Happy Mother's Day to My Mom

My sweet mommy in 1966 at age 50, and then again in 1998 at age 82.  She left us 5 years ago, but I can feel her with me every single day.  She would have been 97 years old this Mother's Day.  

We miss you so much mom.  When I lost you, I lost my best friend.  And everything you ever told me was right,  like when you said to me, "Just wait till you have your own children, Debra Ann", and  "Don't be so honest all the time, no one wants to hear the truth!"  Boy, oh boy, were you ever right! LOL 

Rose Patricia Geraci Barnes Price Foote

1916-2008

One of my favorite memories was when we lived in our La Mirada home with the swimming pool and you would have all the neighborhood kids over to swim every single day in the summertime, and the sign on the fence read "We don't swim in your toilet, so please don't pee in our pool"  LOL  I also loved when you got  in the pool with us to cool down (this was before we had air conditioning),  then go right back into the kitchen to cook dinner in your wet bathing suit.  You cooked us a delicious, full course meal every single night except Sundays when we'd send out for broasted chicken.  You were such an amazing mother, loving and generous to all, the favorite auntie, a hard worker who never complained, ever, and an incredible cook!  You took in many a stray animal, and you loved to sing and dance, and your smile would light up a room.  I used to love watching you dance with all the men at weddings.  Boy could you move! You were a sexy mama  LOL  And you had the most beautiful garden in all of La Mirada. I remember that Monday was laundry day, Tuesday you ironed all day long, the house got cleaned on Wednesday, we'd grocery shop on Thursday and if I was really lucky you'd buy me paper dolls.  I remember you putting on Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and the sound tracks from West Side Story and the Unsinkable Molly Brown, and all the other great music from the time on our hifi, and I would sing and dance around your ironing board, and think I was the luckiest girl in the world.  You taught me to share (almost  LOL), to try and be social (Jim is still working on that one  :), to square dance, to bowl, to swim, to do all the needle arts and sew my own clothes, and to keep and treasure a lovely home.  You took me across country twice in a car with all my Barbies so I could meet my relatives back east.  You taught me to have respect for my elders, and to always try to do my best.  But the greatest gift you gave me was your unconditional love.  You taught me to be a good person, a fair and consistent teacher and a loving mother and wife by the examples you set for me everyday.  

Thank you mama.