It’s been one year since Molly moved into our home. She’s grown by leaps and bounds and she hasn’t always been the easiest addition to the family to deal with. She has a thing for destroying plant pots and toilet plungers. Her enthusiasm can be boundless and a little overwhelming at times. She leaves a trail of dog hair, sand, mud, and shredded trees. But, she is loving and affectionate and has the biggest and best doggy smile EVER.
It has been ten years today since my mother passed away. It could have been last week. I don’t have to close my eyes to imagine my mother just as she was – at the end of her, or at any point in my, life.
I can see my mother bringing the frozen laundry in from the line, smell the fresh air, and feel the icy cold that she brought with it.
I can see my mother playing badminton with my sister Lorraine, sitting at the card table working on a jigsaw puzzle, or at the kitchen table playing Scrabble with us and our children.
I can see my mother at church – weekdays and Sundays, attending funerals of friends and neighbors, serving up food at Parrish suppers and get togethers.
I can see my mother knitting and crocheting sweaters and dresses, mittens and scarves for her grandchildren. I can see her at the kitchen table sewing dresses for my sisters and I.
I can see my mother cooking everyday meals, Sunday dinners, and holiday feasts – as well as baking an endless supply of fresh bread, buns, cakes, desert squares, and pies.
I can see my mother cleaning, painting, and decorating our home – throughout the seasons, over the years.
I can see my mother arriving at my home – bearing baked goods and gifts for myself and my family. Making herself at home by doing laundry, washing dishes, making meals, and poisoning the dog (the last one may have been an accident but you don’t put chocolate under the Christmas tree when there’s a dog in the house 🫣)
I can see my mother in the nursing home, her final home on earth, visiting with her grandbabies’ babies – pushing them up and down the hallway on her walker, introducing them to nurses and residents, and proudly accompanying them to Sunday brunch at the Mayfair.
I can see my mother doing a million everyday, ordinary things that mothers do. It could have been decades ago or it could have been last week.
I hope that where my mother is now, she can see that we noticed and appreciated all that she did – and that it has not, and never will be, forgotten.
It is another beautiful Sunday morning in southern Saskatchewan. 🌞
Molly and I went for our early morning walk. We crossed paths with Bike Lady and her two dogs. She stopped to have a short chat before going on her way. Following her, we met up with another woman walking Myles from Mexico. Molly and Myles checked each other out while Donna (?) And I chatted. In the overall scheme of things, Molly did fairly well until we came to the tail end of our walk. Obviously, she had been saving up all of her bad behaviour because she was pretty darned obnoxious on the homestretch. It didn’t help that we had to pass at least a dozen yard dogs and they were all having a go at setting her off.
Other news for the day? Dan and I are celebrating our twenty-third anniversary today. It seems incredible that it has already been twenty-three years and amazing that so much could have happened in only twenty-three years.
And… I had my Sunday morning chat with granddaughter Genie. TBH we had today’s chat yesterday. She was so excited about her boyfriend Alec going up to Edmonton today to drive home with her tomorrow, that she got her days mixed up. It is so funny… It seems like yesterday that she was a sweet little tot bursting with love, joy, and excitement. Yet here she is, all grown up (and despite all she has been through) – sweet as ever and still bursting with love, joy, and excitement. 💞🤗
She sent me an assortment of photos to share today. I hope you enjoy!
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day!💞
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 