Celebrating my mom's birthday

This intense and soulful looking man is Chaz Dean. He has a line of haircare products, sold on one of the shopping networks, that has completely captivated my mom. It's rather pricey, and when she hit this latest financial bump in the road, her Wen was economized away. So I was happy to find two new and sealed bottles of the cleansing conditioner (her favorite product) on eBay for her birthday gift. One of them was even one of 2011's special 2011 holiday scent: vanilla mint. I'm confident this part of my gift was a hit with her, and I'm glad.

Another portion of my gift to her -- a pair of $10 giftcards to Olive Garden -- were less so, and it makes me sad. Here's the deal: Whenever I buy giftcards, I always include the a portion of the receipt so just in case there's a problem when it's redeemed, there's proof that the card was activated. I bought these Olive Garden cards at Walgreen's, so it was Walgreen's that I taped to these cards.

As she examined the giftcards, holding them under the table lamp, I said, "I got two $10s instead of one $20 so you can use them separately and together. I know you enjoy going with your friend Shirley and with your granddaughter." My mom will be at the mall with Shirley and my niece will be home for Christmas soon, and I know visits to Olive Garden will be on her mind and her already thin budget. She thanked me.

As I was leaving, I made reference to Olive Garden and she said, "But I thought those giftcards were for Walgreen's!" She was fixated on the black and white cash register receipt on the back, not the glossy, brightly colored logo on the front? Didn't she hear me when I mentioned either using them separately or together, with either Shirley or my niece? I mean, who enjoys trips to the corner drugstore with friends and family?

It's this evidence that she doesn't get stuff anymore that makes me sad. I hate it that my mommy is getting old. (She will be 78 this week.)