Engagement

Some days are more memorable than others.  There are always reasons why.  On January the 12th I remembered as I do every year that Mervs mother Audrey would have celebrated her birthday if she was alive.  I remember her well.  She was difficult.  Not a mother in law that anyone would like to have.  She became less arrogant as she aged and was often dependent on others instead of fiercely independent.  Before she died she allowed me to bring her to the Lord.  Some people wait until such a time.
I knew she had gone before the hospital rang.  It was early on a cold winters morning as a light blazed through our bedroom window and the sound of a train thundered.  I said to myself she had gone.  I just knew.  I put on the kettle and waited for the call which came fifteen minutes later.
Audrey donated her body to science and therefore there was no structured funeral.  Merv, the children and myself held a memorial for her in a local park and then went to the river to throw in rose buds.  When I turned to look at the car I saw Audrey standing there in her red jacket. She had been in a wheelchair for sometime and I hadn't expected to ever see her stand again.  Her vision faded as we approached the car. Six months later on the 12th January 2005 I picked up her watch which I had kept and noticed it had stopped.  I wore another watch and a couple of days later I picked it up and put it in my handbag before it handing it over to the watchmaker.  He asked me what was wrong with it.  I looked for the first time in days at the watch, it was working perfectly.  Audrey was just reminding us to remember her on her birthday.  I haven't heard from her since.
This year as always I thought of her on her birthday.  In the afternoon, just an ordinary afternoon Mel rang and told me she is engaged.  Damien had proposed to her at her friend's house and of course she had been thrilled and said yes.  As for me, shock was my only response!  I hadn't expected that quite so soon.  They have been dating only six months.
I smiled to myself, Mel was always a favourite with Audrey.  Now I will remember Audrey's birthday  and Mel's engagement on January 12th each year!

I know Damien cares for Mel.  I have seen it with my own eyes.  It is lovely to behold.  Just like Mel he has a number of issues, many need a little tweaking.  Tweaking is good.  Solutions we may never quite achieve but helping the happy couple achieve a happy life together by a little tweaking is worth the effort.  Stay tuned....

The Happy Couple

Where Are You?

The day ahead threatens to be very hot but the early morning delighted me with a cool soft breeze.  I sent Mel a message saying its a great time of day to go for her hourly walk.  It was 6:30am.  I received no answer.  I knew she had been up late as she posted a Colorfy picture on Facebook at 10:30 last night.
I messaged her again before I rang.  No answer.  She must be really tired I thought.  I rang at least ten times before 9am without any response.  I began to worry; that is what mothers do really well!
Just after 9 I rang the support worker at her accommodation only to find she had returned to her boyfriend's house yesterday evening.  He lives in a town house where the bedroom is upstairs and she leaves her phone downstairs.  The mystery solved. 
I waited for her to wake and ring.  I waited and I waited some more.  Last time she was at her boyfriend's house I rang her neighbour because I couldn't reach Mel.  I woke the neighbour up (it was after 10am!).  I decided not to do that again.
I remember my older sister remarking on a time many years ago when her daughter was staying with her at a caravan park.  Her daughter had gone to the ablution block and was gone what seemed an extremely long time.  My sister became worried.  It turned out the daughter engaged in a long conversation with another guest and thought nothing of her mother's concern.  My sister said it was her expectation of where her daughter should be which concerned her.  If her daughter had not been with her there would have been no concern. 
It is like that with Mel and me.  Mel is not your average daughter she needs some looking after and positive direction.  Countless times she has got herself into a vulnerable situation.  Normally she makes informed decisions but sometimes she doesn't. 
I asked her just to let me know in future every time she will be away from home and where she is staying.  Her safety and well being are my main concerns. 
I asked her if she was alright and she confirmed she was.  There had been a lover's tiff between them yesterday.  Surely a mother can be concerned?

Staying away from home