Are you challenging me?

Are you challenging me, young man?
When Mom lived in Arkansas, several families often visited at the same time. One fall we struck out on a cross-country hike to Strawberry River, where we always had great fun wading, building dams and generally messing about. There was no trail so when we came to a small stream, Hubby, ever the gentleman, offered to find an easier fording spot for his 75-year-old mother-in-law. With a look of annoyance on her face, she demanded "Are you challenging me?" She then jumped across the stream in a spry manner, and continued after the others.

Several years later the families took a hike on North Sylamore Trail from Gunner Pool to Blanchard Springs. My sister and I tried to talk Mom into skipping the hike. No luck. At the halfway mark, Sis and I took a break and laughed at how Mom was outhiking everyone except her 8-year-old great-grandson. Don't challenge her!

I really should have learned. When Mom moved home into an apartment last fall, I insisted that she did not have enough room for a family gathering and that it would be too much work for someone who was almost 82 years old. This week she had an elegant and delicious sit-down dinner for 20 to celebrate my brother's birthday. Don't challenge her!