‘Special Happy Birthday Edition’
Karl Malden — and his nose — will just have to wait. I was all ready to hit the ‘publish’ button when I realized that today is Mom’s birthday. So I’m putting Karl’s story into the blog equivalent of Tupperware, and writing a post about Mom instead.
Now I realize that you readers have perfectly good moms of your own. You might very well be asking ‘why the heck would I want to read about Lutheranliar’s mother?’
Well, she’s hilarious, for one thing. Once, while driving us all somewhere, she told my fidgety brother Roger to ‘get in the back seat if you want to wiggle your behind.’ Another time, she and Dad had to go out of town unexpectedly and she had to leave us on our own for a couple of days. (There were five of us; I was the oldest. Big surprise.) She puts a few bucks on the kitchen counter and says ‘Here’s some money. In case you run out of bread.’ My brothers hooted and called her a ‘beatnik’ (which was kind of like a ‘hipster’, in case you’re wondering).
Also, hilarious things would happen to her. When we lived in Memphis (see ‘That’s my Bob’ for colorful family detail), she kept getting weird phone calls. Guys asking her for ‘dates’ and wanting to book her to pop out of cakes naked at Rotary Club meetings. Seems that there was a ‘party girl’ (that’s what they called girls-for-racy-hire back in those days) with the same name as ours listed in the Memphis phone book. Gee, Mom. You sure were good-looking enough. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to take in those boarders. (Again, see ‘That’s my Bob’)
Mom peeking out from Nimrod. With Scott, Laura and Roger
Oh, she’s adventurous too. While she has graduated from the family Nimrod pop-up camper, she is still quite the traveler. She prefers Alaska Airlines, by the way. They serve the best wine. Here’s a photo collage of trips she’s taken in the past year alone. (Each trip had something to do with one of her five kids, natch.)
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- Mom celebrates Roger’s son’s wedding in Sicily
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- Mom toasts Scott’s sons in California
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- Mom gazes at Crater Lake on a trip with Laura
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- Mom on a bridge in Maine near Doug’s
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- Mom digs into a Montauk lobster roll (on a trip to see me)
So, here’s a toast to my Mom on her Day. Treat yourself to the good stuff, Mom — not the pinot grigio that comes in the box.
And if you know my Mom, or just wish you did, give her a shout-out. She’s on Facebook (of course). Here’s her profile picture, taken halfway through a 10K race. Why in heaven’s name was a woman in her 80’s doing a 10K? She wanted the tee shirt.
Mom on the Scary-Ass Bridge in the middle of a 10K
Maplecrest, New York. October 2014
IT was so good to hear about her adventures. She is endearing.My best wishes to your mom:)
Thank you so much! Best wishes to yours, too xo
Great post, sounds like your Mum is living life to the fullest – good on her.
Thank you — and Happy Mother’s Day, whether you’re the Mum or the One Grateful To Mum!!!
Aunt Myrna is an absolutely adorable woman! I can imagine her popping out of a cake- of course with a one piece bathing suit on, arms raised and a huge smile!
Yes, Cousin Nancy, she is adorable indeed. Don’t you love how she is channeling Laurie Petrie in this photo? Speaking of adorable mothers, I bet you miss yours. I hadn’t seen her in some years, but I called her on the phone one day completely out of the blue and we had a wonderful talk. *sigh* So glad I got to see you at my Mom’s birthday party last fall. Those are the kind of gatherings I miss most these days.
Your Mom sounds like a pisser, as we say in my family. Happy Birthday, Alice’s Mom!
I love it! Can hardly wait to tell her she’s a “pisser”. She will dig it. ?
She sounds like a force to be reckoned with, Alice. How do you keep up?
You got that right, Judy. Most of the time I just observe. Awestruck, of course (!)
Someday- to,follow – Essay by The Child on “Life with Alice”!
Oh, I certainly hope so (I think!)
Haw! Love this!