Now that Mom is back at her apartment after 3 1/2 months of hospitalization and rehab, I call her every morning to make sure she wakes up in time to get ready and go to breakfast. She and Dad could use an alarm clock, but she might just hit the snooze and go back to sleep. Plus, this way I can check on her and Dad each morning.

Sometimes she’s already awake and up getting ready.  Sometimes she’s still asleep.  And sometimes she’s awake but doesn’t really want to get up.  When she’s asleep or sort of awake, she accuses me of calling at midnight just to bother her.  Of course, it’s all in fun – I think – hmmmm. 

Yesterday morning when I called, she answered like this:  “I’m sorry, but we are closed.  We will not open until noon.  Please hang up and call back at that time.”  I, of course, started laughing. 

Then I heard her say, away from the phone, “It’s all right.  This is my daughter.  She calls me every morning, and this morning I want to go back to sleep.”  Evidently the nurse was there to give my Dad his meds, and she had reacted to Mom’s announcement with shock and amazement. 

Mom’s description of the nurse’s reaction made me laugh even harder.  Then Mom laughed harder.  So we both just sat there cackling.

I imagine the nurse had quite a story to tell about crazy people when she got back to the office. 

Well, they do say that laughter is the best medicine — don’t they?