What Size Are Your Nuts? Happy Mother's Day Mom.

From the time I was in the fourth grade until the time I graduated from high school we lived in Klamath Falls, Oregon. My parents owned a Coast To Coast Hardware Store. Mom worked with dad in the store. All of us three kids worked in the store, it was required if we wanted spending money. One Saturday afternoon the store was packed when a man came in, in a hurry and interrupted my mom while she was helping another customer and said to her "I need some nuts and bolts." Mom with her mind on many things and many customers without thinking asked the man in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout the store, "What size are your nuts?" The man turned beet red and raced out of the store trying to avoid the laughter that was ringing throughout the store. Yes, mom gets embarrassed when we tell that story. But she laughs. The ability to laugh at oneself. I can think of worse things to be taught.

Mom worked hard in that store. Six days a week. Then, after work she would come home and fix us dinner. We always had dinner as a family. It was almost required. We never had much money in those days but mom kept all three of us kids dressed nicely. Maybe we didn't wear designer clothes but we were always clean and presentable. Mom was a magic maker. She stretched what little money her and dad made to give us a comfortable life. We grew up in one of the nicest houses in Klamath. We always had nice birthdays and nice Christmases. We never really hurt for anything. She supported my sister when she became head cheerleader. After work she would drive the yell squad to the games as a chaperone. She supported my brother when he became an All State football and basketball player. Her and Dad would close the store and take the teams to where ever they were playing that weekend. I was really overshadowed by my siblings. My claim to fame is winning an Opie look alike contest. But despite probably being the less talented of the three children Mom was always there for me. When I had my accident Mom was put in the position of having to make a choice between a dying son and a pregnant daughter who in all likelihood was going to lose her baby. My doctor wouldn't let her to travel to my sister because he didn't think I would make it through the night. Sis lost her baby. Mom has always felt guilty about that but she made the choice to stand by me. I was in the hospital for what seemed like an eternity. Mom was at my bed every step of the way. She slept at the hospital for days. When I was out of danger Mom went to Sis. To make what mom was dealing with even more difficult was that she had only been out of the hospital herself just six weeks after cancer surgery. The time was rough but through that time she taught me a mother's love.

During the high school years of us three kids our house was after school central. Open door policy. Always cookies and milk. Always a warm welcome. Local kids would graduate, go on to either to college or a stint in the military but when they returned to K. Falls they would always return to Mom and Dad's house. How warm? Ronnie went off to the military. When he returned he didn't know my parents had sold the house and moved to Los Angeles. He went to our old house, walked right in, opened the fridge and started making himself a sandwich. Then he turned to see the owner of the house, a person he didn't know and had never met. Oops. Ronnie did explain and fortunately the new owner of the house also had a sense of humor.

Now mom is teaching me how to age gracefully. I know it is hard for her. When you are 93 everyone around you is dying. You lose friends weekly. Sometimes daily. She is in a lot of pain. She has had four heart attacks and four strokes. She keeps on trucking. She gets up everyone morning and faces the day. She reads four books a week. She beats me at Scrabble. She looks young. I always feel her love.

Happy Mothers' Day Mom. This Post is for you. Know you are loved.