Beneath the Wraps

               At the time we had mom's party I had not yet started my blog nor do I think I had started reading Corey's.  Perhaps I did and I just don't remember.  He hasn't posted for a while, and so I haven't looked at his blog page much the last year and a half.  I did open his blog page yesterday to see if he had mentioned the event or what he said about it - but I couldn't find anything - not at the time the event took place anyway.  He had his own personal trial he was dealing with.  I don't know if he ever got around to reminiscing the events that took place that summer my mom turned 70.                 He gave mom a copy of the list he had created, but not the stories he had shared at the party as he paid her tribute and entertained those who came; thus I will share his list and my own examples as I can remember them. 70 Things I Love About My Mother 1....

            I enjoy looking at the memories that facebook reminds me for each day.   The thing I enjoy most is reading comments from friends who have since passed away - like yesterday morning for instance, I was reading thoughts to wish my husband and I "Happy Wedding Anniversary" for almost each year I'd been on facebook.   The last comment I read was from my mom.   I think that's cool.             Mom was not an avid facebook user.   She seemed to allow herself to get flustered with modern technology.   The year I started my facebook account was also the first year her children all wondered if there was some instability happening with mom's mind.   I don't know if that was the first year she'd been tested for Alzheimer's.   I do know she was tested at least twice, but the results didn't show Alzheimer's - but she was in the early stages of dementia.   Ma...

Shilo is a sweet dog I refer to him as “Highness” In my posts He was old when we got him Loved to dig in the back yard And escape. I thought it odd that The animal shelter had not Collected him Favorite activities: Go for walks And sleep Picky Eater.   He’s always been a picky eater Since we’ve had him As I mentioned in my blog before I think his owner before us Tied a bib around his neck And let him sit at the dinner table        With her Jenna and I would take him on long walks Or else I would put him in the car And walk him around After I dropped off Jenna He could jump onto the couch And into the car – but age has slowed him down He stopped digging At least two summers ago He needs assistance climbing on anything                          ...

         It was in January of 2012 that my sibs and I worked together with my niece and her husband to put ourselves on a schedule so that someone would always be at home with my mom – which unfortunately did not always work out.          We would keep in touch by phone and sending the same email to our group so that we could all kind of keep track of what was going on.   It wasn’t until November when Nate decided to create a group page on facebook.   He gave it the name “Operation Grandma Care”.   We started out with Six members and gradually we became Nine.          The site was up for less than three months before we had moved my mom into assisted living. I don’t know when Nate removed himself from the group but it couldn’t have been more than eight months after he’d created the site.   Nevertheless the seven of us that remaine...

I recall a former bishop who has six children – each given a name or names after people that this bishop and his wife had crossed paths with.   I had actually met the two men whom their youngest had been named after.   I was just a youth when one of the men passed, but I’m actually good friends with the man who is living.   What an honor the bishop’s youngest should feel to share a name with such a marvelous man, as I’m certain each individual involved with the lives of their family. My mom had been given one of those feminized masculine names (e.g. Josephine, Roberta, Patricia, Geraldine, Georgette . . .), which she didn’t particularly care for. It was three syllables long and as she learned to write was too long of a name to fit on the top line of any school paper. It wasn’t until high school when she decided to go by her unisex nickname (e.g. Joey for Josephine, Bobby for Roberta, Pat for Patricia, etc.) but still did not care for the name.   ...

  Two weeks after I started my blog I became part of a search party who went out looking for mom who had dementia and had wandered from home.  She could not be left alone.  Each of us worked out a schedule so that someone would always be with her. Two weeks after this year started mom was released from the hospital and spent her last night at the house she’d lived in for over fifty years. It had been on a Sunday when Ellen found my mom passed out and called for Nate to assist.  Patrick ended up taking her to the hospital.  He and Nate were both dressed for church but stayed at the hospital all day. They did not go to Church that day. Patrick had chosen to stay with mom. On Monday mom’s four children worked together to fill out the paperwork to move mom into assisted living. On Wednesday Kayla took mom to her new home at the assisted living facility – the last place she would live. And Corey came from Las Vegas to assist and say good...

We all know a David Smith such a common name  In my case you were the boy next door middle child your mom and my mom showed pregnant bellies three times the same time – well maybe just two and a half. Tow headed blonds we both were neighborhood games and school Your family had the only trampoline there for a while chain linked fence separated our back yards we grew neither of us married until our late thirtys you had two daughters I have one.  Wish we could have gotten them together before you passed on a year ago last month Your final act of service happened when you were only 49.  You were in the basement of your parents up  on the ladder  I believe  and you lost  your balance  or your footing and you fell and left this earth life.  Your family will keep your memory alive and I hope that your girls may visit often and learn more about who you we...

Ode to Skool Lunch I was working downtown when I first met you And you were fabulous! You welcomed me with your awesome deliciousness.  How your scents penetrated in my nose and I thought I had found true love,  but alas I did not visit you often.  Oh, I wanted to – I wanted to savor the succulence on a daily basis – only there was a hole in my wallet.  I was allowed to visit just once in a while and you were always so good to me.  But you always left me wanting more. How I craved for that Wonderful chicken salad and baked goods that would satisfy my pallet. Years passed.  I was no longer downtown but at the other end of the valley.  Imagine my delight when I found you near my work. Good food.  Good company. I introduced you to my friends.    We saw you just a few times but still not often.  And then I got married.  My finances we...