Vibrant Nation

My husband went to pick up my 87-yr-old mother and bring her to our home for Sunday dinner as he does every week. As they came in the front door, I hugged my mom as I always do. As I stood there taking an extra long hug (I do this now all the time because...well, I don't know if I will get the chance again) I saw my husband in extreme animation pointing to his eyebrows and then pointing to mother. It certainly appeared to be code for, "holy crap your mom has too much makeup on."

As I broke the embrace to look at her face, how surprised was I to see Estee Lauder Cherry Red eyebrows. With the grace of God, I was able to control myself from dissolving into laughter. I said, "Mother did you mistake your lip lining pencil for your eyebrow pencil?" She looked at me rather bewildered and said, "I don't think so, why?" I decided at that point to take her into the bathroom so she could see for herself. Upon seeing herself in the mirror, she started to laugh and said, "You know, I thought my eyebrows looked a little different tonight." A little different? I suggested, if she wanted, I would be happy to get her my eyebrow powder, so she could apply new eyebrows. Continuing to look in the mirror she replied, "Naaah, it doesn't look that bad, and it's just you and Fred."

Well, suffice it to say we had a lovely dinner replete with good food, drink and conversation. When Fred came back from taking mother home, we sat and laughed until our sides ached.

Now for anyone reading this entry that thinks we were laughing at an old and dotty dame calm down...mother is as sharp as any pencil in the pile. What was soooo funny was her nonchalant "aahhh, it's just you and Fred". When she passes on and friends and family are gathered together to cry about her death and laugh in celebration of her life, I will share this story. I hope that I won't have to share it too soon.