transformation almost complete

I drove my parents and my aunt to Ulta, escorted them inside, and waited until Mom's makeover started before quietly exiting the store. The makeover took about two hours, most of which I think I spent snoring in the car. When Mom was brought back out, she looked more like her old self than I had seen in months. But for me, the vision gave rise to mixed feelings, because the makeover belied Mom's unreactiveness: her cancer-induced silence and her peppy makeup just didn't add up.

But it may be that Mom was feeling better about herself after her makeover. It was hard to tell what she was thinking as we drove back home, but once we were inside the house again, and my aunt began feeding Mom a second lunch, Mom seemed to offer her now-faint smile a bit more frequently.

We'll be leaving the homestead again around 4:45PM; Dad wants Mom in place to greet people at the Christmas party by 5:30. I hope this doesn't put too much strain on Mom, and I also hope Mom enjoys seeing so many people. I think the plan is for Mom to stay through dinner, so once again, I won't be cooking tonight.


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