An Illustrated Tale of Mom, Parker and Me

I went to an estate sale with my Mom today.  I like to invite her along at least once a month because she doesn't get out much.  Ever since she retired she stays at home more and more. I don't think it's good for her and I worry, but she's kind of stubborn. (she's a LOT stubborn).

Mom

So I called her yesterday and asked her if she wanted to go and she was so excited. It made me feel good that at least I can get her out of the house for a little while.  There are so many things I ask her to do that she won't do. I'm glad that estate sales seem to be one thing she enjoys.  

She never really buys anything.  Every now and then she'll buy an odd trinket or two, but mostly she just goes with me and looks around and we talk about the stuff we find and then she tries to pay for everything.  If I let her pay for everything then I have to buy lunch.  At least if I do it that way I don't feel like a heel. But if I pay for my stuff then I let her buy me lunch and I guess that's Ok. 

The last time we went to an estate sale together she bought a brass nutcracker. I'm not sure why she bought it, but she likes to buy brass things.  She ended up leaving it in my car and I brought it in and haven't ever given it to her. It's somewhere in my apartment.  

Nutcracker

We went to a nice sale today out in Parker Texas. It's not that far from where my parents live and it's close to Southfork Ranch, the TV home of J.R. Ewing.  When I was a teenager we used to drive around out in the country out in Parker and Murphy.  There wasn't much there but country roads.  There was an old church right at the bend in the road before it went across a bridge and we used to think it was haunted. I'm not sure why we thought that, but there was something kind of creepy about it.  We really used to scare ourselves half to death every time we drove by that church at night. 

Old Church (not scary)

The bridge was nice too. It went over a creek with tall trees growing along the bank and it was very pretty. Sometimes we'd stop the car and walk across the bridge and sit on the edge for a while and just look down at the creek.  It was kind of nice to have beautiful countryside so close by.  

I don't think the bridge is there any more. Or the church.  

Southfork Ranch

We drove out to Parker. There's still countryside, just not as much of it.  It was a fun sale.  The house was packed with stuff and it was all disorganized and I had to dig through closets and boxes and step over things and my Mom got tired pretty early on and spent most of the time sitting on a couch in the front room.  

I picked out some nice vintage shoes, some old books a couple of tablecloths and a few other tidbits and we went and had lunch at the Olive Garden. I used my GPS on my new cell phone to get us there.   I had what  always have at Olive Garden and she had what she always has and then I took her home.   I wanted to get home because I had a lot to do, but I wanted to walk her to the door and give her a hug. She said I didn't have to, that I could give her a hug on the sidewalk and she could make it in her own front door herself.  Well that wasn't really the point but I wanted to get home so I gave her a hug and got in my car.  

She said she had a great time.  

I did too.