Veteran’s Day or Armistice Day was special in our home. On the original day, my Mother was born. Her father kept the first pages of the three newspapers in Detroit in remembrance. As a child, I saw the papers framed and hanging in our den. I don’t know when Mom arrived into the world, but it could have been on the 11 hour the same as the treaty was signed.Mom was named Margherita . She never heard that name . She was called Rita. She didn’t learn of her real name until she applied for a passport. She decided to legally change her name to Rita. Mom’s favorite color was yellow. Her favorite flower was chrysanthemums. Today my brothers and I grow a yellow chrysanthemum plant in our yards to remember our Mother.This time year, Mom was busy and full of secrets. Her bedroom was off limits as she wrapped Christmas gifts and put them under her bed. She made sure that there weren’t any tags on the gifts to thwart curious young eyes. Yes, I was one of them.My Dad tried to take Mom out to dinner for her special day. Most of the birthdays were spent with us. She even had to bake her own cake.I remember a series of painted tins and play dough sculptures wrapped in tissue paper to present to Mom. One birthday, I recall the boys getting together to buy the largest and cheapest bottle of toilet water to impress Mom with the size of their gift. She smiled and graciously accepted all the offerings given with love. I think that stinky perfume was poured into her bath water for months.She was not one to spare the rod if we deserved punishment. She had a yardstick and a stick from a balloon on top of the refrigerator . She called these items, her persuaders. I remember being switched between my legs as I was chased home after wandering past my boundaries. My brothers felt the yardstick on their backsides for misbehavior. We didn’t know that after the punishment she retreated to her room for a good cry.She was loving, caring and good with the family budget. Many of our best stories about Mom comes from her handling a tight budget.My oldest brother, Bob, remembers being sent to the local A and P grocery to buy overripe bananas for 10 cents a pound. He was given just enough change in a small coin purse. He was embarrassed by the smell of the fruit and biking home with them.These bananas were turned into banana nut muffins and bread. to be fillers for her growing family. Growing boys were always hungry. She had a shelf of peanut butter, bread and cereal for between meal munching.Mom could take one round steak and divide it into 7 servings . I always receive the meat around the bone. When I complained, she told me. that it was the most tenter part of the steak. I believed that her portion was even smaller than mine.This Thanksgiving, her children and grandchildren will raise a toast to Mom and all she accomplished. With a strong faith and a motherly care for others, she continues to be a model for our family.Happy Birthday Mom!

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Bath Day

Warm the room with closed door.

First the baby in the tub.

Then the girl

wash her hair.

Finally the young ones

in the nest.

Filling the tub,

Mom’s chance to rest.

All our lives we got the best.

Mom would take the rest.

Copyright  11-11-2020

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