Chatting With My Mom

I noticed the other day when I was chatting with me dear old mom that my parents are, well crazy – but in a good way.

My mom: friendly, chatty & lately chats  a lot about her life growing up. Her parents, my grandparents, passed away at an early age. I vaguely remember them…but I can remember the day they passed away like it was yesterday. Well, I remember when my grandma died. My grandpa – in order to save us from having memories of him leaving this earth requested we not be there. I remember very few things about them. Although I am told that I resemble my grandma quite a bit…..seems besides some physical features, we have a bit of spunk  in our personalities in common as well. I’m good with that.   - BUT back to my parents….

My mom has been going through boxes that belonged to her mom…boxes of memories & mementos. Mom gave me a letter that her mother wrote to her in 1966. In the letter written half in English & half in Spanish tells my mom about some recipes she thinks she should make. A letter from a mom to her daughter passing on tips on how to cook.  Mom gave me the letter &  recipes…not gonna lie- it as pretty tasty. I noticed that the way these dishes were made is similar to how my mom has cooked all these years.

My Dad….LOVE my daddy!! I remember growing up and because he was always working in his workshop, he had pencils everywhere. Old pencils, before mechanical pencils were even invented, he had the old, old pencils. They were always sharpened, but never did I see a pencil sharpener. Oh no, my dad would whittle the pencil sharpened. I remember him standing near a trash can with his carpet knife sharpening his pencil. Well after the time it was affordable to have a pencil sharpener at home (remember the kind you hung on the wall- had them in school- LONNNG before individual pencil sharpeners were available) he’d still use his trusty  carpet knife. I bring this up because when I was chatting with my mom, I was sitting at the table where my dad usually sits. I picked up a pencil (I am smiling thinking of this) and it is sharpened to a nice sharp point with wood  or shave marks on it. Yep, my dad, still whittles his pencils sharpened.

I notice the older I get, the more I notice that old habits die hard – or maybe it’s just that I find the little things my parents do just so darn adorable.

My mom will be 79 in a few weeks…my dad will be 82 a few weeks after that. Where has the time gone? I know I am blessed to have both of my parents… I only hope that I can bring them as much joy in their –as my mother calls it- “sunset years” as they have given me my whole life. My parents… I love them so very much.

Tell me, please, what things do you remember about your parents? Things they’d say? Dishes they’d cook? Things they’d wear? Favorite line or curse word? (ya don’t have to spell the whole word)…