HURRICANE BONNIE or IT'S RAINING CATS & DOGS

This morning on the news (June 29, 2011) I heard that there might be a hurricane named Arlene hitting our shores. My post today is about (July 23,2010 ) a hurricane called Bonnie that will be hitting parts of Miami,Florida. Although my mom has lived through, some of the effects of other hurricanes, it is quite different now. Years ago her dear friends Anita & Mortie would come and stay with her, because they spent their winters in Florida living in a motor home. So when they would be in an area considered a danger zone they would pack up and bring food and stay at my mom’s condo. In that case if my mom lost her electricity I always knew that my mom was not alone and would be fine. This of course was several years ago.

My mom did not have Alzheimer’s then although my dad was already deceased. I remember going to visit Anita & Mortie and their two daughters out in Long Island as a child and also as a teenager. Anita and my mom were friends since they were in grammar school together. They shared quite a long dear friendship. Since then Mortie has passed away and my mom’s friend Anita moved closer to one of her daughters. So when I heard the news today, I thought about how my mom is basically all alone, and what would she do? I guess if the storm was going to be bad my brother would come before and take her to his home. Gil lives an hour from her so would Elaine, her caregiver come and rescue her?

I called my mom and she said that it is raining cats and dogs outside. I all of a sudden thought what a silly phrase. Did you ever see it rain cats & dogs? I said something to my mom and she disagreed with me. She said "it’s just an expression". I then tell my mom that Elaine will be coming in three hours and she says as usual,” who’s Elaine, and if she comes she comes, and if she doesn’t I don’t care”.

I remind her that I will be visiting with Logan in exactly two weeks and she tells me once again, to please call her before I come so I can remind her that I am coming. I respond to mom that I call her every day, which of course she does not remember. Kidding around I ask my mom” will you bake a cake for me”? My mom laughs and says" I don’t have any food in the house and you know I don’t cook. Then she says do you want me to look in the refrigerator to see if there is food in it"? I say okay mom, I’ll hold on. She gets back on and tells me that there are a lot of small little cups and I guess some other food. I know that the small little cups are her coffee yogurts that she loves and eats every day. I proceed to tell her that there has to be food in the refrigerator because Gil takes her shopping every week, and Elaine makes her a meal each day. “Mom, that’s why I call you Princess Ruthie”. Mom laughs and this time, which she has never said before,”okay if I’m the princess who is the prince. “ I’m taken a little by surprise with her question, and for a moment stumble on who her prince might be and then I say Logan(her grandson), and she answers “ great “!