More and more

My mother turns 86 today.

Every passing birthday I realize that she won't be around forever, and I resolve to get up to see her more often.  And yet, she is a pretty healthy 86 year old.  Growing her own veggies, tending chickens, taking herself in her pickup truck to play 42 and to the library.  Her handwriting is as neat as always, her hearing intact, and she doesn't complain of anything more than feeling tired after working outside.  But even I feel tired after that.

But every time I visit her, she will ask me to take her shopping.  Which in itself, is not an issue, but it makes me worry.  I only visit her every couple of weeks at the most.  Surely she has shopping to do more often than that?  I just get this feeling that she isn't as comfortable getting out and about by herself as much as she used to.  And last time I visited, she mentioned that she wished I lived closer.  Of course, I had brought her lunch and done some cleaning.  Who WOULDN'T want to live closer to a little extra love and help?  

So, more and more I think about it.  And sometime sooner, rather than later, we might have to look into getting her a little closer to Austin.