Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday here in America and I would like to take the time to say thank you to all the women in my life who have had a hand in my upbringing. My Mother is the one that I get my love of reading. I remember being held by her in the rocking chair and her reading to me. Teaching me to roller skate when I was 3 or there about. I lost her when I was young so my memories of her are not all to clear. Unfortunately. But one thing that I do remember is that she LOVED Elvis.Oh my gosh how she tried to get me to go gaga about him but it didn't take. I do love his gospel music though and the rest of his music is O.K. Plus we, my father included, would go to Mississippi to visit family.And there was this deli that had a bi-wing airplane on its roof with the nose pointing down. We'd get olives from there, I hope I'm recalling correctly, black olive at that. which to this day are my favorite. We would also go to a seafood store to get fresh fish and shrimp.

 

My grandmothers are next on my list. Memories of my paternal grandmother, Grandma, are limited because she died when I was 4. But I remember playing in one of her jewelry boxes a lot and being in her car while she would be driving and we would have to come to a stop and she would put her arm across me so I wouldn't go flying. Of course, me standing up in the passenger side didn't help matters. I've been told that her favorite flower was the peony but I remember the hydrangea bush she had on the side of her house.

Then there is my maternal grandmother, Maw Maw. She is still alive and going. I seem to feel that I spent a good deal of my early childhood with her. There would be sleep overs with my cousins and we would sometimes flag down the ice cream man to get what we wanted and sometimes we would roast or burn marshmallows in the fireplace. Oh and make Jiffy Pop popcorn. Going to church on Sunday's and then everyone getting together for Sunday dinner.Roast beef, rice and gravy, asparagus and banana pudding for dessert. I like asparagus and hate banana pudding. Then I would eat Cool Whip for dessert. I stayed with her when my Mother was ill and after my mother's death. So Thursdays were help clean the living room and Tuesdays, I believe, is when we made blueberry muffins.Plus there was the running of errands around town. Going to J.C. Penney's in a shopping center plus going to the same seafood market. By the way it is still as busy as ever. Her hugs are still the greatest and the way she has always worried about everyone. Now it is her turn to be taken care of no matter how much she wants to care for others. I'll get to see her Sunday.

Lastly there is my Mom. Stepmother actually but mom literally. Half French, half Sicilian, her parents met on a boat coming to America..She is the one who did the bulk of my upbringing.I learned try to be tough, that there are people worse off than you and to take care of what is important,which for me means friends and family. Plus I learned to cook by watching her, how to choose a ripe cantaloupe and things of that nature. She is the one who was there when the time came for the first time bra and feminine things of this nature. I may have always loved animals but she accentuated that for me. Trying our hardest to take care of God's creations as best as we can and hope that it is enough. Always offer food or drink to company and if someone comes for a meal always offer them left overs to take. Plus her love of reading influenced me even more. Her books of choice was Harlequin romances and mine was,and is, mysteries. But she gave me my first Harlequin and Emma Darcy and Betty Neels became my favorite authors.
Granted we had our ups and downs but really what parent/child relationship doesn't? But in the end I will say that she was my best friend. I'm happy to know that our last conversation was me telling her she looked nice and my Mom saying "Thank you". Later that day she died of a heart attack.

                    


So for me I learned that family is everything from all of these women. Feed them well , offer them some food to take home ,hug them and tell them you love them. Even if you don't...be polite.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHER'S. BIOLOGICAL, ADOPTED OR JUST RAISING.LOVE TO YOU ALL!