Saluting Nordena

Today, May 4th, is my mother's birthday. This weekend, on Mother's Day, it will be two years since I last saw her in life for she died, while napping, three days later. She moved on with her hair done, lipstick correctly applied, wearing her favorite gold necklace. Intensely proud of her Pennsylvania pioneer heritage, she was a member of the Greatest Generation, who grew up enduring the hardships of the great Depression, lived through WWII, and feared nothing (except mice). She wanted to be a writer, but like many of her generation, she settled for being a surburban housewife and raising a stubborn, independent, quirky, and frequently challenging daughter. (That would be me).

In her eight decade, her health deteriorated a little. She lost too much weight, fought off blood clots, mini strokes, a serious e-coli infection and complained frequently about an achy knee. But, in the months before her death, she learned the LInux system on her computer and planned to set up her own Blog. "I know," she said a few weeks before she died," that everytime I close my eyes I may not wake up again. I don't mind dying, but I hate to leave you all."

After two years, I still miss her.

So, Happy Birthday, Nordena Miller Wayman. I hope you are kicking up your heels in Heaven as high as the Rockettes you rivaled in skill according to your own testimony. I hope you've been playing your usual killer game of Bridge with the ladies of the Celestial Club, and having a chocolate bar or six. Yes Blogger scoffers, there must be chocolate in Heaven. Otherwise it wouldn't be Heaven, now would it?

Those of you who still can, call your mothers this weekend. Live long and prosper.

PS: If you've read my story, Mama Bites The Big Apple, in Flights of Nancy then you know my mother even if her character name was Patsy (mother's childhood nickname). She really did discover Rum Punch, get thrown out of Radio City, the ladies of the club were scandalized, and my dad laughed until he almost burst from it. Just they way I told it. it was one of Mother's favorite stories.