Life With Mom (Part 8)

I was about to call my brother to ask about Mom’s plan for her 87th birthday when  a familiar car stopped near our gate and our three dogs got crazy barking when they saw it.

They’re here. I mean mom is here. I haven’t seen her since her last birthday.  She’s  a bit thin compared to last year and she said that every day, she is busy raking  leaves in our garden at home.  They brought a big box of assorted veggies and I was delighted to see sweet potatoes.  It’s her birthday next week but she wants to hold a simple celebration on a weekend  so she could see Nate and her other grandchildren.  Yesterday, Nissa  gave her phone to Nate so she could hear his  voice. Since she is hard of hearing you could hear her voice load and clear  and she smiled when Nate shouted “hello Nanay, I love you”.   I could hear Nate’s voice shouting at the other end. My kids and my nephews and nieces call her Nanay.

Early this morning, I asked her if she wants something lukewarm for her bath.  She thought for a moment then blurted out, “Martes ngayon” (it’s Tuesday) at the same time shaking her head.  I wonder what being a Tuesday got to do with taking a bath.  Ah, the old times and fallacies that they cling to until now. It suddenly dawned on me that my grandmother didn’t like taking a bath too  on Tuesdays and Fridays nor cutting her nails on the same days.

You can’t argue with an 87-year old right? I love her just the same.