Close to Nowhere

This past Sunday Facebook was full of “Happy Mother’s Day” to everyone. It’s nice to see pleasant, happy postings. I usually skip over the political and mean stuff anyway though.

Mother’s Day is a sad day for me. My mother died when I was 25 and my mother-in-law, Jimmie, who’d been in a nursing home with dementia for several years, died about 15 years ago. I miss both of them.

I miss my mother mostly because we had just begun finding an adult relationship, where we could talk and share things.

One of my favorite memories is me calling her long distance to get her fudge recipe. She would fuss the entire conversation because it was long distance and I was wasting money on a recipe that I should write down. I’d always tell her that we got to talk when I’d call, but she just couldn’t see wasting the money.

Memories are good things most of the time. With Memorial Day right around the corner, I’m spending a lot of time wandering down Memory Lane. It’s a familiar place to me and I usually enjoy the trip.

I think of my father-in-law, Clifford, whom I loved very much. He was a father to me from the first time I met him. He hugged me and since my family was not a huggy-type family, it was strange. It didn’t take me long to realize I liked to hug. Now, I’m a very huggytype person and I thank my father-in-law for that.

I still find it strange to think about my husband Doyle, “Pop” to my granddaughters, on Memorial Day – maybe because I think of him every day.

Some days, I’m sure I hear him in the back of the house, or the kitchen, or sitting in his recliner (which is no longer in the living room). My niece Sister spent the night a month or so ago and she heard him walking around in the kitchen. I told her he’d come to say hello to one of his very favorite people.

I hope your Mother’s Day was a peaceful day. And I hope Memorial Day brings back good memories of all those who aren’t with us anymore.

Memorial Day also kicks off summer. Maybe it’ll stop raining and we can all go outside and play.