Laundry

Used to Be Mother called today to announce she will be back in town after a five week hiatus. She's been at my brother's house for the holidays. She misses her activities, routines and going to the bank every day. She misses me. She misses her walks and going to church. She misses me. She misses her friends and the sing-a-longs. She misses me.

I've missed her too. She told me that she had already started her packing but her "panties" were still drying. She washes them every day in the tub or in her sponge bath. The word "panties" sends my children into orbit and with good reason. I thought to add a picture here but had to shut down the computer for the images presented didn't look like the old girl's knickers! She hangs them in her closet on hangers all facing the same direction. I remember shortly after she had her hysterectomy in 1970, she sat on the stoop outside and taught me how to hang laundry. "There's a right way to do everything." And she insisted on discretion to hang her "panties" so the neighbours wouldn't see them.