Olive Garden Feast - salad, mussels, crab stuffed mushrooms, calamari, 5 cheese fondant

I had a Super Cool Saturday with my mom! My mom treated me to a day of shopping and feasting. However, as much as I really appreciated my mom treating me, that is not what made it so much fun. What made it fun for me is that this is the first time, in a very long time, that my mother and I had an outing that did not involve doctor’s appointments and other people.

One of the things that dawned on me yesterday, is that my Mom is probably one of the most thoughtful people I know. She simply gives of herself, and the impression I get is that she does not expect anything in return, except maybe some appreciation. Yesterday was a great example of that. Mom had set aside some money for me to go shopping with. She did not make a big deal about it, she just handed me some folded up bills and told me to do some shopping too. Mom knows without me having to say anything, that I just do not get to shop for clothes as much as I would like. She also knows that I am slowly trying replace my wardrobe. Being depressed for several years and not interested in wearing anything other than pajamas and worn out clothes, means many of my clothes are not decent to wear out in public. As much as I appreciated the money, and believe me I do, the fact that she was that thoughtful, trying to make sure I enjoyed myself and was able to purchase things that made me feel good, means more than any amount of money she could have given me.

Our conversations during the day meandered around from the serious, to the silly.  We talked about my depression and how much better things are going, to what my life is like with a thirteen year old and what her life is like with a sixty-five year old, who is talking about retiring (my dad).   There were also times of comfortable silence. It is evident to me that my mother is trying very hard to understand my depression, and how it affects me and my thinking.  She really listens without judging.

It makes me feel good that I cause her less worry, at least I think I do.  She has noticed the change in me and comments about it often.  She even told me she thought I was wise.  It made me feel proud when my mother said that.  Me wise? That is probably a word I never would have applied to myself.

The highlight of the day for me was when I made her laugh out loud, a very loud honking laugh.  We had gone to Petsmart and bought a couple of toys for the dogs. I said something about giving the toy to Anna when we got back home and telling her that I went shopping and brought her back a dog toy.  As soon as I said that mom honked out a very loud “HA!”  It was great!

The picture of our Olive Garden feast is in the thumbnail.  We had salad, bread sticks, calamari, crab stuffed mushrooms, a really terrific oven baked cheese dish (it had five different cheeses in it), and mussels.  An all appetizer lunch.  The waitress even said that she was going to have to do that sometime.

It was a wonderful day.  Not because of the clothes that were bought, and the wonderful meal we had, but because of the special time I was able to have with my mother.  I am truly blessed we repaired our relationship, and that I have this time with her.

These are pictures of most of the shirts I bought yesterday.  I am wearing one of them.