What’s in a mom, what are they made of or who is a mom?
I have always thought that music can set the mood, so here’s is a fun tune that may bring back some fond memories or maybe create some new ones… Tutti Frutti by the late Little Richard….
Th’s more like it. It conjurs up images of the good ol days..when you might be walking back home for the local malt shop .. anticipating that nights dinner.. mouthwatering baked chicken and mash potatoes with some real juicy gravy… and for desert a piece of some fresh backed apple pie….maybe pie ala mode…. whatever was for dinner you knew it was made with a lot of love… and guess who… but mom.. was there too. Probably with one of those nice big smiles to say how was your day… well things may have changed a little in that dept but one thing that hasn’t is moms warm smile and the genuine care for and the family. I invite you to take this little trip down memory lane with me for a tribute …mom.
Well for as long as we can all remember there have been mom’s … all the way back to the days of cavepeople(being politically correct-sorry cave men it is not your day). Back then it was more dangerous, having to fend off T-Rex’s or trying to figure what end to roast on that wild pterodactyl. The one she was wrestling with while working on hanging the the latest fashion dress to dry with its leopard(most likely the real thing ala Flintstones)polka dots.
You see for all of our lives we look to mom to be the anchor of the family. The one who usually has the “softer” hand — well unless it’s a wooden spoon. I think one was cracked spanking my butt at least for doing something goofy, immature and don’t right “bad” . Yep I am not an angel or perfect.. but I do have this built in instinct to always do the right thing.. almost impossible for me not to do what is not right. I believe this comes from my parents, my upbringing-how I was raised. So thank you mom. I have to say my parents had their handful with me during my 8th grade term… very rebellious .. .but mom was there to steady the course.
Moms have also been the guiding light, the wisdom and the forever hopeful. Also they have that voice in the morning that says “get moving you’re going to be late — don’t miss that bus..again? Oh don’t forget your lunch/lunch money and don’t slam that door on the way out”.
But, guess what, they were home ..waiting for you with that great afternoon snack which might even consist of a glass of milk and some fresh baked Chocolate Chip cookies or some Snickerdoodles!!!
Heck they were there when you came hobbling in after taking a fall from your bike.. patched you up so you could get right back out there to do it again. And they would say “gee I don’t know if you should be riding that bike so soon..” once the baby …always the baby. Even at 58 years old. Now it’s more like “should you be doing at your age”… right mom, your 91 and I’m 50 something…
I can handle it. Not sure about having a neighborhood race to see who is the fastest while testing out those new PF Flyers…but bring it on.
Forever the gatherer..at least at the supermarket. And whipping up those amazing dishes like meatloaf, eggplant parmigiana or the Thanksgiving Turkey. Now I know not all meals are prepared by mom but these were the times when I was living my earlier years and my experience. Man she was the interior decorator , chief -in-charge of the daily wash, a dry cleaner and the one with the green thumb-landscaping.
They say a good start to health begins at home. Mom is our first line of defense in the war on the common cold and the flu. In fact, if I was sick and needed tender loving care. A bowl of hot soup and an extra blanket to keep me, she was right there.
My mom drove my pops to school(R.I.T.) on Saturday mornings. So I was up before the rising sun and back home in time to catch Mr Wizard and Speed Racer while I was munching on a bowl of Honeycombs, Lucky Charms or my favorite — with the letters staring up at me …good ol Alphabits.
Guess what I saw quite a few Drive-In double features in that baby. I had the back seat all to myself-usually but sometimes accompanied by dear “old” sis.
Plus mom was my uber to(the mall, playground and school-completely styling in a 1964 blue Mustang with a white top and bucket seats) also the doctors and after- W.E.B Drug store. She to pick up my remedy from the docs and me to pick up my remedy:
the latest issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland/Batman/Hot Rod magazine/Tarzan Comic Digest or Vampirella/Castle of Frankenstein or Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.
Of course had to get a dish sherbet/milkshake and a peanut butter cup/Boston Baked Beans-candy coated peanuts (these bad boys are still available at Dollar Tree)plus a pack of trading cards …all to go into my collection of shoe boxes kept under my bed for midnight reading . The candy bar was for the immediate future.
Mom and I shared two soaps that were on my top list The Edge of Night and followed by Dark Shadows from 3 to 4 pm that was on in my house in the late 60's/early 70's…always made time to catch both. Not too many moms probably letting their kids take in Dark Shadows but we were hooked right from the beginning. Those were the days. These shows are iconic and actually led to Kolchak, the Night Stalker and The X-Files. So who says mom’s aren’t cool. And then who could ask for more than a little bit of 70’s-TV that is — take a trip back 50 years ago. This is what we were watching back then. Disco was king (for a few years) and everybody was kung fu fighting.
Where would dads be without moms… They probably would not know where they left the hammer or the baby or when it’s their turn to do the dishes/take out the trash. And what about that button on your favorite shirt that just keeps falling off. At least yesterday it was not there and magically it appears the next time you go to put it on…hmmm.
So as you can see moms have a lot of unassigned tasks/duties that all are delivered/performed with the utmost love. And if I was to say are these are my fondest memories? The answer is undeniably yes!!! These memories also include spending many a Friday during holidays and summer with another mom, Grandma. Shopping and sharing an awesome lunch, either egg or potato pancakes topped by sugar or mustard pickle…ummm um.. so good…making me hungry now! I bet if you were to ask mom what her favorite memes were she would basically say the same thing, all though for her it likely would be watching you grow up and the time spent in between, The difference she’s on the outside looking in. For you — you are inside looking out. Just A different perspective that quickly reverses once you have kids of your own. They all seem to go hand in hand.
Wondering about those TV moms, Cinematic mothers, First Ladies and teachers(surrogate moms). They were there to guide us too. There was Bambi’s mom or Mary Poppins on the big screen. Television of the 50’s/60’s gave us June Cleaver, Harriet Nelson(she was three steps ahead of Ozzie), that madcap Lucille Ball (I love Lucy & The Lucy Show) and Sam — Elizabeth Montgomery from Bewitched. If you liked a little bit of country… there was Aunt Bee, Granny Clampett and Kate Bradley (Bea Benaderet) of Petticoat Junction who, a single mom, ran the Shady Rest Hotel and looked after her three daughters…
and who could forget Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble-two of the hippest mothers — a couple of modern stone age families. Constantly putting with a grouchy Fred and his ever lovable best buddy Barney…meaning well but never far from trouble.
But Fred did love Wilma very much…
Celebrity moms- Raquel Welch for example was a single mom raising two kids in Hollywood and juggling a career as an actress. She always made her life private private and keeping her children out of harms way.
Talking about real life vs reel life- one only has to look as far as Sandra Bullock and her role as Leigh Ann Touhy . Sandra(a mom of 2 in herself)won an Academy for her performance. A true heart -warming story of the woman who adopted and guided a young adult who had been bounced around from one foster family to another. Her compassion and his tutor helped Michael Oher to go on to becoming a first round pick for the NFL Draft for the Baltimore Ravens. The film : The Blind Side.
First Ladies- From the beginning Martha Washington & Abigail Adams to our later and more current years-Barbara Bush, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton to name a few…all loving mom’s who also took an active interest the well being of their children and our country. Showing just how versatile a mom is.
So thanks mom for all those memories and being there when I needed you then and now!!!….And thanks to all moms all over the world….This is Mothers Day. And this is for all the moms out there. I truly wish you a most happy and well deserved helping of love, admiration and respect.
A loving son and your biggest fan,
Chris
