Happy Mother's Day!

 

I have often written about the love I have for my mother, mother in law and step mother Shela.

I am not going to do an extended testament to their collective virtue and acumen this morning but thought I would post this picture of my late mother, Adelle Roberts, in high school. I date this picture to between 1945 and 47.

She was happy and beautiful, on her way to becoming a theater arts major at UCLA.

Mom was a native Angeleno, having been born on Western Avenue, right next to the first El Cholo restaurant.

She attended Los Angeles High School, the oldest high school in Southern California, founded in 1873.

Other notable attendees included Ray Bradbury, Anne Baxter, Charles Bukowski, John Cage, Piper Laurie, Gene LeBell and Johnnie Cochran.

I wished that I had taken the time to learn more about her youth in Los Angeles. 

Not that she would have told me, she being quite reticent in opening up regarding her past with us.

I was up last night thinking about my mom. She didn't have it easy raising so many kids fed, clothed and on track after and during her breakups, considering we were usually dead broke. 

She did a pretty damn good job. Pushed us to read and learn, didn't raise any fools. She loved us and we weren't the easiest bunch to tame. 

Love you mom. And thanks!

*

I have this old dish towel in the kitchen that I just can't throw away. 

It is torn, has holes in it but for some reason, the vibes are just really good with the old rag.

I think most people would have tossed it away long ago but it is soft and still useful and pretty in its own retro way.

Leslie saw me pull it out of the drawer yesterday when I was cooking and said, "you know we got that from your mother's estate, don't you?"

I had forgotten.

Now I understand.