Saturday, May 9, 2015

El Dia de Las Madres

So tomorrow is Mother's Day, and we're celebrating by taking off for overseas -- honoring Wifey for the love, devotion, and care she has given our Ds. Yesterday, D2 and Wifey had a disagreement, and D2 said she was leaving the house, lest her mother escalate. "She may ground me, Dad," joked the 23 year old MS holder. I shrugged the shrug that says she (and her sister) have to deal with these issues, and will for a long time. As for me, I reminded them, I ain't GOT no mother no more... Mother's Day always fell within a month of my Mom's birthday, and we were sure to celebrate both. As Mom aged, we celebrated more. At 70 my sister Trudy and I chipped in to take Mom on a day cruise to the Bahamas. We included her friend Rose, a lady Mom knew since they were kids in the Bronx. The sea was very rough, and the trip was memorable for the poor crewmen constantly emptying the vomit buckets scattered on deck. Later celebrations included a fine dinner my sister Trudy cooked, of Mom's favorite seafood, and at years 80 and 85 I sprung for family trips to SF and LA. The LA trip told us Mom was done traveling far -- she took a scary fall at my friends' house in West Hollywood, and looked so small and frail afterwards... So Mother's Day is a sad one for me. Two years ago, Mom's ashes were shipped to my house, and arrived the Saturday before MD. The Ds and Wifey and I used MD to spread her ashes into Biscayne Bay. My mother in law, now 90, continues to provide comic relief regarding Mother's Day. Since we knew we would be away this year, Wifey arranged a nice lunch a few weeks ago. I brought in Soyka food, and we sat outside the rec room at Miami Jewish, and wished my MIL a happy day, along with a happy birthday for my father in law. Later in the week, my mother in law called, saying to Wifey, in her classic Yiddish accent, "Vel, I know you hoight you hand, vich is vhy you didn't send me a card, rrrrright?" Well, no, Wifey explained, she didn't send a card because the holiday was still over a week away... Oh, let my Ds escape THAT part of being adult daughters -- manipulated into action by guilt, by Wifey and me. Nah -- they'll probably be subject to it, minus the comical Yiddish accents... So tomorrow evening, if all goes as planned, I plan to hoist a glass to Wifey, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, and the Ds will join me in recognizing her for all she has done. If we've taught the Ds anything, it's how essential it is to pick the right Baby Daddy. If I had sons, they would know the same message about the right Baby momma... As for MY Mom, well, I can never thank her enough, for screwing me up LESS than any other mother I know screwed up her kids. It was about love, and laughter, and being told, at all times, that I was competent and assumed to succeed. I love you, Mom, and still miss you.

No comments: