remembering Trish

Today, chicken-wingers, we are remembering our beloved Trish (the Texan's mom and my mother-in-law extraordinaire). She passed over last week and we honored her on Saturday. The Texan and I are happy and sad...happy because Trish had been in hospice care since the first of the year, and we didn't want her to linger and suffer. Sad, because she was doing GREAT in hospice and feeling pretty well (as well as one can possibly feel while in hospice care, I guess) and we thought maybe we had some more time with her.

Her last days at the nursing home were filled with visits from children, family and friends. Her room was flooded with light and happiness, and she had many sunshiny chats. She made friends with the nurses and she called them at home (when they weren't working) from her cell phone. Just wanted to be sure everything was OK. She worked on her crocheting and she liked to blare the Old-Time Gospel Hour on her TV....said the music made her happy.

She blessedly died in her sleep, after a full day of family visits and fun-just the way she wanted to exit this life.

She was a meticulous person and she valiantly tried to show me the value of living an organized life. She loved me anyway; even when she realized she'd failed miserably at changing this right-brainer. I spent most of the day Sunday polishing her silver and counting and labeling her flatware. This mundane chore somehow made me feel close to her, and I wanted to let her know I will still try.....try to take some of her best qualities and make them my own.

I'm guessing this is around 1949

Trish grew up as a child of privilege. She was grateful for the opportunities, but her privilege never defined her. I love the above photo of her...isn't she gorgeous?

For all the photo's beauty, it doesn't reflect Trish.

Ah.....now this is more like it.

Christmas 1987

This is the Trish we all cherished. The fiercely loving mom and grandmother. I honestly don't think I could have raised my Sprouts without her calm reassurance...she WAS the mother of 5, you know!  A veritable well-spring of child rearing wisdom.....I saw no need to reinvent the wheel.

See you on the other side, Trish.  For now....I think I have a few more silver pieces to polish.

Shiny love to all this week.