August 29

"Today is Monday
Today is Monday
All the little Brownies
We wish the best to you"

I woke up with that little song in my head.  I was never a brownie, but my sister was.  The troop had disbanded by the time I was old enough. But my mother was a troop leader and she sang that oce or twice, I suppose.  Anyway, it was in my head this morning and with good reason.

It's been ten years since she died.  I was going to say "passed on" or "crossed over" but no, it feels right to say she died.  It's hard to think about it, but after ten years, it's time to reflect.  I decided to write her a letter.

 Hi Mom, I miss you and think about you all the time.  A lot has happened in the past ten years, so I figure I need to catch you up.

I'm still working at the Library in a job I love.  It's pretty good to have a job like that, don't you think?  It has given me wonderful friends and great adventures.  I also have the best stories about the crazy stuff that goes on, day to day.  People say I should write a book, but most people think I am making the stories up.  I am not.  I don't have a gift for fiction.

I got divorced.  I know, you might have been disappointed, but we tried- or I did- to make the marriage go.  Some things just don't work.  I am happily remarried to Chris, whose last name just happens to be Myers.  When I got divorced I swore to Dad that I would not change my name ( I had to go back to court to get my name changed as Alan fought me on it)  Dad helped me out and made me swear to remain a Myers.  Then I met Chris Myers.  You would love him , Mom.  I am happy, which was not always the case.  I think you'd be great friends with him mom too.  She's my bonus!

You would be so proud of Kate.  She graduated High School, like she promised you she would.  She did it by the skin of her teeth, as that was the year I left her father and we were struggling to make it on our own.  She said she kept her promise to you in her mind.  She went on to college and has an AA degree from FDIM, in Fashion Merchandising.  After as break, she has gone back to school and is studying toward a BA in Business.  She is married now, Mom, and expecting her first child any day now.  I gave her the blanket you made for her before you got really sick.  She and I both cried over it and the letter you sent to her.  She will wrap Robert in it and tell stories of Oma and Opa to him.  They are naming him after Dad, so I am calling him "Little Bob", at least for now.

I dodged a bullet and had some precancerous lumps removed from my left breast the summer after you were gone.  I got lucky and they caught it before they went bad.  I keep an eye on things like that these days.

I am involved in my community.  I do a lot of work for a non-profit Arts Center up here.  I work for my Union and I volunteer for things as the mood strikes me.  You taught me to give back and I do as much as I can.  It's important to me and I got that from you.

So that's it  for now, Mom; the high points of the last ten years.   I miss you every day, but I know you and Dad are up there having a blast together.  I miss you both, but am happy knowing you are together.   Alzheimer's is a terrible thing and I am glad you are not trapped by it anymore.  I love you, Mom.