It's not always bad...

There have occasionally been fun things that happened because of mom's mental illness. Such as, when she was in a Denver hospital, small town me, and little brother, used to get to ride in a real, live, elevator up to our hotel room when we'd visit. The hotel where we'd stay had a glass one, stuck on the outside corner of the building, so we got a good view.

Sometimes we'd also go shopping, and ride the escalators. Probably drove the parents bughouse, but I don't remember getting in trouble. I don't know if we'd have gone to Denver at all as little kids, if mom hadn't been in the hospital there.

There's also the time... wish I could remember the year for certain... I was in high school, we were living in the white and blue house, and mom was hospitalized again. Grandpa came up and hired a college girl to stay with us. She was in the Vet Tech program, and one of their practice dogs was de-barked. We adopted her, called her Penny. Gave Max someone to play with. (But when the guy  training sled dogs came along, mom gave Penny to him. That wasn't so nice. But I suppose getting a dog while she was in the hospital wasn't perfectly nice, either.)

I can't recall, just now, if Max was another case like that. I remember who I got him from, and the story he came with, but I can't recall if mom was home when I got him. I sure do miss that dog.

Mustn't forget one of the most fun times... I think I was... 16, perhaps. Mom came home at... 4 am, I think it was, with a guy who drove truck for a custom cutting crew. He taught me how to braid my hair with four strands, and then we all went out and he taught me how to drive his big, ten-wheel Mack grain truck. Scary sort of thrill, 'cause even then I knew I wasn't old enough to get a license. We all got home, mom locked herself in her room with him, and we didn't see hide nor hair of him for about four days. Then he woke up, realized how much trouble he was in, and was gone in a flash. I can't say I know well how to double-clutch, but I still put that on the "fun" side of the scales.