football games and a steady serving of Keene Kolsch went a long way towards removing any concern about wifely timeliness.  The plan had been to be home in time to see the Red Sox game but when my wife did finally show up I was watching the game at the bar.  We had dinner at the bar and then made our way home with the game tuned on the radio.  The beard(s) performed their magic again as the Sox hung a loss on the Ray’s best pitcher with Big Papi homering twice in a thundering Fenway Park.  Awesome day!

Playoff Beard - Day 7 (record 2-0)