Relationships…always rich, layered and complicated. I think about mother/daughter relationships every morning when I call my mother. They are filled with love, respect and man no one can confound me as much as she can.

We are wading in the deep end right now. My mom prepares to be a snow bird and take flight to Florida every November. Prep time begins after Labor Day while she is packing away her summer whites. Her life takes cautionary steps toward closing up her Connecticut home. Packing begins, switching off the AC in early September even though the temperature can reach 80 degrees because her main man, Richie, comes by then to assist in lockdown . Food shopping is greatly reduced as the freezer must be eviscerated by Halloween. Trick or treat…there’s nothing to eat in the house unless you want water from the tap and saltines.

Irrigation is shut down outside, hoses brought in and the money spent on the garden during spring and summer is wasted as the yard is slowly strangled to death. I pray for rain. Beginning November first, my mom pulls out all the stops and lives the Jewish dream, she sits in the dark for the next 7 days until she departs for the airport. Her home is vacated, wrapped in perfection.

If you are apprehensive about cleansing your soul of family issues or joining a 12 step family realization program and find the Kardashian family despicable then tune into Parenthood every Thursday night at 10pm on NBC. It is the best show on TV…I have a cry fest every week. It is real, genuine and I challenge anyone not to relate to at least one of the vibrant story lines.

My mom would be a fantastic addition to the show. ..she is an amazing woman and would work for scale.

BTW, are you sure you don’t want me to turn the light on, mom?!