It was a beautifully sunny, crisp fall-like morning. My Mother was seriously ill, and my sister Carolee and I were taking care of her. Carolee took care of her on the night shift while I did the day shift, so I could be home at night with Alex and George. Carolee and I always met as we changed shifts, discussing what was going on with Mom, what needed to be done, etc. That morning we didn't get a chance to talk much. As I walked into my Mom's kitchen, and the Today show was on the TV, as usual, I saw the two towers and smoke. It was right after the first tower had been hit; the second one hadn't been hit yet. I wondered what had happened, not recognizing the World Trade Center, and thinking it was in a foreign country. I went in to see my Mom and she was lying in bed watching the news. "Something's happened," she said.
The whole thing seemed so surreal, to begin with, being there with my severely ill Mother, not really knowing if she was going to make it from day-to-day. I, myself, was still reeling from a life changing injury that left me with permanent nerve damage, and shook my world upside down. Then seeing the tragedy on top of it, it was just so unreal. For a brief moment, I really thought the world as I knew it was coming to an end.
My first thought was Alex. I called the school and was assured everyone was OK. Called Susan and we decided school was the best place for Julia and Alex at the time. Called Geo and they were letting all government workers leave for the day, so he was going home. Made sure the rest of my people were safe and sound.
My Mom and I spent most of the day in her bed watching it all unfold. Suddenly she had a craving for bread pudding. She had been experiencing trouble eating, so whatever and whenever we could get her to eat was good. She came out into the kitchen with me and watched the endless news reports while I made bread pudding for her. Stirring the eggs and vanilla, cutting up the bread, strategically placing the pats of butter, plumping the raisins, liberally pouring on the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar - it was comforting doing something "normal" when things were definitely anything but. We decided to call it Patriot Pudding. We were truly uncertain about what was going to happen, but we were together and, for that moment, we were safe and secure at home.
I will always associate 9/11 with my Mom and bread pudding. Side note: My Mother rallied from being sick that time, as she was known to do, and lived for three more years after that. She died on 11/9, at 9:11.
)O(
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