Cafe Mocha Moments

Long before my mom's diabetes took over her life; long before she suffered from renal failure; we shared many moments over our then favorite drink--International Brand's Cafe Mocha.

No matter how far I moved away, or how long I was gone, whenever I returned home, my mom was waiting there for me. We would get together to share coffee and conversation. We didn't talk about any major headlines, or what the world was up to. We would just chat about the every day, what we were up to, what the siblings were up to, reminisce about years gone by, and talk about plans for the future.

No matter what we talked about, my mom always had an opinion. She had a big mouth and she knew how to use it! She would tell you her opinion whether you wanted to hear it or not. She was forthright and honest. She told it like it was, even if it meant she would have to appologize later for hurting your feelings. That may seem harsh to some, but that was just my mom. She never beat around the bush. She always said what she meant and most times it was very blunt!

My mom was also very funny, loved to laugh and have a good time. To her, that meant playing cards with friends & family, bowling w/my dad, laughing with her grandchildren, horsing around with the dogs, camping, dancing on picnic tables (inside joke!), and of course her favorite game--BINGO!




She enjoyed reading romance and mystery novels, doing crossword puzzles (she was a wiz!), jigsaw puzzles, and watching shows such as Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I remember when I was a little girl, we would snuggle on the couch and watch old westerns together.

My mom had many jobs when I was growing up. There was six of us, so she needed to supplement my dad's income. She did this, not out of necessity, but out of love. She wanted us to have a little extra every now and then. Those extras included trips to the drive-in theater, ice cream sundaes, or dinner out once in a while.








She was a hard-working waitress, a nurse's aide, and even had her own dog-grooming business with my dad. One summer, she managed Port Henry Beach Campsite! We had a blast that year! Later in life, She worked as a data entry clerk at Key Services Corp. Whatever my mom did, where ever she went, she always made friends with her sense of humor and quick wit. She worked hard , but played hard when the work was finished.

My mom was hard on us, too. We learned a lot from her, though. We learned self-discipline, good work ethics, taking pride in what you have accomplished, what NOT to do with your money, and what really matters most in this life--the love, respect and trust of your family.

I will always remember my mom with gladness in my heart, and our "cafe mocha moments!"