It's Her Birthday

Today is yet another rainy and cold day in Los Angeles and besides it being a day like so many others that I've long since stopped hoping will end, it is also my mom's birthday. Last year, to get her excited about our trip to Paris, I sent her some Euros. The colorful currency was a fun way to get her excited about Europe and this year, I sent her a book called Florence: The Golden Age 1138-1737.

My mother (on the right)  well before she turned 76 and striking a very modelesque arm pose. It's my brother looking back at me in a one piece.

"This is a big book," she said. "It's going to take me a long time to read it."

"Well, by the time you finish, it'll be time to go," I said. "Did you get any other presents?"

"Your father gave me $10 and a bunch of losing scratch tickets. And a card that said he's always loved me. I think I'll keep that one."

Although I used to send cards for years, I think they're a bad value. Hallmark can charge upwards of $3 for something you can just write in a letter yourself, but that being said, I feel the same as my dad. And in four months (I don't count July since that's the month we're leaving), it'll be one giant Hallmark card to my mother from me.

Thoughts Of Summer On Another Rainy Day

It's almost a week until my mother's birthday. She turns 76 on February 25 and at this rate, it may still be raining, but I'm hopeful that the water will stop falling from the sky soon. It's hard to believe that last year we were getting excited about our trip to Paris and she got her first glimpse of European money. This year, I've sent her a gift that pertains to our latest destination, but I can't tell you what it is since she may read this before she opens the gift.

 If I can, I always try to do something unique and special for birthdays. When I was six or seven, I made a chain out of colored construction paper to decorate at my grandmother's birthday party. It was nothing special, but I worked long and hard on it and I was so proud of it. The day of the party at her sister's house, I ran ahead to string it up in the kitchen. We ate Italian cookies and, I think there was a rum cake. There was always a cake dripping with rum at parties. I'm convinced it's an Italian thing.


My grandmother at her birthday party. I don't know why there's no picture of the chain here. I worked long and hard on it.


I like to think that the trip to Florence is an extension of my mom's birthday celebration. I could have planned the vacation for this month - but that would require that I buy and pack clothes that I do not own. Traveling to where it is cold and could possibly snow will never be high on my list. In fact, I'd probably need to be high to consider either choice. Maybe last year's trip and this one to Italy beats a paper chain, but I do know that even if I gave her that, my mom would be just as happy.