Daily Food Diary – Day 142 of 365

Today marks 142 Days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary.

Today also marks what would have been my Mother’s 107th birthday!  There are two things that make time fly by as we age – having grandchildren and losing parents.

It has been 12 years since Mom passed away  and about 20 years since this photo was taken.  It never seems possible how many years have passed.

I always knew, but it is only since Mom is gone, that I fully appreciate how hard she worked to provide a home for us.  I see posts from young mothers talking about how hard parenting is.  My Mother didn’t really talk about it that much.  She probably didn’t have time. 🙄

I am the youngest of six siblings, spanning fourteen years.  My Mother first had indoor plumbing when I was SIX years old.  I remember boiling water to do dishes.  I can’t imagine the work involved in filling her wringer washer, processing each load of clothes, and hauling it out to the line to dry.  I will never forget the smell of frozen laundry being hauled in during the winter and the sight of Dad’s long johns – stiff as a board and leaning against the sofa to defrost.  Our clothes were always clean and fresh.  Our socks always matched and much of our clothes and household linens were ironed – every week.

The laundry was only one of multiple herculean tasks that my mother performed on a regular basis.  She sewed, knitted, or  crocheted much of our clothes and household linens.

Our home was always full of fresh baking and bountiful meals.  Always!  And come fall, she spent her days canning, pickling, and preserving.

My Mother never stopped at the basic necessities. In the spring  I am reminded of her so much.  As I am out working in our yard and garden, I remember her huge garden – rows and rows of corn and peas, lettuce, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes and the like.   But it didn’t stop there.  From the ‘rock garden’ to every nook and cranny and corner of the yard my Mother grew flowers.  Gorgeous flowers!  And nary a weed to be found.

Our home was ALWAYS clean but on holidays it shone!  (And Mother never met a holiday she didn’t love).  Obviously Christmas and Easter were the BIG ones, but every birthday, Thanksgiving, and Canada Day was celebrated.  I think she may have made up a few holidays just for the opportunity to decorate and celebrate.

I don’t remember my Mother ever being in any particular rush but she had hard work and efficiency down to a science.  Even on a shoestring (and that shoestring got pretty thin at times) our house ran like clockwork.   And she ran it with classical music playing in the background on our cabinet phonograph.   I have no idea how she managed to stow away enough money to buy that phonograph or the racks of records she played, but she got her money’s worth out of it!

Anyway, I know it’s a few years late, but thank you Mom.  For everything. I may not have always noticed all you did for us, but I sure appreciate it now. 💞

Daily Food Diary – Day 142

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39)

(1/2) tsp sugar (8)

(1) granola bar (160) (2.5 grams)

Lunch:

(1/2) c potato salad (160) (3 grams)

(1/5) c red onion

(3) radishes (4)

(2) oz Pullers shaved ham (57) (.5 grams)

(10) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (145) (1.4 grams)

Snacks:

(30) oz water

(1/2) c bbq corn nuts (230) (1 gram)

Supper:

(1 1/2) svg. Spaghetti with ground turkey meat sauce (465) (1.6 grams)

(2) Bicks baby dill pickles (6)

(1/4) c shredded cheddar cheese (114) (6 grams)

(1) Lemon oatmeal cookie (68) (.6 grams)

Total net calories: 1154

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1154 =   89 under 👍

Total saturated fats: 16.5 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 grams 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! ❤️☺️

*** Funny story – one year I had Genie and her stepsister helping me transplant lettuce seedling (don’t judge – I cannot grow lettuce from seeds).  Apparently, I cannot ‘teach’ gardening either.  Genie had a perfect little row of lettuce plants.  Brook had a perfect little row of lettuce plants deep in the ground – with roots topside up, swaying in the sunshine. 😂