Early birds on a Saturday morning

Day two of being the early bird. Yesterday I woke at 4:30 and after realizing I wasn't falling back asleep, decided to seize the day and get going. I like having a lot of time in the morning. I was able to drive to my parents house and help my father and be there while he showered, dressed, etc. Then I worked a full day. This morning it was up at 5:30. I woke up worrying, but I'm not even going to say about what. If it's bad, I'll tell you later. I'm trying to ignore it because I've always believed that most worries are wasted. So, I'm sitting on my porch in my p.j.'s, listening to the morning sounds. A hummingbird just came to the feeder. There's a duck across the street that my neighbor is feeding. It's just slightly cool (not like Ms. Jule's part of the land) and cloudy. Or maybe it's that the sun hasn't risen. Not sure but it doesn't matter. It's nice enough to be outside.

I just finished my 4-day workweek, the last three being 11-7. That's a hard shift, especially when you're really busy before you start work, while you work, and when you stand for a living. I've been using my cutting chair this week for the first time in years. I bought it ages ago when I was having a problem, and held onto it with the thought that one day I might need it. Right now my knees are hurting. Probably from all the planting I've done. Sitting while working puts me at eye-level with the hair I'm cutting, and I think I'm doing better work. The Graham Webb Academy, where I've taken classes, advocates cutting at eye-level. They have clients stand for at least part of the cut. The chair is comfortable, and hydraulic. Woohoo! Now there's three of us at my salon that use cutting chairs. We're also three of the oldest. Ah the joys of aging.

Today is an exciting day! My nephew Eric is getting married to Jessica! Eric is my sister Lisa's younger son. Jessica has been my mom's aide/companion for years. She's already family. Here's the happy couple....

The logistics of the day will be interesting. My brother will be getting my father ready. I mentioned he lost 40 pounds in rehab? His suit will be swimming on him, but Lisa bought a new belt. It will at least stay up. I'm not going to worry about the fact that despite what the rehab center said at his discharge, he needs oxygen. I'll be getting my mother ready. At the rehab center. I'll have to get ready at home except for getting dressed. I'm sure it will be quite a sight for us to be walking out in our fancy dresses. Emily will meet us at the rehab center, and we'll go from there. And it will all work out, right? Right.

So, here's a story, as long as I'm writing. Have I mentioned that my mother's been missing a front tooth this whole time? Her crown fell out and she had a dentist appointment to have it put back the day she went to the emergency room. Unfortunately, she left the crown on the kitchen counter in a tissue. Big mistake. So, she's had wild too-long hair and a missing front tooth this whole time. Oh, and didn't have her hair washed for almost 3 weeks because she couldn't take a shower. Not a pretty sight. The great rehab center she's in has a salon that's open 2 days a week and the first service is complimentary. We happily signed her up for a haircut on Tuesday. My mother was so happy it was clean and cut, but she said all her curls were gone because it was short. OK. On my way in on Thursday I peeked my head in the salon to thank the stylist. Then I saw my mother. That stylist should be slapped. Really. Imagine a bowl being placed on a head. The bangs are 1/2 inch long. It's that short all along her hairline, past her ears, and to the back. And horribly uneven. I was nice and cropped this picture. Visualize this haircut on a person with a missing front tooth. My mom couldn't believe I wanted to take her picture, but it made her laugh. I was at the rehab center shaving her legs while she was in the shower. I stopped for the photo op. Then I got soaked when the shower nozzle got loose. Serves me right. I dried by the time I got to work.

The good news is that she got a pass yesterday and Lisa took her to the dentist. She was waiting on a partial denture and the dentist took it upon himself to attach the crown to it. It will never come out again. That's as long as she doesn't lose the denture. So, she'll have a front tooth for the wedding pictures. My parents will make a dashing couple. At least they'll be there. That's a blessing. I'll take lots of pictures and post the good ones here. I'm hoping that being at the wedding will be a happy reprieve for the whole family.

It's 7:30. If I hadn't woken at the crack of dawn, this wouldn't be posted. I think I'm going to get the last of the impatiens in the ground. The early bird catches the worm. Happy Saturday!