To all the mothers out there have a Happy Mother's Day. I hope you are surrounded by a loving family that bless your life by their mere existence. My family is a true blessing to me, and I love them all. Have a blessed day.
My mother is no long on this level of existence, but I have some really fond memories of her to share with you.
Here she is with all of her grandchildren. I remember when she decided to let the racing strip grow in here hair. It was very fashionable at the time, and it was a precursor to the beautiful white hair she would have at the end of her life. She was always a great supporting factor in my sister's and my life. She loved those little grandchildren in a way that was manifest in different ways with each of them.
Mom always had a somewhat whacked out group of friends that were members of her card club. They met once a month at different houses, and mom got the Halloween draw that year. She is in the red skirt, and her partners in the picture are from left to right, Dottie Korb, Mom, Sandy Parkins and one of the funniest people but I forgot her name. If I remember it, I will edit this post. Sandy is a dear friend from school, and the daughter of Dottie, which explains the similar costuming. What a hoot. However, this explains a lot about just who mom really was.
And here we have a costume change. Mom and her sister's wanted to dress up in there brothers clothes and get a picture. Mom was a day late and a costume short for the picture, and hadn't had enough time to procure a cigar (a cloths pin) so she used her finger. However, you can see that mom was always interested in costuming, not really. This is so cute. From left to right I believe that Aunt Oral (Nique) Hartman, Mom Edith (Nique) Fenbert, family friend unnamed, and Aunt Blanch (Nique) Kownatsky.
Although there is no costuming involved here, this is the occasion of one of the funniest episodes in my mothers long life of funny episodes. This is the occasion of her 60th birthday. Mom and I had talked about birthdays at one of the kids parties, and she mentioned that she had never had a birthday party. As soon as she left my house, I went into action. I called my sister in Texas, and explained that she was going to be 60 and that she had never had a party. We quickly realize that this must be remedied and set into action. We invited the world to the party. All the family and friends we could find.
The morning of her birthday we started a day of unexpected delights for her. My father had ran Wilson's Sandwich Shop my entire life, and they allowed local organizations to decorate the windows with water soluble paints to advertise there benefit programs. Well my sister and I decided that we needed to announce to the city this birthday, and, besides she stopped there everyday for coffee on her way to work at the jewelry store.
Next we had a corsage of mums sent to her at work with the banner Happy Birthday Mum, and later in the day we had a friend Charlie Hanline go to the store to sing happy birthday to her. She later reported that she was concerned that her boss would be upset, however, Charlie knew them and cleared it with them first. While all that was happening my sister and I decorated here car, and I give her credit, she drove it all the way down Main Street in Findlay, Ohio as that was where she lived.
My husband and I took mom out to dinner while everyone packed by house for the surprise party. Mom mentioned at dinner that she was surprised how much I had accomplished in one day, and asked if my sister Paulette was there. We had decided to surprise her at the party, so we denied that Paulette was in Findlay, now there is the set up for the funniest thing I have ever witnessed.
When we arrived at my house, no cars near the house. Mom was thinking she was going to see my kids so they could wish her a happy birthday. She walks into a completely packed house, and is completely overwhelmed by people, there is the second set up process. She is hugging, and shaking hands of lots of friends and family, and here is the fun part.
My sister steps out in front of my Aunt Hazel, and mom looks puzzled by hugs her, but it is clear that she does NOT know who that woman is, remember we told her Paulette was not here? Paulette says, "You don't know who I am do you?" Mom gives the best punchline ever, "Honey, you face is familiar, but I just can't remember your name!" Buwahahahaha, and we all chime in, "A face only a mother could forget." At which point mom is so shocked by what she did she just stood there like a deer caught in the headlights. Then they hugged and laughed all night about the face only a mother could forget.
