MANSIONS

     Anyone that knew my mother knew she was an amazing cook.  They also knew she loved her home and  her furniiture.  Antiques sometimes.. Once we were driving home from a family outing and there was a garage sale and she gasped a bit and said,  "Hall Rack! Hall Rack!"..It was almost like she was begging for oxygen ..... I can't remember if my father stopped and we looked or what, but we teased her it about for years... If we were watching a movie, she would comment on the curtains or the stove.  When she saw the movie MR. MOM with Michael Keaton, she said, "Their house was right out of Ethan Allen."  Once her and I and one of my brothers were discussing what heaven was.  I was about 8 years old.  She said, "Maybe it's different for each person.  Maybe for one person, it's good food and maybe heaven for me would be red carpeting.."  She loved red carpeting.  Thirty some years later, as she was dying from liver cancer and  was tired of suffering,  the night nurse at the hospital came in her room and said," Hello Eve, my name is Betty and I will be your nurse tonight if you need anything."  Quickly my mother said, "Betty, why is God taking so long?"  And without hesitation Betty said, "You know how the  bible says, 'My father has a mansion in heaven for each one of you?" My mother said yes and then Betty went on,  "Well, in your mansion Eve they're fixing up the windows, making sure the walls are the right colors, laying down new carpeting and getting it just perfect for you.  And when that's done, you can move in."  To which my mother said, "Thanks. I never thought of it that way."  A few days later, my mother moved into her mansion.