All of last weekend was spent celebrating Mother's Day (indoors since the weather was flat out nasty), and mom deserved it because of how hard taking care of my dad has been. Not how hard she has made it in her own mind, since she acts like it's the biggest imposition and he's the worst patient ever, but that it is a difficult task to help someone recover from a hernia surgery and then a subsequent hip replacement seven weeks later. She's kept him fed, using his walker and now his cane, and ceded the bathroom to him while she uses ours, and with me working full time and my sister not being here for most of that time the burden did fall mostly on her.

I'm not downplaying what my dad has been through either, since recovering from major surgery is a painful and long process and it's frustrating to barely be able to do the smallest things like getting to the bathroom, as I well know. He'll get his weekend on Father's Day to celebrate his recovery, but last weekend we had a lovely dinner at the Smithfield Inn, laughing and joking since the power went out a third of the way through our meal, and making the best of the weather and Mother's Day. It reminded me that we can be a functional family when we let go of our neuroses and just enjoy each others' company.

I'm hoping to get some sleep this weekend, make gravy on Sunday, and plan for my birthday brunch next Saturday in North Jersey since my aunt really isn't a good enough driver to come this far south anymore and I do want to celebrate with her as well. I need to accomplish more than just relaxing since I have to start working on a life outside of work and family. Two of three pieces are in place at least.