Mum- A love note

My mum was like most mums of the fifties. They did the laundry, cleaned the house, cooked the meals, ironed all our clothes and worked a job. She was the only woman in the house with 3 sons and my father to look after. She worked tirelessly as a mum and I wish I had been a bigger help to her. It wasn’t really a fair deal for women at that time and I wasn’t taught differently. How she did this and was President of Bramalea Canadian Legion, shop stewart at Sara Lee where she worked, active member of the Bramalea Women's Bowling and Darts Club. They travelled to tournaments all over. l don’t remember my mum really participating in my life other than the household duties. How could she? She had too much to do with work and household chores. Mum showed very little emotion. I never once saw her cry. My mum also never went to a doctor. My last memory of mum was at Calgary Hospital. I was taking my MFA at Utah State U when my brother called to say mum was in hospital. She thought she had twisted her ankle but it was actually a blood clot that went to her foot. I drove to Alberta to see her. It was nice to brush her teeth, feed her chocolate cake and tell her I loved her. The doctor came in and told us gangrene had set in and she would have to have her leg amputated, she would have to go on dialyses and live in assisted living. Mum smiled and said “No, no and no!” She was strong to the very end. She died two days later. I planted this metal tree in the backyard for mum. I think of her as The Iron Lady. I wrapped her up in 4 clematis which is the flower my dad loved most to grow.

My Mum and Dad loved lilacs. They are in full bloom today. You could always find an abandoned farmhouse or well by looking for lilacs. It seems every Ontario farm house had them. Pretty looking and pretty smelling.

So mum and mums everywhere this love note is to you and so is this heart I light up in my window each night. Thank you for all your love. Happy Mother's Day to Mothers of the World.