Growing Backwards

My Mom has redefined herself ... again.

Now she's into painting a rug on a wooden deck. She was going to get a real rug but decided it would mildew so she decided to paint one. It is something I never would have thought of and I have to admit it looks pretty damn good!

My Mom's been a lot of things in her life. Billy's wife (no small feat!), mother of three adorable and sinless children (well, Angi was a little weird), secretary turned banker and then "Originator of the Year" for 17 consecutive years making men look like gross underachievers, a world traveler, then she got into antiques and finally gardening.

Now she'll likely add "wooden rug painter" to her already impressive resume.

Not that she really cares about things like that.

What she does care about is her Book Club, Canasta Club, Wine, how the yard looks, getting together with her brothers and sisters, keeping up with her grandchildren and she has her own Carnival of Friends who are forever showing up to sit in rocking chairs on the porch or on the back deck with the painted rug.

If that's not enough, she and Betty Geriner talk on the phone and that can take the better part of a day.

Mom is forever coming to Tybee for something or another but she's always too busy to stop by our house. She always lets me know though.

She'll call and explain, "I'm coming to Tybee and staying at Diane Herrin's but don't have time to stop by your house and see you and Sarah. You'll have to come to Diane's if you want to see me."

People ask me, "How's your Mom doing?"

"She's 70-something going on 50," I answer.

I'm pretty convinced soon I'm going to be older than her.

I sent her a card earlier this week and she told me she got it. I hope to catch up with her at some point today but I never know. She's always up to something.

Bob Dylan comes to mind when I think about Mom. "I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now."

That's my Mom.

Happy Mother's Day.

I love you.

Your Eldest Son.