They Say It's Your Birthday....

Today would have been my Mom's 74th birthday. She's been gone now for 29 years! I'd like to say it seemed like yesterday we were talking and joking, but it doesn't. Only because so many things have happened in those 29 years…

I've suffered loss, I've been married, I've been divorced.

I've watched Dad marry Shirley, divorce her, remarry her and then watch her slowly die.

I saw my Seester and the love of her life, Darryll, marry (that was 13 years ago this past Monday) and make a wonderful home and life together.

I went from having a co-worker-friend to falling in love with her, my Poppy, who makes my everyday full of fun and happy-making! I wish Mom could have met her!

I've watched Lucas Kenneth Dallmann grow up to be a wickedly funny, smart, handsome, caring young man.

I've watched Niece-Ashley grow up to be a driven, loving, beautiful young woman.

I've seen my Dad go from a strong, active, opinionated man to a man who's dealing with the deterioration of his mind and vision...okay, he's still opinionated!

I've become a home-o-owner and I've watched the economy tank, but so have you.

I've had a total job restructure, but I'm still employed and gratefully so as I gas up those government vehicles.

With all of those things and more, a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about my Mom. I used to be able to hear her voice in my head, but that's faded...well, I can still hear say "GODDAMN-IT KELLY ANN!" but even that is fading.

She used to make us hot chocolate and toast for breakfast and when she'd put me on a diet, she'd make me cottage cheese and eggs on toast for lunch. Who knew that was diet food? It is still one of my very favorite comfort foods.

She caught me smoking so to teach me a lesson she made me smoke 5 Rum Soaked Crook Cigars...while my brother and sister watched and laughed. Well, I don’t think I finished one of those cigars and I didn’t quite smoking until I was in my mid 30’s...and then again in my early 40's.

She told me not to worry, I'd meet a man and get married someday.

She used to call me Bubbles but she also called me Lazy. She was my mother and my friend. She's where I got my sense of humor and my former big boobies.

Had she lived, I wonder how different all our lives would be...

*******

A side note about The Kecky; somewhere between now and the 15th, we'll celebrate our 8th anniversary. We can't seem to nail down the date because we've not figured out when it is. Our first kiss was August 15. Most folks celebrate their anniversary as the date they married. We can't do that, yet. Poppy and I were talking about this the other day. Since there's really no rhyme or reason to the date, Poppy decided she wants our anniversary to be on Halloween. She loves that time of year and if we ever were to marry, that's the date we'd get hitched. So it's settled.

Chow!