Last weekend...long but it gets funny

I took my mom upstate to see my nephew... when I tell people that I am taking mom to visit, they think I am taking her up to see him in college. Don't I wish.. My nephew is serving time for murder. He has 25 yrs to life and has been in prison for 10 years. It is a difficult subject to discuss, not only because of the crime he committed but because it has ripped families apart. Long story... heart breaking all the way around... when I drive her up I do it out of obligation. My mom has been wonderful to me and my family. Watched my children whenever I asked, helped get me through school too. So yea, I owe her a lot...

Those who know me, know I go up there kicking and screaming... end up having conversations with mom that I really do not wan to have because I know there is nothing she can do to change what happened. Generally, I go up angry and return even angrier. We stop at my older brother's house and visit with him and his wife for awhile... I have to say visiting him is stressful though my SIL is an awesome lady! I have "issues" with this brother but I can speak with him on a limited basis. lol God bless my SIL... she is an angel and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I thank God for her because she is able to love him as she does...To get there generally takes 3 1/2 hrs, this time it took almost 7!! Yea, no music... did I mention how L O N G it was?

We leave their home and drive 3 more hours north to go and get to the hotel. It's now almost 10 pm and I have been up since 6am... long day. We eat and I am sure to get a LARGE glass of sangria! God it made everything so much better! Chocolate usually does it for me but that day... it was definitely the Sangria! When we go back to the hotel I get the extra blanket and grab a pillow. I am hitting the couch. Mom is "irked" because I won't share the king size bed with her... ok, mom I shared a bed with you until I was 5 and shared a room with you until I was 10... I'll take the couch thanks.... btw: you snore mom... always have...

The next morning, I get up "late" the alarm clock never went off. Usually we are up and out by 6 am so we can sign in. We are usually #33 but today we were #17! How the heck did that happen?! Well 2 of the 3 buses broke down! They drive bus loads of family members to visit the prisoners. So that was lucky for us, not so lucky for them! I convinced mom to leave her walker in the car... she has brought it in before and it's just a pain in the butt... they have to disassemble it to make sure there is no contraband coming in with us. I also suggested she leave her jewelry because they make her take it off to go through the metal detector... Mom has "plumbing" problems and carries pads with her... without the walker, she has no where to put them. She found a new place... her bra... mom stuffed her bra with her Poise Pads and was quite proud of it!

We get through and she has a smile so BIG on her face... she out smarted the guards... yea mom, you just want to be strip searched and frisked! This is a maximum secruity prison! We get to see my newphew, I go and get snacks from the crappy vending machines... come back, she leaves... My newphew leans over and says "Auntie, Gram says you told her to leave her jewelry in the car." Yea it's a PITA to take it off and put it on... takes up "time"...he has a cheese eating grin.. and tells me "She snuck in her cross. She stashed it in her bra! She showed me." Really? Well you know her pads? "yea"... well they are in her bra too! He was laughing so hard... then we share stories of mom stashing money in her bra... "safest place to put something" as she says... who comes walking over but mom. In her hands were some more crappy food from the vending machine and a bottle of pepsi... puts them on the table. Next thing we know... she's taking packets of mustard, ketchup and mayo OUT OF HER BRA!!! The two of us were rolling on the floor! Yea... that's one for the history books...

Our return trip was quite pleasent. I took a ferry to Vermont and drove through to New Hampshire where my other brother lives... The ferry ride was awesome! A whole 20 mins and the view was spectacular! The drive through Grand Isle was terrific as well. We arrived at the house 20 mins late because I made ONE wrong turn and the GPS didn't work... oh that is a blog of its own! My other great and wonderful sister in law (she has put up with this family far longer than the other SIL!) had a wonderful meal cooking on the stove for us too! I stayed up until 2 am chatting with my nephew (and I thought the day before was LONG) It was an awesome stay... I went home with a smile on my face. I told mom, I think I found a new route home!