My Mom

One of my fondest memories of my Mom is when we went SHOPPING! Whenever she would come to visit, we would go SHOPPING. To this day, SHOPPING is still probably my favorite recreation.

It used to be kinda of a joke – I would take Mom shopping--- and did I take her. I was married while still in college and had babies right away. (What was I thinking?) Money was always tight, so when we went shopping Mom always bought the luxuries that we otherwise couldn’t afford. Pop, cookies, beef roasts and chocolate usually found their way into my cart and of course she paid the bill. I remember her saying once, “You don’t always have to buy a toy for the kids!” (Now why didn’t I think of that). The kids were probably only a year, and two, and three (this was before Marc) so they didn’t really look for anything? Of course, there was always something for them. I don’t think I ever bought shoes for my kids until they went to school, but they never went barefoot. Mom always seemed to be there at the right time – to shop.

After Dad died and Mom got older and didn’t drive any longer I would really have to take her shopping – every Saturday. She needed Kleenex and TP every week – oh, and don’t forget the Tribune! Even then there was always something extra that she would buy for me and my family.

No matter what it was that I needed, Mom was always the one who was willing to foot the bill. I really missed it when she couldn’t walk any more so we no longer were able to go and look around the stores. In her last years, Mom would say, “ I wish I could go and just see what’s at Walmart.” Her sight was failing and the florescent lights made her crazy so her shopping days were over.

I sometimes wonder why I like to shop so much. Maybe it goes back to those good old days shopping with Mom. I miss that.