Yesterday, as I was driving away after lunch with mom, leaving her to do her Walmart shopping, I circled back around to check on her.

She was driving around in her electric scooter, smoking the cigarettes that once gave her Stage IV lung cancer, like a train engine. We waved to each other and I drove off.

She's good. She is invited over for Thanksgiving for the first united family Thanksgiving since at least the kids were young.

I gave her something to plan and look forward to.