And another one done.

On Friday night, just before closing, Clint and I went to Chapters to spend the gift cards we got for our birthdays. I forced Drew to join us. Maybe I won't do that again. When someone doesn't like you, a family outing won't change that. Hormone therapy might.

Anyway, I took a chance and bought a couple titles from the "Heather Picks" display. Clint bought a Dave Eggers book and a special edition magazine, filled with graphic design extras. When we got home, we each grabbed a couch and started reading. Within seconds he was laughing and then in the way that only true book lovers would understand, he read the good parts out loud so that everyone else in the room could appreciate the brilliance that is Eggers.

After awhile he came to the part in the book that lists "The Best New Words of 2006" ...
Words like:
- bahookie
- big-box
- gastric bypass
- mentee
- riffage
- sandwich generation: " a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children"

He is reading all the words and their definitions out loud and then he gets to that last one, "Hey! Mom! That's you!"

Imagine.
Me.
His mom. Being mentioned right there in that Dave Eggers book. All of a sudden my existence was validated. The past 5 months and my role in them? Have a line in the Miraim Webster dictionary.

Coincidentally, as Clint was discovering the term sandwich generation for the first time, I was reading about it:



Tales of Hope and Hilarity for a Sandwiched Generation

Phil wrote this book when he had 3 teenagers and 2 parents (both with Alzheimers) living in his home. I'd like to be able to say that I could identify with his journey but I can't. Either he had 3 of the most amazing teenagers ever born or he wasn't all that honest about the 'lows' of parenting teens. His biggest gripe about his kids? How they'd throw themselves across his bed at night, wanting to talk.

Oh please.