Mother's Day

Mother's Day! I miss my mom who died six years ago. After my father died, she was a very unhappy woman who had no wish to live without the love of her life. She died exactly six months to the day of my father's death.

Estelle was a true New Yorker who had a lot of spit and fire in her younger days. I remember when we moved to Chicago when I was young, poor Chicago had no idea who they were dealing with. She was not afraid to go in the worst part of the city by herself. Hell, she was from New York and had seen everything. And could she pick fights. The family will remember her when she tracked down the waitress in the restaurant after we had been seated. It was my father's birthday and we had selected a restaurant that overlooked the Fox River in St. Charles, IL. Us sisters and grandchildren went in first while my parents parked the car. My mother instructed us to ask for a table that overlooked the river. The waitress seated us elsewhere. We just took it because we knew we were a large party. When my mother came in and saw where we were, she demanded to speak to the manager and sure enough we were given the proper table!

Estelle was also a fighter in the grocery store parking lots. If she wanted that space, she was bound and determined to get it. She got into many arguments and one lady even slapped her!

I could go on about her and my sisters and I like to say, oh my God. I sounded just like Estelle! But she always was a fighter but not at the end. She just gave up. I'd say, Mom? What about your daughters and grandchildren? She would just shake her head and not answer me. She stopped eating and taking her medicine. She even bit the caregiver! I am crushed she gave up on me.