Life happens

My sister gave this photo to me for Christmas.   It is of my brother, my sister and me in about 1962 or 1963.  My other sister is missing.  (She was probably screaming and pulling on my mom's legs while she was trying to take the picture...  I do seem to remember a picture of her sitting in the yard crying, actually.)
I got the news this weekend that my little brother is very sick.  Screamer sister called to tell me Friday night.  To keep my mind off of it until I could talk to my mom, I cleaned bathrooms on Saturday.  We have three very clean ones now.  Then I cleaned the upstairs and the un-ex did the downstairs.  I talked to mom after she saw my brother and his doctor.   I hear she is a little bit mad at me because I made her cry.  Sorry, mama.  My mom is the strongest person I know.  She is amazing.  She has spent her entire life looking after others-- four children born in four years, my grandparents, both her parents and my dad's, she worked in a rest home taking care of patients, she nursed my dad through his four year bout with cancer, and she has helped raise grandchildren and now great grandchildren.  Now she will take care of my brother when he is discharged from the hospital and needs dialysis.  She remarried a few years ago and she and her husband live with the screamer sister,  who can always make me laugh.  I love them dearly.
The un-ex took me the bookstore to find summer reading books and just let me be quiet.  There are times when I talk so much that I make myself tired.  And there are other times when I just want to withdraw and need silence.
While we were out, the BFF came by the house.  High school-age son let her in and she left treats in my refrigerator.

Dolly Mama Sea Turtles...

and a bottle of FRV 100 by Jean-Paul Brun.

It is a vin mousseux, a sparkly pink wine, from Beaujolais made from 100% Gamay grapes.  If you say the name in French it sounds like effervescent--  eff-err-vey-sen.  Very creative, n'est-ce pas?  She knew that would make me laugh.  Both of those treasures came from the Wine Authorities.  Salamanzar is my dealer of choice.
Today, I talked to my mom and sister again after they visited my brother.  He is doing a little better.  I have some Harlan Coben novels to send to him tomorrow.
I also made a blueberry tart.  Baking makes me feel better.

Bon appétit, little brother, and merci, un-ex and BFF.