Mothers, Insurance, Tornados, and... the Wizard of Oz!

It's that time of year when we celebrate Mothers. What wonderful women who put up with us as kids. The kind and gentle souls that often fixed our scrapes, and kissed our boo-boos, then sent us holy terrors on our way to perform more damage. It's amazing that they put up with us as kids, and now a day each year we celebrate them doing all that they do. But I have to admit, as humans, we all have our quirks, foibles, eccentricities, and weaknesses. Mothers, the unconditionally loving souls, are no exceptions. And on this I find myself commenting about my mom...

About a week back I received an email from my Mom....

"... we had a tornado warning out in CR this evening. But it all went north of us in to Wisconsin. The wind is really howling now! Don't worry I have insurance. Love, Mom..." Yes, it's tornado season in Iowa, and throughout much of the Plains.

MOM?!!??!!! Well, of course, I quickly sent her off an email back stating that insurance does not replace her, so thus I WILL worry.

But the more I thought about the email I had visions going through my mind. Visions of the charcoal gray shingled slab house that I grew up in spinning through the air. Spinning and spinning through the air. Of course, totally intact, it lands in the land Wizard of Oz.

My mom steps out on to the porch with her dyed strawberry-blond spiked hair in a Dorothy like outfit. She has the white short sleeve shirt on, topped with the blue gingham print jumper dress. Only she's wearing bright red high-top Keds with red & white striped shoe laces. A much more practical choice than ruby slippers she would explain. (Yes, this is where I got my "good head on my shoulder's" from.)

She's carrying a picnic basket which would of course, contain a wonderful casserole dish that you just have to heat up, and a chocolaty caked dessert with no nuts. You see, you have to keep an eye out for those individuals that have nut allergies--- just to be nice to those poor souls that can't enjoy them.

Instead of a little black dog named "Toto", there's a little mostly black cat called "Buddy". Buddy is wearing a bright rubied collar with a red leash. Yes, Buddy is leash trained. You see, my mom's cat has been treated like a dog since she first got him. She was bound determined to make this cat a "car cat", and go with her on car rides like a dog would. For any of you that are aware, cats naturally have motion sickness issues. But DARN it, mom was going to turn Buddy into a "car cat". And that was that! (Yes, this is where I get my slightly stubborn attitude.) (Photo: Buddy the Lucky Cat!)

Well, she did it! Buddy now often goes with her on trips to the store, or on car trips to northwestern Iowa to see relatives. He rides willingly in her lap, or in sunny back window area. I tell you this cat has it made. Car rides, toys galore, and even his own personal window bench to look out the front window to check on the "goings on" in the neighborhood.

Mothers! Are they not just amazing?! I love her but there are things that I really have to shake my head at. These are those things that make her all that more endearing, and lovable to me. But she's one of the few people I know that will buy a car based solely on a well working radio. I remember a variety of used cars with interesting issues that we went through. We named them interesting names like "White Stallion", and "Ghetto Cruiser". As a single mother with two kids, she couldn't afford much for a car. BUT hey, the radio always did work!

Mom, I love you! And Happy Mother's Day to you and to all of you that are Mother's out there too. No matter what you quirks, foibles, eccentricities, and weaknesses, we love you. Because you've managed all of these years to put up with our quirks, foibles, eccentricities, weakness, and our general naughtiness too. Thanks, mom!