Happy Mother’s Day!

I wish my Mother was here so I could wish her a great day. She passed on about 25 years ago.

Sad.

She left me and the rest of the family much to remember her by, however. Her memory is with me every day. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her.

Miss you Mom!

Let me tell you a little about her.

She was born in the old country. Italy. She was the 8th and last child in the family. The previous 7 children were all boys. Her parents felt lucky to finally have had a girl. So they named her Fortune. In Italian, Fortunata.

She came to the United States at an early age. Her family setled in New York City.

My Mother only went to the third grade. At the age of 8, it was necessary for her to go to work. She worked in a shoe factory 14 hours a day.

Somewhere along the way, she and my father met and married. They settled in Utica, New York. My birth was apparently a big deal to them both, as she used to tell me. My Father went crazy. Horn blowing and yelling and all that sort of thing.

My Mother worked in the later stages of her life. First as a receptionist for two doctors. Then as a receptinist for a dentist. For about 30 years all total. These were small busy neighborhood offices. She was the non professional staff in both. Her alone. She did it all!

She would be with me today if she were still alive. My Mother was a diabetic who did not take care of herself. So she left us early.

A good woman! Loved by all! Missed by many! Missed by me!

Yesterday was a big day. Harry Truman’s 126th birthday! Celebrated of course at the Little White House here in Key West. All kinds of activities. Speakers from his administration who are still alive. About 200 attended the festivities.

I am sorry to say I did not make it to the Truman celebration. It did not fit into the kind of day I wanted to experience.

I went to Higgs Beach around noon. The season is over. There are less people every where. The beach was quiet. Very relaxing.

I headed over to Lisa’s afterwards for a late lunch. No one home. Fortunately I have a key. I let myself in and made a sandwich.

As I was finishing, the hord returned! Ally and Robert came storming through the door. A tired Lisa followed. Then Corey and Cameron. They had been to the beach also! The beach on the other side of the White Street Pier. It has no name.

Higgs Beach and the beach they were on are all off 500 feet apart. I basically was on the other side of the White Street Pier. I wish I had known they were there.

About this time, my neck started bothering me. A dull pain. I paid no attention.

After lunch, I headed to Borders. Started the new Oprah book. Read only 2 chapters. I am not into the book yet. My neck was hurting more. So I left.

I did not want to go home, however. Too early in the day. It was late afternoon.

I headed up to Geiger Key. There was a Pet Parade scheduled.

Pet parades are big in the keys. People dress up their dogs and cats and whatever else and proudly parade them.

The purpose of the parade was to raise money for a new animal shelter here in Key West.

The dogs and cats looked terrific! And well behaved! Their owners who were parading them were so so. Some dressed in costume. Others dressed normal. Some a bit under the weather. The owners in some instances were more amusing than the pets. And in some instances should have been on the leash with their pet walking them.

My neck was now killing me. Such pain! Somehow I had sprained it. So I decided to head home where I spent the rest of the day and evening. The neck troubled me most of the night. It is much better this morning however.

It is in the low 80s outside. No clouds. Sun bright. A good breeze.

I just received a telephone call from Utica. It is snowing there! Ho ho!

Tino e mailed me. On his way back to Chicago, he detoured and went to Clarksdale, Mississsippi. I have never heard of Clarksdale. Tino had and perhaps you may have. It is the home of Delta style blues music. That is the way Tino described it. More iomportantly, it is the home of Crossroads. Whatever that is.

Tino says there is a Key West connection. Clarksdale was the childhood home of Tenesseee Williams. Williams spent many of his adult years here in Key West where he authored many of his famous novels.

Just got another telephone call. Ally. Poppa, can we come over to swim? Of course! That is Lisa’s way of warning me that I am shortly to be invaded. What a pleasant invasion!

Enjoy your day!

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