This Mother’s Day will be unlike any we’ve had before. Moms will be either spending a LOT of quality time with the fam or sadly their loved ones are far or unable to be near them now. The 2020 Mother’s Day may be the least commercial with limited shopping and that’s maybe good. Old school coupon books and breakfasts in bed will be enough for many and a treat. My own wish for is for time to chill, maybe a glass of wine in the yard or with a favorite show, and a break from the everyday grind of cooking, cleaning, food and toilet paper procurement, etc. Many of us are very familiar with the grind right now, thanks to family togetherness in the era of Covid 19!
It’s been five years since my own lovely mom has been gone, and each year I miss her more. There are so many milestones I wish I could talk over with mom. In the past year I could have asked her opinion about the house remodel, raising sons and college choices. We could have talked over shows and ice skating on television. Mom would have loved The Crown and so many good books I have discovered. I know she would be so proud to see my boy’s graduate and what all the grandkids have become. I would like to ask of her own experience with menopause and when hers started and when did she stop having extreme hot-flashes. I would tell her now I totally get how she got burnt out on cooking at age 65 and left it to my dad. I also now sympathize with her increasing anxiety about driving and many other things previously second nature. In some ways it’s better she’s not here to see that Hilary lost and what has become of our nation. She cared so much about women’s rights, animals and those who have the least among us. She also was a self-professed germaphobe and this virus would have put her over the edge.
My mom avoided taking photos so I have very few of her. My favorite is this 1967 photo dad snapped of her ready to board a train to her hometown of Milwaukee, leaving me with grandma, which I look none too happy about. I love her chic suit and Sassoon kind of haircut. In the back was her sharp black and white 65 Buick Skylark, which she drove for all our childhood.
This weekend I’ll think of the cool things about Suzanne Marek Fleming, that continue to bubble to the surface of my own conscience and become part of me. I can attribute so much to mom like my visceral love of yellow, anything by Carly Simon, Gladys Knight and Helen Reddy, Audrey Hepburn, all things tennis, cats, biographies, white t-shirts and neat blue jeans, enjoying the yard, puttering about the home, and a perfect cocktail on Friday night, mom’s being a Manhattan. Those are the little things that bring happiness. That is probably the best gift I have received from my mom- find joy in the everyday, make your home your nest and have a happy routine. It’s simple, slow living and it is a good way to live life. My dad is very much the same. I hope my boys will find small things that bring them joy in the everyday too.
Do many of you feel the same? Do you now live like your mother, even inadvertently? Maybe it’s partly in our DNA what we like and what we do. I believe that may have more to do with it than we know.
I am excited to share will be back Monday with my new series, Californians at Home, where I interview stylish Californians about how they live, entertain and decorate. Make sure you’re subscribed to the blog- here or on the right sidebar to get emails when I publish a post. You can also follow on Instagram, where I post more regularly, and Pinterest.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend and find a little bit of what fills your basket and brings joy. Take time out for you, even if it’s sitting alone for a bit with your feet up and listening to some great music or watching the clouds. For the moms -chores don’t exist this weekend so don’t touch anything until Monday. I’m giving you permission starting now!
Hugs,
Kim
Photos property of Northern California Style and may not be used without permission.
