We're having a "Summer Solstice" party on Friday, and I've got so much to do to get this place into shape for company. And that doesn't include the decorating, the stringing of the lights...no, just plain old cleaning: the dust-encrusted ceiling fan, the normally neglected top of my refrigerator (tall relatives), the inside of the refrigerator, the dog noseprints on all the apartment windows, you know, the stuff that never gets done unless you have people over to your house who don't normally come to your house. Sheila's doing all of the food shopping tonight, and we'll probably get the booze on Thursday.

As you can see, with our mother having moved out, we wasted no time in throwing a party. I drove over to Rhode Island with her on Saturday, she in her car with Petie and me in the truck with the last of her things. Mary and I managed to get her completely unpacked and settled in before I left to come back to Connecticut that afternoon. I can only vaguely recall the first half of the drive home, since most of that time was spent sobbing like a baby. What a hazard I must have been! Anyway, I felt a terrible guilt, as though I had abandoned her, and I know that's not the case. And it didn't help matters when she sobbed, "I don't want you to go" as she held onto me while we said goodbye and wouldn't let go.

This is a good change, though, for all of us, and while we do miss her and Petie, things are the way they should be.