11.7.17

Maga’s voicemail as transcribed by Siri: “Hi every year smog it is Tuesday night and I was talk to you dear mom…few minutes ago and somebody broke or try to anyway and I thought maybe…issue…is…so I have…now I’m calling you but I guess you are home when you get home give me a buzz or two late Ok…you…love you bye…”

Mom’s text: “Did you just try to call Maga? If so, I’m off the phone with her now. :)”

As a creature of habit, when you deviate from it, you get voicemails and texts inquiring about your whereabouts. I happened to be in the middle of winning trivia (and was banking on the two hour time difference to make a phone call at a later – but still reasonable there – time), but the matriarchs of my life called me on it.

Once I reached a quieter space (aka home), I dialed Maga.

“Oh, Abby dear. Hello. It’s Tuesday. Our night. I was wondering about you so I thought I’d call. How are things in NJ?”

“Well, things in MA are going well.”

“Why ever are you there?”

“I live here.”

“Oh my. So you do. How could I have made that silly mistake?”

I guess me not initiating the phone call really threw things off kilter. That and she was just talking to my mom so she had NJ on the brain for good reason.

“How’s the weather there?” she asked.

“Quite terrible right now. Pouring rain.”

“But not snow?”

“Oh no. Thank goodness, no.” And just like that the rain seemed grand instead of gloomy. “Has it snowed there?”

“Just once. Not too much. I don’t like the snow. I’m not sure if it’s my advanced age or what, but I find I do not like the snow.”

“Did you like it when you were younger?”

“Not really, no.”

“But, Dillon…?” (She owns property in the mountains of CO.)

“Nope. Even in my younger days, it never appealed to me. All that snow and cold.”

“Umm, so what did you do when you were up there?”

“I read and did needlepoint and made dinner for when they all got home and practical things like that.”

After a night spent being asked questions and having my team work to find the answers, Maga handed me the definition of motherhood. I hadn’t realized I’d asked the question, but it is one I was/am seeking the answer to.