I Wanted a Mommy Post, So I'm Writing One...And As She's Reading It To My Father, I'm Sure He's Like, "What? What?"

My Monday started out grande and I accomplished a lot - too much, so when an unexpected storm came in the afternoon, I got monkey brained and couldn't concentrate on what to do next. I wanted to get groceries, but the timing of the rain kept me inside, making me resent the reading, writing, thinking routine, which impacted my evening plans for what I wanted to write about. That will come. I just need my brain to be more academic and not so...

...so...

...well, summer-like. I really enjoyed my short time in Syracuse laughing with my mom, sharing with her Frankie and Grace (while she shared the Colbert interview by Anderson Cooper and a documentary on the resurrection of Queen - yes, there's a documentary on the resurrection of Queen and I had no idea that an American Idol winner was leading it. It was really good, and although I was resistant at first because I was on my computer, eventually I found myself listening to the story rather than creating my own online. I always loved their music, but watching the interviews made me really, really respect the integrity of the band and the mission. That Lambert guy can sing, too. I see why they saw a natural fit to keep the Mercury passion alive).

It's great to see that my sideburns and chin are matching the top of her head now (she left the Suzy Ohrman blonde for total gray a few years ago. It's nice).

And she didn't make me watch Days of Our Lives. I was thankful. And when I made her a bowl of cherry ice cream with chocolate sauce instead of peanut butter and chocolate (how was I supposed to know it was downstairs in the freezer) she was appreciative and thankful.

While running at home, I started to remember her story of the time I tried to slide into second base (fat butterball kid that I was), but did so way too soon. Like halfway between first and second. So I got stuck nowhere near the base. I was stealing bases and the catcher through the ball. The 2nd basement caught it and was stunned that I slid so soon and was crawling on my hands and knees trying to get the base. He was so stunned that he didn't tag me. He watched like, "What is this chunky kid doing?" At the time, she didn't laugh at the event, but later on, over the years, it was a story that would play in her head that made her giggle. We all get the nose wiggle from her.

There was another time when she and I took the school bus to see Cynde perform in Albany at a Midyork Colorguard competition when the two of us got separated. She reported me missing and the announcer called me and called me to come to the table. They expected to see little boy, a toddler, when I approached the table, but I was a teenager at the junior high school. I was so embarrassed. They did a lost kid alert.

It's not Mother's Day or a birthday or any holiday. It's August 20th and I love my mom: her humor, her patience, her dedication, her love of reading, her encouragement of my schooling, her acceptance of a beautiful world, her love for my father, and her occasional drunk episodes (like the one time she had one at the Clam Bar for my father's retirement party...she was higher than a kit on cold medication and White Russians - it was hysterical).

This morning, I head back to the office for meetings, a radio show, some writing time and semester planning. I can accomplish all that I do, because she helped me to get there. I am appreciative and grateful.