One sure way to tell that spring has arrived

Besides the fifty-degree temps, the lack of snow, the extra birds now singing in the trees daily, the proliferation of neighborhood joggers, the glee-filled shrieks of children on the playground heard from over half a mile away, and the existence of catastrophic potholes all up and down the street, there is one sure way to tell spring has arrived.

My mother takes advantage of her UP reprieve; a furlough from the moose and tundra.

She travels south of the bridge. Are you with me there, Sparky?

Mom is one of the contingent of relatives and hire-ees that stays with Gram - one relieving another in an endless stream of caretakers.

Gram is 99 - mere months away from turning 100 - and requires supervision with meals and medications, and trips to the doctor, etc. (as you would expect for anyone of such an advanced age). She's also fallen numerous times and requires help to get up (obviously), assistance with the housework....you know, the normal routines of life. Gram likes to think she can get around in the kitchen, making coffee and such, but I have been there too many times when she has turned on the wrong burner and leaned on the hot one, or let her robe rest on it without thinking (or knowing). Yikes!

At any rate, mom stopped by this morning just around half-past six, bringing us a freshly baked turkey breast. Yup....meat presents! It was like finding out the Easter Bunny is really your mom, and instead of colored eggs under your furniture, she's hiding roasted fowl in your fridge!

It was surreal, seeing mom standing just inside the door with her arms full of yummy smelling turkey carcass.

What's next? Santa slinking down my chimney with a pork loin slung under one arm and a pot roast in his sack?

We didn't talk very long, mom was anxious to get on the road - it's a long drive to the Superior side of the UP. Normally she takes a drink of our delicious water when she is here, but I could tell she was really eager to move along because she skipped that part of her routine.

Within minutes she was hopping back into her car and making for the expressway.

The boys and I made it to the city to visit with the grandmas earlier in the week, and for dinner we had a delicious roast and lots of veggies. We were sent home with an array of baked sweet (and white) potatoes and carrots, and some of the leftover roast. Mmmmmm, yummy. I was hoping mom would stay long enough to have breakfast (so I could sort of return the favor), but it was apparent she was in her UP-hurry mode.

It's only been half an hour since she left, but I would liked to have visited a little while longer. Maybe next time.

I love you, mom. Thank you for everything....EVERY-thing.