Sometimes all I need is a good excuse to break routine, and I get a little psychic boost that makes things seem a little better. It doesn’t even matter if it’s a worthwhile break, as long as I’m not doing the same thing day after day, forever and ever. But it helps a lot if it’s something I enjoy doing, rather than some of the breaks I’ve had in the recent past, like a trip out of town to meet the Boss’s wife to give her something to take to him, or a whole day spent searching through legal documents to find a particular obscure reference.

Today’s diversion was something that came about because everyone else in the family was booked. It’s not that I don’t want to spend the afternoon with Mom more often, just that I can’t often take the time, and there are usually others eager to do it. Today there was no one else, so I simply told the Boss that I was going to take my mom on some errands, and he was understanding, as he always is when it comes to family matters.

So I drove her around town to a few necessary stops, then took her home. It doesn’t really matter where we went or what we did, but the fact that we spent a few hours together is what it’s all about. I needed the break, that’s for sure, and I’d do it more often if I could. I actually think we had a pretty good time (despite the fact that there was nasty traffic all over town, and you know how I feel about nasty traffic).

One of our stops was at a place where she was evaluated for a mobility scooter. I sat in on the interview, but I kept my mouth shut, because I was afraid of saying the wrong thing and giving them a reason to tell her no. In the end, she was approved, although there now seems to be some question about what kind of scooter she qualifies for. The next time, though, they’re coming to her place, so she won’t need a ride.