Fifty Fridays # 42

Sort of a day late with this one.  Oh yes, it is Friday but the day I want to remember was yesterday.  It was my Mom's birthday and she would have been 91.  I find that just amazing to think of.

This is one of the few photos I have of Mom at her own birthday celebration...her 60th.  She is standing with her first three grand-children - there would be 4 more that she wouldn't meet.  And as you can see, she was a proud Gran.  Now the little boy has 4 - almost 5 - kids of his own and the younger girl has two. She would have been an even prouder great-Gran. 

When I was growing up, Mom and I had the typical mother-daughter relationship: ups and downs.  Sometimes, the downs were very low, indeed.  But as I matured and she mellowed, we came to understand each other better.  There was nothing Mom liked better than a natter and since we didn't live close to each other, a natter was the first order of business when we came to visit.  My Mom liked to read, she loved to learn new things and I know she enjoyed a challenge.  Her drawing skills always made me jealous. And she always had a great sense of style - even if I didn't think so with my youthful style-consciousness..    She had a wicked sense of humor and, even when younger, tended to be a tad absent-minded.  She was shy and didn't really do parties or big social gatherings happily.   I think Mom would have made a good interior designer.  I have lots of  memories of her (frequently) changing the furniture arrangement, re-painting furniture or cupboards or poring over magazines and library books for ideas.  She sewed all our clothes when we were kids; was a great knitter and baked the best oatmeal bread in the world.

Her most memorable advice to me?  If I was feeling down it was time for a new hat! 

Happy Birthday, Mom!