It was 12:41 am on Thursday, December 29, 2016, when I called my sister and said, “Mother just passed.” Saying the words out loud didn’t seem real. But it was true. Mother, Dorothy Decker Foote, was gone, at the age of 94. It was a reality I had feared since my father died when I was only nine years old. When we lived in Illinois, Laura once said, “Mom, we’ve been going to see your Mother since she was your age. You always say it might be the last time we see her.” I was in my late fifties … [Read more...]
Animals Have Feelings, Too
While watching the news during the past few weeks, I was especially moved by the story of Tahlequah, a female orca in the waters north of Seattle whose newborn calf died shortly after birth. While I understand that we humans too often tend to anthropomorphize animal behavior, what happened next was so relatable and moving to me as a mother. Rather than abandon her calf’s body to the ocean, Tahlequah buoyed its body up onto her back, carrying it for 17 days before finally relinquishing it to a … [Read more...]
Mama Cried
Daddy bought mother her prized RCA Victor record player when I was just five. Almost from the beginning, one of mother’s favorite songs was “How Much is That Doggie in the Window” sung by Patti Page. I loved it, too. Fond memories of those times waft through my head anytime I hear a recording sung by Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day, Kay Starr, Eddie Fisher, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tennessee Ernie Ford and many other popular artists from that period. They remind me of the happy … [Read more...]
