Thursday Thirteen
My mom turns 69 on Saturday. I won't be around so I figured I'd dedicate a Thursday Thirteen to her. While we've had our struggles in recent years we're at a much better place again and I still maintain that she is one of the best mothers out there.
Thirteen Thoughts or Memories of My Mom
1. Mom and I would sometimes sit on the couch together and share an apple. She couldn’t eat the skin with her dentures and so she would peel it and I would eat that part.
2. One time when I was growing up she had forgotten to buy Valentine’s cards for me for my classmates. By the time she remembered there were none left in the store (it was a small town). Not wanting me to be without she bought red and white jujube hearts for me to hand out instead. I was the most popular kid in my classroom that year.
3. There are three people in the world I love to hug. One is Abby, one is J-L and the other is my mom. ‘Nuff said.
4. Even when I was in high school and a lot of girls were rolling their eyes at their moms she was still one of my best friends. I often would choose having lunch with my mom over my schoolmates.
5. Her pantry. I can still visualize it in my mind’s eye. Shelf after shelf of homemade canned pickles and tomato juice and pears and jam and relish and beans… Can I tell you there’s nothing quite as lovely as a Sunday evening snack of fresh homemade white bread and raspberry preserves? I miss that pantry.
6. I was scared of water when I was young. I very clearly remember being at the level of swimming that had to jump off the high diving board. I was terrified and wanted to quit. Mom, in front of me, called my swimming instructor and asked that I could still continue with the lessons just not force me to jump off the high diving board. I could cry thinking back to that. What a wise choice. Why? Well, as the year progressed I got up the nerve to do the jump anyway. I think Mom, knowing my personality, knew there was a good chance of that happening.
7. As an adult, when I would have friends come home with me she would always send them back home with garden fresh vegetables or homemade baking.
8. We’ve made no less than 10 wool comforters together.
9. Not only did she not discourage us from having fun and enjoying life she encouraged us by starting the water fights or laughing at me when I showed up at the door covered head to toe in mud.
10. She sang us awake. Her father had used the banging pan method of waking her and she’d always hated it so we were awakened with Good morning, merry sunshine. How did you wake so soon? You scared away the little stars and shone away the moon.
11. When I was in elementary school I had a blackboard of my own. However, I only had basic white chalk. So, one day, I took some coloured chalk from my classroom at school. Mom, of course, found out and made me take it back and apologize to the teacher. I very clearly remember feeling remorse and the lesson was learned. And yet, the next time my mom was able, she purchased me some coloured chalk.
12. She made my wedding dress AND baked all the buns and bread for my wedding.
13. Music and stories. Our home was filled with them due to our mother. She read us stories religiously (my love for the Anne series and The Little House on the Prairie series stems from my childhood) and singing was always encouraged. And, if there were songs that included stories well those were especially loved. I think it’s a large part of the reason I so love folk music.
Thirteen Thoughts or Memories of My Mom
1. Mom and I would sometimes sit on the couch together and share an apple. She couldn’t eat the skin with her dentures and so she would peel it and I would eat that part.
2. One time when I was growing up she had forgotten to buy Valentine’s cards for me for my classmates. By the time she remembered there were none left in the store (it was a small town). Not wanting me to be without she bought red and white jujube hearts for me to hand out instead. I was the most popular kid in my classroom that year.
3. There are three people in the world I love to hug. One is Abby, one is J-L and the other is my mom. ‘Nuff said.
4. Even when I was in high school and a lot of girls were rolling their eyes at their moms she was still one of my best friends. I often would choose having lunch with my mom over my schoolmates.
5. Her pantry. I can still visualize it in my mind’s eye. Shelf after shelf of homemade canned pickles and tomato juice and pears and jam and relish and beans… Can I tell you there’s nothing quite as lovely as a Sunday evening snack of fresh homemade white bread and raspberry preserves? I miss that pantry.
6. I was scared of water when I was young. I very clearly remember being at the level of swimming that had to jump off the high diving board. I was terrified and wanted to quit. Mom, in front of me, called my swimming instructor and asked that I could still continue with the lessons just not force me to jump off the high diving board. I could cry thinking back to that. What a wise choice. Why? Well, as the year progressed I got up the nerve to do the jump anyway. I think Mom, knowing my personality, knew there was a good chance of that happening.
7. As an adult, when I would have friends come home with me she would always send them back home with garden fresh vegetables or homemade baking.
8. We’ve made no less than 10 wool comforters together.
9. Not only did she not discourage us from having fun and enjoying life she encouraged us by starting the water fights or laughing at me when I showed up at the door covered head to toe in mud.
10. She sang us awake. Her father had used the banging pan method of waking her and she’d always hated it so we were awakened with Good morning, merry sunshine. How did you wake so soon? You scared away the little stars and shone away the moon.
11. When I was in elementary school I had a blackboard of my own. However, I only had basic white chalk. So, one day, I took some coloured chalk from my classroom at school. Mom, of course, found out and made me take it back and apologize to the teacher. I very clearly remember feeling remorse and the lesson was learned. And yet, the next time my mom was able, she purchased me some coloured chalk.
12. She made my wedding dress AND baked all the buns and bread for my wedding.
13. Music and stories. Our home was filled with them due to our mother. She read us stories religiously (my love for the Anne series and The Little House on the Prairie series stems from my childhood) and singing was always encouraged. And, if there were songs that included stories well those were especially loved. I think it’s a large part of the reason I so love folk music.
posted by ccap at 6:36 PM
6 Comments:
Yep, what a wonderful woman!!!
Nice. Thanks for all those great reminders.
Thanks for that! We were lucky weren't we? Still are.
Re #10 - My kids hate that song. I guess it skips a generation... Maybe I'll try banging pots.
I love your pictures too, by the way, and way to go J.L. (new job)!
Dwight - I'm not sure we LOVED that song when it was being sung to us bright and early in the morning. Perhaps your boys will love it when they're grown and feeling nostalgic. :-)
What lovely memories. As one of the friends you would take home, I can honestly say it was something I looked forward to each year. I miss her pantry too!
What a moving tribute. How nice to have that immortalized. I did the same thing for my 3 daughters, my son-in-law, husband and sister. Perhaps it's time for me to honor my parents with one as well. Have a good one!
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