- July 2007-
(any of the pictures can be clicked on and made bigger)
I couldn't and wouldn't be who I am or where I am if it wasn't for these two wonderful, beloved people. My Parents!!! I've had a relationship with them the longest of any folks on this planet and we all still love each other and love to be together. There was a serious gap in our holiday celebration yesterday, they weren't here! (along with our son and daughter-in-law) I'd have screamed and pouted a whole lot more but a girl needs to share. Right?! The four of them were at my sister's place near San Francisco.
If I could be the queen and make things really happen, I would buy the place just south of us and have Momma and Daddy for neighbors. I miss them.
Momma started having memory problems about 10 years ago. Alzheimer's. Matthew was three then. Jessie was 5. They don't remember her any other way. SOOOoooSAD! But I remember. My Momma is one of the most creative women I know. My earliest recollections are of her creative (YUMMY!) cooking. Back then if you'd go to her kitchen and open up the cupboards you'd think there wasn't anything to eat. There'd be jars and containers of lots of stuff but it's all ingredient stuff. Nothing to just pull out and eat. Nothing to just warm up, unless you'd open the fridge. Usually there'd be a warm-up-able left-over in there. ;) Momma cooked from scratch. And she could COOK!
Earlier in my recollections she was a retoucher for my parent's photograpy studio and then later for other photographers. She was SO good at tranforming those negatives! That's like what air-brushing is in today's modern photography. But that was labor intensive and wasn't reversible with a click of the mouse. She won awards for her phenomenal work.
- Pro-Photography Days-
The year she turned 47 she went back to college. Amazing. I have a painting right above my computer screen that she did in her first painting class. (I'll take and post a picture of it later this morning) UNBELIEVEABLE. She blew her teachers away. Within a few years she had completed all but her thesis to achieve her Masters of Fine Art (MFA). The highest university degree available to an artist.
Momma worked as an illustrator for a company here in Walla Walla until the Alzheimer's made it impossible. They say that one of the first things to go with Alzheimer's is your sense of smell. The second must be creativity. It's close.
Most of the paintings that Momma did in college were destroyed in a fire. There are pictures, I think, of must of her work, but still. OUCH!!! I have some of her ceramics from those days. Her major was in ceramics but when she left school, she never picked it up again. We TREASURE the works of her hands and mind.
Daddy is one of my best friends. That's a fact. He says we grew up together but... really!? Have either of us grown up yet!? LOL! Personality wise, we're very much alike. It's pretty easy for me to connect with him because of that, I think. We've had some great times, wonderful memories.
My Daddy takes such good care of my Momma. I'm so proud of him. I'm inspired by the love and devotion she showers on her. And that nasty disease has transformed her sweet personality into one that is rather hard to get along with at times. Daddy's incredible sense of humor has gotten him out of many a scrap with this new woman that he's married to.
When Momma started to not manage in the kitchen very well, Daddy set about to learn to cook and bake. "Can I do this?", he'd ask?! LOL! OF COURSE YOU CAN! Daddy is as creative as Momma is! It exhibits it self differently but WOW! So, with the help of the internet, some coaching and Momma's cookbooks he set to it. He's a GOOD cook now. He's mastered the basics and keeps exploring. I'm so proud of him!
Daddy went back to college just a year or so before Momma did. He finished his MFA. Get the picture!? This man is very creative and very talented.
And Daddy has a huge appreciation for music. When we were kids there was a massive LP record collection that we were encouraged to enjoy. Many genres. As a result, I have a great appreciation for many types of music and while I'm not a musician, by any means, Daddy's appreciation for this art was past down. It's a most lovely thing.
I think the thing that I'm most grateful for when it comes to My Dad is that he's always been there for me. When I need a shoulder, he's there. When I have an idea to bounce around, he's there. He's a good listener and a good talker. LOL! I appreciate that so much. I always know that he loves me dearly. Not only because he says it in words, but he says it with his eyes and actions. LOL! There's nothing like a DaddyHug.
Momma and Daddy have been married for 53 years. They have four daughters. US! Arline Marie, Lora Lea, Deanna Cheri and Linda Glee. Even our names are creative. All of us girls got a big dollop from their combined creative gene pool. And now there are 11 grandkids... music, art, culinary and more.
- Christmas 2004-
And so, this morning-after, I wake up, remember and am absolutely swamped with love, admiration and gratitude. I love you Momma and Daddy. THANK YOU! Thank you SO much!
1 comment:
There is an old line that "good students make good teachers." It is true.
But it is also true that good kids make good parents. I am so proud of each of my daughters. And those grandkids, wow what a bunch of creatives they are.
Some one else once said: "Of all the things I have ever done" (and this guy did a lot), "being a father was the best."
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