The picture below was mom and dad on their annual new year's eve date, the only time they went out together when I was a youngster. I thought they were a handsome couple when they dressed up.
I have always thought I was lucky to have the mother that I did. She was a kind soul, always upbeat, always thinking first about others rather than herself. She never uttered a curse word or even came close in her lifetime. She helped anyone in need. Mom took care of her mother after grandma's many strokes that left her an invalid. She raised her sister's children. She took care of the six of her children plus dad and grandpa (all at one time). She pretty much lived on coffee and cigarettes and cookies. Mom was not a saint. She was second generation Irish and while she was easy to get along with, you did not want to be the one that brought that Irish temper past the boiling point. When a person reached that point he/she went down in mom's book with a line crossed through it and that person was dead to her. She would no longer speak or even be in the same room with he or she.
One time there was an incident at our home that I will never forget. My cousin (one that mom had raised) was married to an ex-marine. He was a big man and he was a drinker. He became abusive to my cousin and after beating on her she left him. She was at our home sitting with mom speaking in a low voice. I was maybe 9 years old and sitting in the living room. The man burst into the door and was going after my cousin. He scared the hell out of me and my cousin. His mistake was going after one of mom's girls she had raised. Mom stood up, gave him "the look" and moved forward towards him, shrieking like a banshee. She had him on his heels and backed him all the way out the door. Dad got home from work, heard the story and was loading his shotgun to pay that man a visit. The only think that saved the man was, mom. Dad was very fond of our cousin, he helped raise her before I was around. Dad was going to take care of a bad situation.
Mom taught me many things and I remember them well. Mom was always my counselor. She had sound advice for me always. One thing that she said was "winners never cheat and cheaters never win." I believed everything mom said. Now I realize her statement was correct in an ethereal way, however since then I found out while cheaters lose their soul when they cheat to win, they do get the medals and trophies. Back then she didn't know that because people were very different than they are today.
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