Beads for Life

Mother's Day was a mere two weeks ago, at my pace I still have the cards out and feel it was just hours ago. So to publish this on Memorial Weekend is rather speedy for me, lighten up it is still May!

I did have a wonderful day, worked like a dog but that's they way it it. We gathered here for supper and I brought my mother down from the nursing home. She managed to stay almost 2 hours. Like most residents, they like to go, but just gotta get back! Mom seems to think if she isn't there when they give a pill, or help her to bed, etc. she'll luck out. "Too bad Evie, ya shoulda been here." That is called institutionalization. We try to avoid it but it happens. Elderly, especially from that era and laced with some dementia, are respectful of the process and grateful for the help. Mom doesn't want to assume anything - she needs to be there, and doesn't want to miss her "turn." We should all be so accommodating.

Anyway, my kids were so kind and thoughtful. I received a book, gloves for the garden, Barnes & Nobel gift card, plants. Collin gave me a six pack of petunias, they were red & white striped. He told his mom we needed to get those for grandma Lizzie because they look like candy canes. I have them out in a big pot on the deck so we can watch them grow more candy canes.

Lainey,in Seattle, sent me an interesting necklace and bracelet, henceforth the photo. They came from an organization called Beads for Life. The necklace is created from colored paper, rolled tightly and I think, varnished. If you double click on the photo, and after noticing all the creases in my face, you can see the paper rolls. The bracelet is the same.

Beads for Life (www.beadsforlife.org)is a nonprofit organization that sells the beads to provide an income for impoverished women in Uganda, most living with HIV/AIDS or displaced from civil wars. The beads have a hang tag that says, "eradicating poverty one bead at a time." Check out the website just to get a better understanding of what these women do. Amazing, and rather unsettling for those of us who have so much and think we need more.

So both Lainey and Collin made some good choices for Grandma. Happy Mother's Day to all!!