Sunday, July 28, 2019

Mom Moved


After my father died Mom lived in that big house for a while. Then she decided that it was simply too big for a woman living alone.

She moved in with my youngest sister. They were still in Detroit so she was close to the rest of us. Our other sister had moved to Florida with her son. The oldest of our brothers eventually moved to Florida as well.

Mom had been complaining about the cold winters of Michigan and Nebraska (where we were from) for a few years. She decided to move to Florida where she stayed with my sister and her son.

Mom hated Florida. She said it smelled like fish and was always raining.

The sister she was living with is not easy to live with. We all love one another but there are some people you cannot be with all day every day.

Mom moved back to Michigan.

Mom and I had been talking for some time about seeing New England. We decided a road trip was in order.

She picked me up. Off we went to see what we could see in New England.

It was a great trip. We took turns driving. We stopped when we saw something interesting. There were even a couple of times we doubled back when we saw a sign about someplace we had passed and decided to see.

On the spur of the moment we decided to drive to Kentucky to visit my sister and her sons. I did not know it at the time but Mom was toying with the idea of living there.

Mom stayed with my sister for a couple of years. Then she wanted a place of her own. She rented a small place down the road from my sister.

Mom no longer had her own furniture. She built most of her new furniture. Using 2x4's she built a couch and chair that my sister still uses today. Of course the cushions Mom made have long since worn out.

After a period of time my sister needed help because of her job. Someone had to help her boys get ready for school and stay with them after school. Mom moved once again.

One morning she did not call the boys for school. The older one found her still in bed. He sent his little brother up the hill to their other grandmother's house while he called my sister.

Mom had died in her sleep.

We made arrangements for a funeral in Michigan. She is buried between my father and my brother.

The day of her funeral was a cold, cold day with a wind that cut right through to your core. Mom was a loving person who would never hurt anyone. But I think she must have had a wicked moment of glee seeing us all freezing at the cemetery.


11 comments:

  1. What an interesting person your mom was. She was not afraid of change and seemed to be able to do things her way. I am sure you and your siblings will always miss her.

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    1. Mom was a wonder. She could do anything she put her mind to.

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  2. An interesting lady and the best way to leave this world I think. Have a good week, Diane

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    1. She was more than interesting. My mother was the smartest person I ever knew.

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  3. Your mother was an adventurer, not bound by tradition of staying in one place. It would be interesting to hear some of her stories.

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    1. It was because of my mother that none of us were bound by gender roles. She encouraged us to try whatever we wanted to try.I have written about both of my parents before. Maybe I will pull up some of those stories for you.

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  4. What a wonderful woman, Emma, and certainly not one who would not try new experiences moving as often as she did. Your have shared some wonderful memories as always.

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  5. I love the story about your mom. Jilda and I thought about living in Florida after we married, but we were there less than a week before we moved back to Alabama.
    I’m glad she had a chance to see New England. We’ve been there a few times and really enjoyed it.
    R

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    1. It may not seem like it but Mom hated moving. But she loved to travel. She even went white-water rafting with one of my brothers.

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  6. your mom was loving and kind dear Emma and i could see it through your stories

    this is great that you and she were able to visit England

    when children re grown up it is hard for mother to fit in their families this is why here still sons take responsibility of their old parents but society is changing and wives of sons hardly agree to accept this
    i want death just like your mom had ,i think it was ideal death with no suffering
    specially she was active enough to lookafter her grandkids isn't it great

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