Marvelous Miss Reno
She’s kind of amazing
When we got the news that the registration system had broken and Mom wasn’t able to get on her initial flight (despite Theresa’s brother Billy making enough of a fuss to delay the whole plane), I wasn’t super worried. “She’s resiliant,” I said. “She’s 79 and by herself!” responded virtually everyone around me. Yes, she is. Yes, she was. And she rocked it.
Moment of pure joy
Over the next several weeks, as the Marvelous Maddie Reno (aka Gammy, aka Gamster the Hampster aka Mom) joined our merry band of crazy, bringing the amazing energy that only she can. This has been the longest continuous time I have gotten to spend with my mother since I was 26 years old and left for grad school, and despite the interconnectedness of our normal lives at home (she does live one mile away), for me it was a joyful process of rediscovery.
The motley crew at Posiedon’s Temple south of Athens
From minute one, she was step for step with us, hiking the rocks around Posiedon’s temple, rocking the subway to our Acropolis tour, and charming the waiters at various restaurants.
She laughed at the “duckling effect” of us plowing through the crowds at the Crete airport behind Theresa, and acted as impromptu DJ as we danced our way down the coastal highway to our place. She was our car’s navigator as we braved the dark up to our cliffsidse house.
I confess a little trepidation when she said, “I’m going grocery shopping” and left our Istanbul apartment by herself. But a couple of hours later she returned with both groceries and gifts for the kids she had bought in local shops. We walked 3 miles into a cave called “the Hellmouth” in southern Italy. Basically, whatever we were doing, she was game. We averaged 15,000 steps a day. She never wavered, and her repeated quote was, “people are always so nice to us grey-hairs.”
She went off on her own, and came back victorious
When the rest of us were exercising, so was she.
Along the way she somehow managed to teach the kids to read Tarot Cards, had deep conversations with each of us individually, bought the kids thoughtful little things along the way, and acted as regular sou-chef for whoever was cooking.
The month flew by, and all too soon it was time for her to head back. She and I made our way to the airport (scene of the next day’s “Malta Incident”) and while I was in the bathroom, she figured out how to get herself a COVID test, and we headed to the ticket counter. So, we’re back to video calls and text messages for a while, but I know all of us will be eagerly awaiting the return of the Marvelous Miss Reno…
She’ll be back.
