Mom

My mom's birthday is today.  I wish she were here so I could give her a hug, a kiss and then take her out to some place like Emma's Back Porch or Baranga's.  She would like that.
She died when she was only 72 and now that I'm 60, that doesn't seem very old.
Mom, Annabelle Maelja MacGregor was born in Digby, N.S. in 1923, so she would have been 87 now.
Her dad was a dentist, born in Digby, but educated in Boston, a grad of Harvard.  Her mom, (my Nanny), and her dad, became a well-off family in Smith's Cove.  From pictures their farm looked so pretty and of course, they had "hired help".  I never met my grandfather because he died when Mom was only 15.  Nanny then bought what we knew as the "Cleverlay Cabins", overlooking the Bay of Fundy, up on the hill, across the street from the Mountain Gap Inn.  This is where Judy and I have so many fond memories, with Mom and Dad.  I used to get periwinkles for mom - oh, how gross to eat - she loved them!  She would pull the slimy little things out of their shell with a pin!
Dad was in the Navy when they met and married.  Mom must have very quickly adjusted to Navy life.  We moved so often yet we kept the same furniture and I remember Mom often hemming the drapes.  She once said that she was happiest before Dad became an Officer.  Drinking rum, tobogganing down Central St. (a large hill) after a snow storm, when we were in bed.  But much of that changed when dad became an Officer, when parties had to be catered, "certain " people invited.  But I sure did love seeing her in her ballgowns, and Dad in his dress uniform, for the Admiral's Ball.
Mom was beautiful.  More so than her 3 daughters.  She was tall with a gorgeous figure.  Wow, pics of her when she was young.  I never looked that good in a bathing suit!!!
Mom, was, well, just Mom, but always there.  Back then moms didn't "work" outside the home, so we always had a clean house, fresh laundry and good meals.  But, I also remember her having having "coffee parties" with the neighbours and she was always there when I got home from school.  The few times I remember her working, I wish I had been more thoughtful and started dinner.
things I remember:
-Dad finding snakes under a tree stump, handing me a couple to take into Mom to make snake soup for dinner.  I still remember the screams.
-Mom never missed an event - well, just once.  I was in Gr. 3 at Frank Hobbs and Dad was at sea.   Mom had to look after my younger sister, so my big sis had to go to my school play.  I was upset, yet all I did was sit at the front of the stage pretending to stir something in a bowl, wearing a chef's hat.
-Playing outside on the patio by our living room putting on "plays" with my friends and Mom being the audience. I always forgot the lines we made. Sitting on the same patio, sewing and makiing stuff and Mom helping.
-In N.S. our little chihuahua got away and Mom chased him down the street in her robe.
-When dad was away we had dinner watching TV, on tv trays.
-Our TV, when we lived in Dartmouth was in my parents room, so we laid on the bed to watch.  If Mom was there, she loved having her hands massaged and I would try to remove her rings, which I never could.
-If she dyed her hair or moved furniture, I took a fit.  Maybe having things always stay the same was my bit of security in a life of moving and new schools.
-Mom was a great cook and often baked delicious desserts.  I often wonder if she enjoyed it or just felt she had to?!!
-Mom could sing, dance and play the piano..  I think I missed out here.  When Danielle was 2, she pointed to a crow in her pictionary and said that's what I sounded like. :(
-Mom had a good shoulder to cry on, which I used more than once.
-Mom loved to work in the garden.  She especially loved rock gardens.  If I had rocks, I would too!  I used to think gardening was a waste of time.  Guess what - I've turned into my mom!
-She smoked too much.  I used to get embarrassed when she sent me to the store to buy cigarettes.  Smoking, I believe led to many of her health problems.  She gained weight, was often depressed and Dad became a diabetic; they fought often and things weren't always great, but I still looked back and have great memories.
-Mom started dozing off when she was smoking.  Her lazyboy and shirts had little burn holes.
She would get up in the middle of the night, smoke in the bathroom and doze off.  When my daughter was around 10, the guest bedroom and bathroom were beside her room so we couldn't allow my parents to stay with us if she smoked.  Eventually she did quit but by then threre were so many health problems that life for mom just wasn't great.  We realized after she died, just how ill she was.  I wish I had shown more compassion and patience, and spent a whole lot more time with her - just hanging out!
-Mom could never swim.  As a surprise for dad, and all of us, she secretly took swinning lessons and then was able to proudly show her certificate.  Way to go, Mom!!
Most of all, mom loved her 3 daughters and grandchildren.  She would be proud of everyone of them!
I wish she knew Terry.  I think they'd have fun together.
Miss you and love you, Mom
Hedy