Friday at last

TGIF! At last it is Friday, the end of the workweek for people who work outside the home. For others it’s just another day of housework or perhaps a trip to the bank for laundry money. As a child, I always looked forward to Friday because it meant two days without school. When I was growing up, Friday meant a weekend with my grandparents.

I remember the trips to Lake Blackwell. I remember riding in my Grandpa Newland’s boat. I remember watching Grandpa water ski. Grandma Newland never water Skied, but she did ride in the boat occasionally. I remember standing on the boat dock and fishing. I remember watching Grandpa clean the catfish and then Grandma would fry them.

Sometimes I still dream of Lake Blackwell. I dream of the house Grandma and Grandpa lived in. I dream of the house we lived in. I dream of the First Baptist Church and I dream of the Baptist Mission in the Smelter heights. Oddly enough, I never dream about the Grade School or Junior High School (middle school) I went to when I lived in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

Friday at last and I am looking forward to a weekend of cleaning house. The last two or three days have been stressful (that is a nice way to put it). I need to get out, away by myself for a little while, but that is not possible. Wherever I go, I take Mom with me because she has Alzheimer’s disease and cannot stay home alone.

I need to find someone I can afford. I need to find someone I can trust to give Mom her medication. Mom does not like having someone stay with her, but I need to get away for a little while. I just do not know anyone I can leave with her that I can trust to give her the medication she takes.