September 5 – “That’s too loud”

Changes abounded in the castle.  Every day small victories were won.  Setbacks seemed overwhelming, but the calm and persistence of the Friend prevailed.  Melding together the efforts of volunteers as well as hired assistance, the Friend patiently plodded through the process, often frustrated that it was taking so long, yet determined to complete the project and make it meet his personal standards – certainly among the highest in the land.    And one day, after more than a year of struggle and pain and displacement, laughter and tears and growth, the day came when the castle was deemed sound for inhabitance.  Safe for life to return.  The Queen and her family would be allowed to return to their home.  Certainly excitement reigned.  The move back would not take very long, for their personal possessions no longer amounted to much more than could be strapped into the fine blue wagon.  On the other hand, however, the castle was just that and no more.  No longer were there fine trappings.  No beds upon which to fall into much needed sleep.  No cabinets in which to store the few items of clothing gradually accumulated over the course of their cruel exile.  No table upon which to serve meals.  No food in the fine, new, empty pantry.    Her antics continue.  Yesterday afternoon I was working at the computer.  Mom quietly came into the room and sat in the rocking chair nearby.  That's not uncommon.  She does that when she just wants to be around someone.  She didn't say anything at first.  She just worked at her word search puzzle.  Then it was as if she wound up like an Astros starting pitcher and let fly.  "Today I want a chocolate milkshake.  I haven't had one in years, and I want to go get one now."  I guess any other time that would have startled me, but not after the earlier road trip request.  I took a deep breath, finished up what I was in the middle of, and said, "OK.  We can get a milkshake at …"  "Whataburger,"  she finished.  Well, OK.  For someone who hasn't been in years, she remembered that pretty well.  Whataburger it was for an afternoon snack.  Oh, and she ordered the biggest one they make.   I finally got hold of Mom's hearing aids yesterday.  I was back at work again when she turned the TV on so loud that it was too loud for me to concentrate in the next room.  My first inclination was to rush in there and yell out (so I could be heard – it really was that loud), "It's too loud!"  But then I remembered the times I was BHA (Before Hearing Aids) and Chris very gently, almost in a whisper, said, "It's too loud."  So I went in and asked where her hearing aids were.  I said I wanted to check them out for her.  And she wasn't sure.  She wasn't even attempting to wear them.  We located them on her dresser and I took them into our bathroom where my hearing aid kit was.  I cleaned and poked and brushed as much as I could.  It appeared to me that one of them was clogged up or at least missing something.  It didn't look anything like the other one, which wasn't all that great either.  I finally got them to squeal at me when I closed them up.  That's supposed to be an indication that they are working properly.  She put them in and immediately reached for the TV remote.  "That's too loud."  Yes, Mom, it was.  I'm sure glad we have an appointment coming up Friday.   Psalms 28:7 says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."   Father, I desperately miss Chris, but thank you for this time with my Mom.  Amen.