The first things that I learned in life were from my mom, as is true for most of us. Some of those things were as simple as dressing myself, brushing my teeth, making my bed, and picking up after myself. There were also the important life skills such as getting along with others, sharing, making friends, and the list goes on. Most of those things are very basic and seem to get buried somewhere in our subconscious, setting a kind of autopilot. But then there are those times, when out of a clear blue sky, I recall something from a time long, long ago - and I smile.
I remember my mom talking to me about God and Heaven. It was all so very wonderful, far better than hearing a story from a book, and because she was telling me, I believed every word. I don't recall her exact words, but whatever it was that she said, I just knew that God loved me no matter what, and I have never doubted that fact.
She would tell me how wonderful Heaven is, and I remember after asking for details, she explained that it might be different for everyone, but for her it would be like walking into a grocery store where every shelf was filled with cold Nesbitt's Orange. Perfection. I can remember the image in my mind of the Rosauer's store down on 14th, with every aisle filled with orange pop. And of course, it had to be Nesbitt's Orange. Besides being knowledgeable about God and Heaven, she also knew with certainty that Nesbitt's was far superior to Orange Crush. So to me, Heaven was the very best, whatever it was. To this day, I can't think of Nesbitt's Orange without thinking of my mom . . . and Heaven of course.
When we were little, dad worked out of town during the week and would come home on the weekends. A few minutes after dad would leave, mom would walk Kathy & me across to High Drive where we could look over the bluff and see the highway way down there, and there he would be . . . driving his jeep and waving a red scarf out of the window to us. We loved that! At the end of the week as we awaited his return, we would sit by the front window and sing a song that she made up called "Come on, Jeep!" We would sing it over and over until the jeep made its appearance in the driveway.
We also got to eat special and fun things when he was out of town . . . things that he didn't like. I suppose all families do special things like that, not very unusual. The fact that our family's special treat was liver & onions . . . is most certain to be unusual in anyone's book! Maybe I thought it was a treat because she said so, but no matter what the reason, in my mind it was delicious!
One particular day sticks in my mind above any other. I was coming home from school and heard mom playing the piano. I came in through the front door and she never looked happier. I even remember the outfit she was wearing. "We're getting a baby boy!" she told me as she danced around the living room, her skirt twirling. We had been waiting for the adoption agency to find us a baby brother . . . and it was really happening! Scott came to us on Halloween night of 1969, and finally our family was complete!
Over the course of my childhood, mom wore many hats, so to speak. Besides being a mom, she was a nurse. She loved her nurses pin and wore it proudly. She would starch her nurses hat, letting it dry to a stiff crispness on the side of the refrigerator. She brought home all sorts of vitamins and other goodies in sample packets, and she gave us all of our shots at home. She was always there when we were sick, and took care of all of our scrapes and bruises. She always made sure we were safe and healthy.
She was also our Campfire Girls leader, and I loved that. I remember our back room being filled with the aroma of Camp Fire Mints. We loved going to summer camp, and mom told us that it would be best if Kathy and I didn't go together, as we would make more friends that way. We believed her, and it was probably true. However, after growing up, we realized that it was probably because we only had one sleeping bag!
We had a red Mustang convertible, and mom loved driving it. I have fond memories of her, with a long silky blue scarf flowing in the breeze as she drove around town. Once she drove us down to Lewiston to visit dad on a job. We drove the whole way with the top down and looked stylish for sure, but we were all quite sunburned when we arrived. I don't recall the drive back to Spokane, but I'm pretty sure that the top was up!
One day we were shopping, and Mom was in a hurry, as usual. On the way home, she noticed that Scott wasn't with us. We had left him at the store - Panic Mode set in! We returned to the store in record time, where we found Scott hiding behind a display of men's slacks, giggling. Supposing that he was playing hide and seek, we told him that he won, and were soon on our way home again. Catastrophe averted.
In 1972 mom made the transition from trendy south hill mom to "farmwife" when the family moved to Deer Park. No more Mustang or rides with the top down, too dusty for that. Life changed for sure. So many new things, like party lines, drifting snow or dust (depending on the season), chasing pigs, and watching for dad on the tractor as he made another round (she was always worried that he would fall off). I also remember learning that the well doesn't work when the power is out . . . on more than one occasion.
We all made new friends, and instead of bridge groups, mom and dad would go out dancing on Saturday nights. We loved that, as it meant that we got to stay up late, make chocolate pudding, and watch "Tammy" movies on tv with Colleen and Janice.
Mom was always so fun with our friends. Sometimes she'd take us into Deer Park to buy penny candy by the box. During Expo '74, she promised us that we could go to a John Denver concert. We were so excited, but soon realized that it had sold out quickly. We were devastated, but mom came to the rescue. A midnight concert had been added, and she was able to get tickets! She took Kathy and me, along with our friend Cindy Cooper. It was so much fun, and we'll never forget how wonderful it was.
Whether we were city people or country folk, our family always had wonderful friends. Mom and Dad's example certainly showed us kids the importance of having good friends. It was probably the greatest lesson of all, and in knowing that, perhaps we're already wiser than we even know.
Delightful!
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