Happy Birthday, Mom...

Happy Birthday, Mom. She would have been 77 today - she died last year on October 10th. I miss her - more than I thought I would. We had a "different" relationship - I was an only child and my mom never really quite acted like a traditional mom would. Those of you who do have "traditional" moms - YOU ARE BLESSED! My dad did all the milestones - my first haircut (he actually cut my hair!), "THE TALK" when I was 11, and all about boys when I was a teenager. Mom was actually envious of my relationship with my dad, but didn't know any other way of communicating. In later years we became friends, especially after my father passed away. Then, I became her caretaker after a fall broke her hip, and she never fully recovered. This broke my heart, as her beloved Yankees no longer meant anything to her (she never even watched a game the last year of her life), she lost her home and her best friend, "Susie" because she had to move to a nursing home. I think that was the last straw for her. She gave up on life. If I learned anything at all from living and loving this woman for 52 years of my life, it would be to keep active - never stop learning and keep as healthy as you can ( I need to work on that last one...) Love you, Mom. Hope dad is whuppin' you in Scrabble where you are!!!!