Flush Party, Remembering You, Mommy

I've not shared the picture of this stone before. It's my Mother's and Dad's stone. You can see by the date if Mommy were still living she would be 82 today. This is the 2nd birthday she's not been with us. This stone is in the family plot in Chillicothe, Ohio; though Mom is still with Daddy at home. He'll have fresh flowers for her today, beside her urn and naturally be melancholy all day. The inscription, "Together Forever" is so true in their case.

This photo, a far happier time, though sadly not a good photo. Left to right, younger brother Mike, Mom, Me, Daddy, older brother Chuck. This photo was taken in 2007 at their 60th Wedding Anniversary. I remember her this way smiling. We had many wonderful times together, fun times, funny times; and it's always those times that I remember most.

And this potty picture reminds me of one of those funny times. Some of you know I've been posting stories and memories from time to time, alphabetically. This then is a funny story for my P memory.

The family used to camp, tent camp. We didn't use electric and many of the camp grounds in those days were pretty primitive. I would about bust a gut waiting- waiting- and waiting to go potty, couldn't even use some of the awful roadside potty's in those days. So Mom and I would get really really excited IF we had flush potties where we camped. On one family camping trip we were driving through an area to decide if we wanted to stay there; when Mom and I jumped out of the car, RAN inside to the bathroom and flushed every john in site! We got to giggling and told everyone we were having a flushing party. Dad was still in car when he heard all the commotion and laughing and wondered what in the world we were up to. We explained, "we're having a flushing party!" So, Mom when I saw this plastic covered potty seat in an airport recently, naturally I got my camera took a picture, AND thought of you. Somehow I think you were there laughing at and with me all the while.

Love you Mommy


My alphabetical Memories:

Other Memories:
A=Advice, Afghan, Apples
B=Bread, and Bernie
C=Camping, Creativity and Courage
D=Dancing and Delaware Dam
E=Energy and Etiquette
F=Friday
G=Gown (wedding gown), grape pop
H=Hammocks and Holidays
I=Ice Skating and Isaly's
J=JACKS, Mother and Daughter, childhood games
K=Kindess, something we're taught
L=Love Story
M=Memories, One Year Ago Today (Making Do and Mohican)
N=Noodles Over Niagara
O=Ouija Board Memories
W=Wow Mom, The Wisteria

WOW MOM, The Wisteria

Took these photo's about a week ago at my folks house. Mom LOVED these Wisteria plants. Year after year it was a source of concern and pride for both my folks. Mom would worry so about them being ruined. Our weather here in central Ohio is soooooooooo unpredicatable. The Wisteria would show blooms in early spring then we'd get a frost and they'd be gone and she'd be extremely upset. She spotted these plants I think on a trip to Williamsburg many years ago and then they decided to plant some.

There have been years when through their worry, Dad would hook up umbrella's around them to protect them from the frost. I even remember one year she talked so much about how many blossoms they had and how anxious she was for them to bloom; he hooked up a light bulb to provide heat for these treasured plants of hers.

And this year, I feel Mom's presence there. The Wisteria have never been prettier, or more full of blooms. They smell heavenly and are loaded with lots of honey bees pollinating. Pollinate away bees, Mom would certainly approve. On the anniversary of her death, I enjoyed some quiet time with Daddy, a glass of wine and Mom's beautiful Wisteria.

**I'm out of order alphabetically here with my W memory of Mom, but it seemed appropriate.
Other Memories:
A=Advice, Afghan, Apples
B=Bread, and Bernie
C=Camping, Creativity and Courage
D=Dancing and Delaware Dam
E=Energy and Etiquette
F=Friday
G=Gown (wedding gown), grape pop
H=Hammocks and Holidays
I=Ice Skating and Isaly's
J=JACKS, Mother and Daughter, childhood games
K=Kindess, something we're taught
L=Love Story
M=Memories, One Year Ago Today (Making Do and Mohican)
N=Noodles Over Niagara

Noodles over Niagara

Long long ago, in a planet far far away. Chuckie, Mikie, Mommie, and Sandy. Without the color you may not see what we're all sitting in front of; it's the flowered clock at Niagara Falls. See me wearing pedal pushers....that's right Capri's are not a new style; merely an old one given a new name. Niagara Falls was the first vacation I think we took as a family. We were there I think about 4 days or less. I remember Mom with a fold up iron ironing our clothes on the end of the bed in the hotel room. I remember her talking about how much prettier The Canadian side of the falls was. I remember having fun. Not sure how old we are in this photo.

Noodles. I remember making homemade noodles for the first time with Mom. I remember watching her make noodles before I was old enough to help her. She rolled them out with a roller, stretching and stretching the dough. Then she rolled it up like you would a pinwheel, and cut them. Then to uncurl them she'd lift them off the table over and over until she got the whole pile down, spreading them out so they would dry a bit there on the kitchen table. She made beef and noodles over mashed potatoes. Yum.

I make homemade noodles too, though I use a pasta roller. Though a different method, I always think of you Mom. Thanks for the memories!

I've kept the memory alive by teaching my daughter to make pasta, and a few years ago enlisted the help of my nephews's daughter, my grand niece. And so it continues. Mom's legacy.

Previous Memories:
A=Advice, Afghan, Apples
B=Bread, and Bernie
C=Camping, Creativity and Courage
D=Dancing and Delaware Dam
E=Energy and Etiquette
F=Friday
G=Gown (wedding gown), grape pop
H=Hammocks and Holidays
I=Ice Skating and Isaly's
J=JACKS, Mother and Daughter, childhood games
K=Kindess, something we're taught
L=Love Story
M=Memories, One Year ago Today (Making Do and Mohican)

One Year Ago Today, Memories of Mom

This sampler is one I made many many years ago, and this picture isn't the best; but it's saying seems so very appropriate. Children are the precious rewards of a loving life.

I made this sampler long ago for my SIL for a Christmas Gift. The 3 names listed are my nephews, but it could say Chuck, Sandy, and Mike. Plug in the names of my 2 brothers and my own name and this is a loving memory of My Mother, who left us one year ago today. She had a loving life, she gave love to us all, she gave us precious memories and we miss her dearly. Though she is no longer with us in the flesh she is with us each and everyday in everything we do. We carry her in our hearts.

Off and on throughout this past year I shared memories with you in alphabetical order. This is memory M

Making Do and Mohican. Making do, Mom was the best ever at that. Through her abilities to make do-- our lives were far richer than they might have been otherwise. She taught us through her actions that you can make do and get by....an important life lesson. One that I think isn't taught nowdays as much as it should be. Making do, stretching the household budget with how you prepare food to not have waste, to utilizing hand me downs, to remaking clothing or repairing clothing. To taking fun filled inexpensive vacations with the focus always being on being together and loving each other.

Mohican, well there's a State Park here in Ohio called Mohican State Park. It's primarily known for canoeing, though fishing, hiking, and camping also exist. I still smile when I think of a canoeing venture there. Mom and Dad in one canoe, hubby and I in another. They got pretty wet, and almost tip at one point. Lots of laughs for sure. Another time, my oldest nephew wanted out of the canoe with his parents (who were shall we say not canoe savvy), and got in with Mom and Dad....he felt saver with them. Good times, good memories.

We love you Mom.

Alphabetical Memories

A=Advice, Afghan, Apples
B=Bread, and Bernie
C=Camping, Creativity and Courage
D=Dancing and Delaware Dam
E=Energy and Etiquette
F=Friday
G=Gown (wedding gown), grape pop
H=Hammocks and Holidays
I=Ice Skating and Isaly's
J=JACKS, Mother and Daughter, childhood games
K=Kindess, something we're taught
L=Love Story

Love Story

Perhaps when you first read the title, Love Story; you thought I was gonna talk about the movie. Nope. My parents, it's really quite a love story.

They met in high school when Mom was a freshman and Daddy a senior. She always said she chased him until he caught her. lol In those days each class had a hall or wing or floor. So, as she used to tell the story she and her girl friend who had her eye on one of Daddy's friends would race through the freshman wing to get to the senior wing between classes to interact. They went to dances, hayrides, and movies; typical high school dating for the times. Daddy went off to service (US Navy, Fighting Seabees), and they wrote letters back and forth. They got married when he got safely back home and began their life together.

Many of you know that life together ended last April when Mommy died. August would have marked their 62nd year together as Man and Wife. Quite a marvel in light of the number of divorces today.

This necklace reflects their love for each other. The circle is my Dad's first wedding band. He needed a larger one somewhere along the line. The both loved lighthouses. The TV room at home has quite a collection of ceramic lighthouses. They toured them when they traveled, and the wall is full of photographs and cross stitch pictures of lighthouses. They had the lighthouse designed by a local jeweler. The diamond on top of the lighthouse is the diamond from Mommy's engagement ring. She always wore this necklace, only removing it just prior to her surgery.

A Great Aunt (same one that gave me the heirloom dishes) left me her diamond many years ago. I had it tucked away, and gave it to Mom when she and Daddy had their new rings made. Daddy wears her wedding band, (the 2nd one); and I wear the Lighthouse necklace. We both feel her close to us as we wear these special pieces, we feel the love.

So in my alphabetical remembrance, Love Story is part 1 for the letter L. We miss you Mom

Kindness, something we're taught

It's been awhile since I've posted a memory of Mom. Guess I'm only about half way into the alphabet at letter K. Kindness is something I remember Mom talking alot about. She'd often say put yourself in their shoes, treat them as you want them to treat you, But for the grace of God go I. I must admit when real young I didn't understand the last quote; but remembered her saying it anyway.

I remember her always saying to be kind, not to pick on people, not to say mean things, and to stand up for the underdog. When I was real young, I had a friend with a brace on her leg from polio. I remember her being a whiz with puzzles, something I wasn't good at at all. Kids were pretty mean to her, guess they didn't know any better. I also remember how excited I was when my friend got the brace off her leg and for the first time we were able to go down the slide together. I probably wouldn't have that fond memory if it weren't for Mom, teaching me how to be kind.

I had a little boy in my class named Frankie who had seizures in class, even the teacher wasn't kind to him. One day when an incident happened and I was upset about it, my mother showed me again how kindness pays off. She went to school and explained to the teacher what was going on with little Frankie. The teacher had actually punished him for not paying attention. Mom knew from my description about what happened that he had seizures, it wasn't that he wasn't paying attention. After that, things went better for little Frankie.

Thanks Mom for those important life lessons, and the memories they've given me.

The picture is of hubby, my young daughter and I years ago. Just a picture I thought I'd share.

JACKS, Mother and Daughter and childhood games

Depending on how old you are, you might or might know what this is a picture of.

• It's Jack's. This picture is rather traditional in appearance. I remembering having multi-colored ones too. My Mother taught me to play Jacks. I love to play with her sitting on the front stoop in Marion where I grew up. I can see us there now. The stoop was small and off to the right side was a metal box for the milk man. It was a great game for mother and daughter to play because it really didn't take much time, you could stop and start if you got interrupted easily. Which Mom, usually did to run inside and start a load of laundry, or to hang another load on the clothes line out back. As I got better, we'd play with 2 sets. You really had to get good at bouncing the ball higher to scoop up that many Jacks. You also had to have a bigger hand. Somewhere along the line I remember a friend showing Mom and I a "special ball" she had that really bounced; allowing you more time to scoop up those Jacks. It was the inside of a golf ball. You'd crack open the golf ball, unwrap the rubber bands that were there and inside you had a "special ball".

A fun memory, Thanks Mom.

Did you play Jacks?

If you're new to my blog you might not have seen these Alphabetical Memories of My Mom:


A=Advice, Afghan, Apples
B=Bread, and Bernie
C=Camping, Creativity and Courage
D=Dancing and Delaware Dam
E=Energy and Etiquette
F=Friday
G=Gown (wedding gown), grape pop
H=Hammocks and Holidays
I=Ice Skating and Isaly's