Memories of Mom

Seattle, Washington 1970
Shopping for a coat, it was colder and rainier than we had thought it would be when we were packing for our trip. She looked at the price tag and it said $30. Wow! We went to the register only to learn it was $300. No, she did not get the coat.

Same trip to Seattle. She finds a steak branding iron with the marks - R, M and W. Perfect gift for my brother-in-law. His first name was Ralph and his last name started with M. But she was not sure what the W was for.

When my sister got married there was an after party at our house. For some reason she and my aunt made Black Russians. I mean they made gallons and gallons of Black Russians a few days before the party. I came home from school to find my mother and my aunt plastered from the fumes, or so they said...

Again for my sister's wedding, my mother and aunt made pastries, Cherry and Almond filling breakfast pastries. They had dozens, and dozens of the these pretty little pastries. When the caterer heard they intended to put these out at the reception hall before his dinner, he put the kibosh on the idea. Into the freezer they went and we ate the forever. And they were delicious.

The night Chris gave me my diamond I called my mom. The next day when my dad got up, he was working the night shift at the time, she said to him that she was not sure if she was dreaming or not but she thought I had gotten engaged!

My mother telling me that friends are friends, but family is forever.

The care packages. I would stop by my parents house once a week and pick up dinners. Packaged and labeled and made with love.

Christmas morning waking up with so many gifts. She started Christmas shopping in February and made out like a bandit at the sales.

As I got older shopping and picking out my Christmas presents, that way nothing would have to be returned.

Coming home from school to those Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Fried dough for breakfast.

Her Chicken Salad for lunch.

Her Stuffed Breast of Veal Pocket. A true culinary dream.

Her pizza.

Her Chocolate Cake with White Frosting.

She always said to look your best whenever you left the house because you never know who you may run into.

You can never have too many shoes!

As long as you have dinner ready for your husband, there is no reason you should not spend the day shopping.

Christmas Eve Dinner. She was a star.

Getting that first issue of Cuisine Magazine back in 1980!

Her sending me to cooking classes when I was in grade school.

Her sending me to sewing school for 2 summers when I was in grade school.

The time back in 1992 when I went over for lunch, I was working nearby. She was making me an omelet and forgot what she was doing. Was that the first sign of what was to come.

Her smile. Her laugh. Her tea with blackberry brandy before bed.

Thinking of her still makes me smile.