Ginger Ale and Saltines

Last night was one of those nights when I really missed my mother. I was very close to her, even though at times we didn't see eye to eye. But who ever agrees on everything...and on some days anything? In retrospect, I can now understand her point of view. I just wish she was here, so I could tell her and thank her for so much that she did for me and taught me.


Snack dab right in the middle of what has been a pretty good week, last night I ended up sleepless with enough of a tummy ache to keep me awake. Too tired to trudge downstairs, I suffered through it for a while. When I decided that was pretty dumb, I went down to the pantry and got a bottle of ginger ale and a stack of saltine crackers . . . my mother's first line of defense for a stomach ache.


I prayed for relief and tried to rub my back the way my mother used to. She had such a loving and tender touch. I miss that. My efforts to rub my own back ended up being the comic relief I needed right then. Since I really couldn't reach all that far, and I was trying to be quiet to allow my husband to get a good night's sleep, I decided to use the door jamb to go back and forth across my back, but it hurt my backbone! That made me laugh, though, and I was glad nobody was there to see me. :-)  It reminded me of how the cows on neighboring farms scratch their backs on those cow scratcher devices that are out in the barn. :-) I sat up in the wing back chair in our bedroom and finally fell asleep for an hour or so.


I'm much better this morning, although I am rather tired from the lack of sleep and a bit achy; but the miracle of crackers and ginger ale brought me through. I'm still missing my mother, though. The experience made me realize that whether you are a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle or special friend, we should remember the things we do are being noticed and will be remembered by the children in our lives. It might not be what we think we'll be remembered for, such as the Cinderella watch my mother slipped on my wrist during the night on Christmas eve, or the twist blouses that were all the rage that she bought for my sister and me, or the specially sought-out birthday gift of a portable typewriter. Those are special memories, but it might be something that seems so random, something you'd never expect to be remembered for. Such is the memory when I hear my mother every time I clear my throat. I sound just like her to the point it sometimes startles me. It probably isn't what she'd ever have thought I'd vividly remember about her. And recently I heard myself faintly whistling while I watered my garden...the same way my mother did whenever she watered her garden. It made me smile. I wonder what my family will recall about me someday. I hope whatever it is, that it brings a smile to their faces and resides in a special place in their hearts.


I haven't been writing posts very often this spring because I spend much of my spare time outdoors. Our summers are short and it is a real joy to be outside in nice warm weather. I have a garden to tend to and a lot of yard maintenance to catch up on.

Taken from an upstairs window this morning after a lot of rain yesterday and overnight.
I will not need to water for a couple days until we get the stretch of extremely hot weather that is being called for.
Click on the photo to enlarge it, if you want a closer look.

I have been doing a lot of reading and watching videos about cottage gardens. I think I am on the right path. It is hard to be patient, but since it is only the first week of summer, I need to wait and see how everything looks as the weeks go by. One week can make a big difference in how things look. It is a good time to stop planting for a while and see what happens. Someday, I hope the garden will be filled to capacity to the point where I will need to divide plants and move a few things around. :-)


While it is hot this weekend, I plan to take it easy and, at my husband's urging, finally take the boxes of old photos off the shelf and start to go through them. It is something I always say I will do on a snow day. I think an extreme heat day will be just as good a day to start!


Thank you for taking the time out of  your day to read my post. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. I will respond whether you comment here or on Facebook.


And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy