My Mom's Invention

My mother, whom I dearly love, came downstairs this morning to head straight for the kitchen table. She did not say a word, which is unusual for her. Instead, she stood over the table, looking at something.

Seeing her, I offered, "Good morning, Mom."

"Oh, good morning," she turned her head to me, lifting her glasses.

"I think I will paint today," she announced.

"That sounds like a good idea. What will you paint?"

"I think I will work on my containers," Mom responded. Carrying some watercolors, she walked a little into the living room where I was sitting. "Would you like to see?"

Mom sat down in an adjacent chair to show me her paintings. She has been going through some color exercises recently and wanted me to see what she is doing. After the color exercises, she came to a watercolor painting of some glass jars. This was what she meant when she said she was going to "work on [her] containers."

As I looked at the painting, I could almost see Mom's learning. Earlier painted containers were quite different from the later painted ones. Her progression was obvious. We sat for a few minutes, discussing the most-developed container and what she had learned from painting it.

As we talked, Mom jerked her head to look directly at me. She had a gleam in her eye. I paused, waiting for her next words.

"Would you like to see my invention?" she asked. She had such enthusiasm, just like a little kid. I could not say no.

"Yes," I responded. "What is your invention?"

No need to ask, she was already up to retrieve it from the kitchen table. Proudly she presented it to me, holding it out at arm's length.

"It's a sock," I identified.

Peeling back the sock's ribbing, Mom exposed the tips of a handful of paint brushes. She countered, "It's a PAINTBRUSH HOLDER."

"Ohhh... a paintbrush holder," I stifled my laughter with a grin.

"Yes! And that's not all," she continued excitedly, hands hastily reaching into the sock to pull out her brushes. "Inside..." her hand popped out of the sock, "is an eyeglasses case!" A cloth eyeglasses case wrapped the bottom of her brush handles.

My mother's invention: Paintbrushes in a cloth eyeglasses case in a sock (with a rubber band at the top of the sock to keep it closed). I am claiming the patent for it on her behalf right now. Everyone who uses this invention please remember to give my mother the credit for it.

Hand on forehead, shaking my head, I said the only thing I could say at the moment. "I love you, Mom." (Translation: You will always be my mother.)

"Why thank you, honey," she replied.

Ahh, yes... It is good to know I come by my insanity honestly.