Mom, the rock and one of the Seven Wonders of the World

Mom liked to travel, and did so frequently after my Stepfather retired. They went to a lot of places: Iceland, Hawaii, Prague, Ireland and cruises to various places. It was either 2004 or 2005 when they went to Egypt.

Mom would always ask if there was something she could get for me when she traveled. She got me a nice porcelain mug and bottle of Pilsner Urquell from the Prague trip.

I had no idea what to ask for from Egypt so I said a piece of the Sphinx.



On the back of the photo is a note that says, "Here I am holding your rock (note the shape). Cool :)"

It's a heart shaped stone. She was walking around the Sphinx, looked down for the right rock, and there it was.

She also got me a slim biography of Charlie Chaplin, in Egyptian.

Thanks Mom, love you. Miss you.

Within you and without you

Even in her condition Mom always tried to stay busy. She was not one to sit on the couch and feel like crap, she did not like feeling that way.

On good days and bad she worked in the state park mowing the lawn, working the booth and, when it existed, helping to feed the trout in the hatchery. She and my Stepfather traveled frequently. I heard tales of her ziplining in the rain forests of Costa Rica. They went to Prague, when she got me a lovely Pilsner Urquell gift set. They went to Ireland, both of them, several times. They liked going on cruises to nowhere and casinos in Atlantic City and Connecticut.

When I found out they were going to Egypt, I jokingly asked her to get me a piece of the Sphinx. A smoke from a hookah and camel ride later, Mom was walking around the monument when she found a rock on the ground.



I treasure that stone.