The Thing with Feathers

My sister has been here for several days, with her husband, to visit my mother and help with her care, including investigating options for what will happen next. It has been so wonderful to have her here. She's so funny, and wise. And she took care of so many seemingly little things that would have put me over the edge if I had to face them right now: getting a new battery for my mother's watch, straightening out her bollixed-up checkbook.

Cheryl is the best in the world at straightening up bollixed-up checkbooks. She told me a story this week, which I had forgotten (on purpose?), of how she took on my messed-up checkbook back when I was a grad student renting my first apartment. I could see that there was something seriously wrong with my checkbook register, but couldn't figure out what it was. Cheryl took a look at it and right away found the problem: I had written a check for the deposit on the apartment, but then recorded the check in the DEPOSIT column in the checkbook, adding it instead of subtracting. After all, it was called a "deposit," right? Problem solved!

Because of her visit, I now feel a little more hopeful about how everything is going to play itself out. One way or another, it will be all right. There may be changes, but some changes are good changes. And they're all easier to face in the company of a sister.