Reprieve

This morning I was so overwhelmed by the prospect of taking my dad back to the doctor today and not getting a chance either to go to yoga or to get any work done for next week that Richard took over the task. I finished my planning for next week and took mom to the sale at JC Penney's to get pants, which was very difficult. She never likes any of the things we can afford, and I am not going to pay full price for the things she wants, especially since she does not need them and already has a closet full of very nice things that she will not wear. Occasionally I buy her something she loves, and usually she won't wear it anyhow because it is "too nice," so it's fruitless to please her because then she still has nothing to wear. And when we go shopping, the old topic of her real things in the house that we had to get rid of because they were old, stained, full of disgusting stuff. But in her mind, they are wonderful of course. She doesn't understand that she is living on the result of getting rid of the house at a good time, when real estate was selling well. But today she said for the first time that it is beautiful here. That was the first time I have heard her say anything favorable about California, which can never match up to her sunny memories of independence in Philadelphia and elsewhere.
Richard didn't get home from the doctor until quite late. He says that dad's fever has come down, but they are still worried about his kidney function because of a pain in his back. I never did hear when they want to see him on Monday, and now there is nothing I can do about it till early Monday morning. I want to go to yoga on Monday, and probably will not call until I get out of yoga class. Monday evening I must go to choir practice, so I don't think Monday will be a go for any appointment they make.
Next week is a big one, with the semester starting and at least one appointment (for my mom) on my heaviest work day, Thursday. I'll be running around, and perhaps have little time to eat before I go to the workshop at 7 PM.