Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

You guys are in for a real treat today.

For a while I was giving my very young and intelligent and witty 84 year old mom a forum here with my "View From the '80s'" posts taken from her daily emails to me and/or things about her. (See 2/18/05, 3/8/05, 4/11/05 and 6/10/05.)

And because you know what "high standards" I maintain in this blog (ha!), you know all the "Views" posts were exceptional, without fail. It's been way too long since I've posted one, but I hope to remedy that failing this year by getting back in the habit of posting her views.

Of course, first I've got to get back in the habit of emailing her every day so she'll email me back every day with all the great wisdom of her years and in-depth studies of the Bible, people and life, itself. Today's post has her answers to the same five questions TCS asked me in a comment to Nov. 1st post that I answered one by one on 11/15, 11/18, 11/21, 11/29 & 12/2 , if you missed them.

She actually gave me two sets of answers, sort of, because she first answered them briefly over the phone while we were talking and then later more extensively in the email below she sent me. TCS's five great questions were:

Dee, here is my first question. I hope it is one that you can expound on.

What is the best meal you have ever eaten?

Second question, where would you like to visit that you have never been to before?

Third question, What is you proudest moment?

Fourth question, What do you [most] regret?

Last, If money, health, etc. were no concern, what would you do with your time?

Actually, when my mom and I were talking on the phone about the questions, she answered the first with the same response as below, so I won't repeat it.

Her second answer was that she always wanted to go to the "big rock" in Australia, although we couldn't remember what it's called. (It's "Ayres Rock", or the Aboriginal name "Uluru", in Australia's Northern Territory.)

When she started on answer 3 about her proudest moment, she said, "Well - I guess you want me to say the day you were born, right?!" I was only slightly amused, but she was really laughing. Hard. Finally she said, "Well, let's see - my biggest regret . . . "

"Mom," I stopped her, "You haven't answered question 3 yet."

To which she replied, "Well, that's because I'm trying to decide if the day you were born was my proudest moment or biggest regret!"

I let the questions and answers slide from that point and I told her to think about them and write down her answers if she would. I didn't think I could take any more digs from my mom for the day and also figured she'd had enough to laugh about already without finding even more things at my expense to laugh at, you know? I mean, question 5 seemed pretty loaded to me at that point and I didn't want to take any chances.

But, a few days later I got a great email from her with her "final" answers, as they say on some of the game shows on TV. So, here they are, and I love them.

And, remember, she's 84, born Dec. 19, 1921.

Answer 1 (about her best meal ever):

If my memory serves me correctly, I think my Mom's fried chicken with mashed potatoes, chicken gravy and spring green peas fresh from the garden was best!! She bought baby chicks every spring and raised her own fryers and store bought chicken doesn't compare.

Answer 2 (where she'd most like to go that she's never been):

I would love to go to New Zealand and have time to tour both North and South Island. I've seen many pictures and heard so much from people I know who live there now, or have lived there.

Answer 3 (about her proudest moment): Most of the definitions of proud suggest conceit or vanity, but can imply justifiable satisfaction with oneself. At any rate, I can honestly say that I feel gratified with the way my family has turned out. I don't know how much credit Daddy and I can take for that, but we did try to give you opportunities and teach you to have good morals and attitudes. I'm thankful that all of you are happy and enjoy each other!!

Answer 4 (about her biggest regret): She didn't answer this one, and after our previous phone discussion about it, I decided I'd not bring it up again thinking either she'd just forgotten it or, more likely, I didn't really want to know.

Answer 5 (as to what she'd do with her time): If money, health, etc. were no concern, what would I do with my time? I'm more or less in that state - and I'm glad that I'm able - to have a "home" where the family can come and get together - sort of revert back to childhood briefly with someone else being responsible for the cooking etc. And I'm thankful that I'm still able to make the

[My note: world's best homemade] hot rolls and other things that everyone associates with coming home. (You remember last year that Roseanna [my brother's wife] and her sisters and brothers got together here [at my mom's house in Abilene] just to cook some of the things their mother cooked--Moms and food are synonymous).

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 Moms and food are synonymous. My mom has always been, and still is, a great cook and if you'll remember, when I answered TCS's first question I said that my "alternative" answer to my best meal ever was every single meal my mom has ever prepared for me in my whole life. And it's true. She's my inspiration in every way. So my passages today are about her:

Proverbs 15:30 - A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Proverbs 16:31 - Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Amen.

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