A Mother's Day Tale
My very first Mother's Day. I remember it like it was yesterday... not 1991. Mike was determined to do everything the "right way" to make it a very special day indeed.
He knew I was supposed to have a corsage. However, when I was growing up, you wore a red corsage if your mother was living, and a white corsage if your mother had passed away. I don't know if that is a Southern tradition... or just practiced in my little part of the world. That being said, Mikie didn't know the rules.
He called our local florist in Cullman and asked for a corsage for a "first time mother." (Code for BIG!) The florist asked him, "Is the mother living or deceased?" This totally threw Mike.
He thought she was kidding, so he responded, "Why would I buy a deceased mother a corsage?" The florist was not amused.
"I'll take care of it," was all she said.
When Mikie went to pick up my Mother's Day corsage the afternoon before Mother's Day, he picked up the biggest orchid corsage (with matching ribbons) I had ever seen. I shouldn't have been surprised thinking back on my giant homecoming mum, but I was.
"Wow. That's quite a corsage," I said weakly.
"Yeah. The florist was a nut though. She kept asking me if you were dead or alive. But in the end, she did a great job, don't you think?" he asked, pleased. (To Mikie, bigger is always better in the corsage department.)
I didn't even ask what he was talking about because I had started wondering what to wear with the giant purple orchid. What I had originally picked out was a floral dress which would have looked wonderful with a small red corsage, but not with a giant purple one.
I finally settled on a celery green dress (solid), and while it might not have been the BEST color choice, Austin was only three months old. (Code for I DIDN'T FIT INTO ALL MY OLD CLOTHES YET, SO IT WAS THE ONLY OTHER CHOICE!)
The flower was so large, I couldn't hold Austin on my left hip because his face and head kept getting buried in the flower. Plus, he kept grabbing for the ribbons. (The only thing worse than a giant purple corsage is a dead giant purple corsage.) I balanced him on my right hip for most of the day.
A few days later, I explained the tradition to Mike. "When they were asking if the mother was alive or deceased, they meant MY mother," I explained.
"Oh," he said. He paused, thinking. "I liked that you were the only one wearing an orchid though. It made it more special." (Code for I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PURPLE ORCHID EVERY YEAR FOR MOTHER'S DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!) And he has.
In the year 2009, I can count on one hand the corsages I see on Sunday mornings... even on the older women. But you can always spot me. I'm the very proud Mom wearing the slightly smaller (NOW) orchid corsage in the upper right balcony.
It's fun. It's tradition. It's a story to tell. And I love it!
NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - Just wanted you to know the Mother's Day Corsage tradition ended in 2017. Mike didn't want to let it go, but I thought it was time to move on. (Now I just ask for cash, and that works well, too!)
RANDOMNESS #1 - Visiting Nashville - Mike had a business conference in Nashville a couple of weeks back, and I got to tag along.
When he goes on a conference, that basically means I have a couple of days to myself in a different city. In the past few years, I have had days in Chicago, New Orleans, Nashville and Memphis.
These days are carefully planned, and, more often than not, I will go to a Zoo or an Aquarium to spend the day. I like to be around young families, and I don't feel uncomfortable at all.
Actually, the REAL planning comes in the coming and going.
In New Orleans, we were three and a half blocks from the Aquarium, and I could see my destination clearly from our hotel window. I was going on a sunny day around 10:30 in the morning. No worries...
Until I got downstairs in the lobby and there were four different exits putting me on four different streets...
And the view I so clearly had from the 17th floor of the hotel was nonexistent ground level.
But I am fearless when it comes to asking questions of hotel staff, and when I asked a valet to walk out the correct exit and point the way I was to walk for three and a half blocks, he was very kind...
And I arrived at the Aquarium safe and sound and had a splendid time.
I mastered the art of hailing a cab in Chicago, and this past trip to Nashville found me with an Uber App on my phone...
And I mastered that, too.
One of the many things I enjoy about Nashville are the "new-to-me urban neighborhoods." I spent an afternoon in the 12 South neighborhood which was full of some of my favorite urban things...
Boutiques and coffee houses.
And murals.
I love murals, and I founds some pretty ones in 12 South.
I have always wondered who paints these murals. In my mind, I assumed it was a gang of talented teenagers with spray paint cans and flashlights in the middle of the night.
So when I saw this guy working in the middle of the day with what was obviously a PLAN...
Well, let's just say I was a tad bit disappointed.
This is a very neat store in The Gulch neighborhood.
Rest assured, the Two Old Hippies are doing well.
Very well.
In the Lobby of our hotel, we found a little place called Stompin' Grounds. It had everything from breakfast, lunch and dinner to fresh-baked pastries, gelatos and all kinds of coffee.
However, this display was my favorite.
Every single item...
Was made 100 percent from...
Chocolate.
It made my day.
Maybe even my life.
The day we left Nashville, I really wanted to go to the Farmer's Market, and although it was rainy and cool and there wasn't much produce out yet, I am so glad we did.
They had EVERYTHING.
Great live music...
A huge international food court...
And perhaps my favorite, a separate open-air nursery with every kind of plant imaginable.
We have so much more to see and do the next time we visit Nashville, but going to The Farmer's Market is ALWAYS going to be on my "list."
RANDOMNESS #2 - RT's Easter Party - I was able to attend Little Man's Easter Party at his school, and can I just say, two-year olds really know how to enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt!
If you're really lucky, you might find a Tonka truck during the Hunt.
No matter what, at the end of the day, Easter Egg Hunts are pretty cool.
Almost as cool as you-know-who!
RANDOMNESS #3 - What Has Roxie Been Up To? - Well, if you must know...
She and her friend, Nat, ran a full marathon in Nashville this past weekend.
And they lived to tell the tale!
RANDOMNESS #4 - Park Day AND McWane with Courtney, Judith and Eden - Courtney, the girls and I have had an outing each week she's been on maternity leave, and last week was no exception.
After a romp in Judith's favorite park (near Nana's house)…
We met Pop at McWane Center for lunch and some more play time.
Eden was not upset with Pop. It was time for another nap. (She is so much like me it is scary.)
Bubbles are our favorite.
RANDOMNESS #5 - A Little More Eden - I know I'm only sharing one or two pics a post, but trust me, she is growing and changing and as sweet as ever. I am sure I will crank it up a bit in the months to come.
I hope you and yours have had a wonderful April. I am excited to see what May brings...
And I don't usually say things like that (or even feel that way), but today I am hopeful.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
"I see all these moms who can do everything, and I think... I should have them do some stuff for me."
"What if Snow White was just pretending to be asleep so she didn't have to clean up after little people anymore? I totally get that."
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