Pack your bags, we’re going on a guilt trip!! May 16, 2008

So as I’ve mentioned, Mom’s turning 70 this year. This is terrific for a few reasons. First of all, a lot of people don’t ever see 70. Her parents didn’t. My dad, aunt and uncle didn’t. Hell, my dad and his brother didn’t even get to see 60. Second, before her heart transplant, the prognosis wasn’t what you’d call “optimistic.” Her old heart was more or less a ticking time bomb, set to go kaput by 2006 or so. Her new heart was a new lease on life, given a shelf life of about least ten years. Sadly, this December will mark year number seven. Oy.

Anyway, she’s turning 70. I know my one sister plans on being there for the occasion; I’m sure the other sister is formulating plans too. My brother, well, to be honest, I think he’s in my boat: he can’t afford it. He’s got six kids and although at one time he was pretty flush with money, the gravy train’s been a bit sluggish lately from what I hear. It’s not that he couldn’t get the time off, he could. He just can’t afford it. That, my friends, is also my dilemma.

If I fly back east, at least one kid (and to be realistic, probably both kids) would have to travel with me. I refuse to hold an eight-month-old baby in my lap through two flights and one layover each direction across the country just to save $200. In addition, I shudder at the thought of trekking through airports with said infant AND a tantrum-prone preschooler whose main ambition lately is to test her limits with me. The last thing I need is a security guard asking us to accompany him to a holding room because my three-year-old was acting suspicious and was making other passengers nervous.

But back to my point: I can’t afford $1,000 in plane tickets right now. I just can’t. And I don’t want my siblings coughing up money for the cause. I’m tired of accepting help from people. It’s crap. I’m nearly 30 years old - please quit treating me like a child!!! Besides that, I have a job now. Is it some big corporate to-do that would require a written request for five days off and coordination with HR regarding vacation pay? No. It would, however, leave a newly single mom in a lurch to find a few days care for her three-year-old son, and me missing a few days pay. I know I don’t make much, but it makes a big difference in our bottom line.

I want to go back, I really, really, REALLY do. But the facts of the matter are that I just can ‘t. Please, dear sister, please try to understand that. I’m not not going out of some misdirected petulance or because I don’t care; I’m not notgoing because it’s simply impossible.

Mom and I have talked and she says she understands. I know she’s disappointed - hell, I’m disappointed - but she understands that we just moved, we have two kids and two jobs to consider, and that plane tickets are hella costly. She’s planning a short vacation out here in the fall, possibly for the baby’s first birthday, to see her grandkids and us. I really hope she makes it - Beth asks for Grandma Betty all the time!

She also asks if Grandma Betty will be bringing presents…LOL Ah, sometimes Santa Claus takes a backseat to Grandma.

In other news, our fish tank has a slow leak. Do you suppose if I could pinpoint the leak, Fix-A-Flat could stop it up until we can cough up a few hundred bucks to buy a good glass tank? I am happy to report that after about 10 minutes of gravel vaccuuming and a change of water, plus an algae tablet and some de-clouding potion, our tank looks as good as new (save for the moat that’s developing around it). I’m so happy for my Fine-Finned Friends!