One hundred and eleven and a day in These titles mean nothing.

Yesterday was my mother’s 111th birthday. I always remember her birthday. It’s the Norwegian Fourth of July - meaning the anniversary of Norway’s independence from Sweden. I always remember that too. I live in an area with a lot of Norwegian descendants - my own last name is Norwegian so I’m Norwegian by marriage and my kids were a quarter Norwegian. Anyway my point is there are two fairly big Seventeenth of May celebrations in my area - Syttende Mai in Decorah IA and Spring Grove MN.

So anyway this year for the first time I found myself wondering if I was the only person remembering that it was my mother’s birthday. I have cousins who might remember - especially if I reminded them - but I might just be the only person who remembers May 17 as Violetta’s birthday. There are still people who do remember her - she was a high profile woman. I recall walking on the town streets on Satuday afternoon when it took forever to get from the S and D to the Equity because so many people wanted to talk to her. She was well known and well liked. That is what I remember about her. She had been a country school teacher and a cashier at the first selt service grocery store in town. She had many friends and people liked to talk to her.

And am I all that’s left?

I’ve never posted a photo of her here. I have some of course, but I just never do it. I believe I disappointed her. I never see any real happiness in our relationship with one another. The closest I can come to regret is wishing she had gotten to know my children and my grandchildren.....wishing they had gotten to know her.

This is such a concentrated time of year - the beauty of spring - the collections of events and hollidays and anniversaries. Almost every day has something to remember. I can’t always remember the exact dates things happen -
ones I know:
- May 17 my mother’s birthday
- May 22 my mother’s wedding anniversary and my own anniversary
- June 1 my father’s birthday
- June 12 my own birthday
and of course:
- Mother’s Day
- Memorial Day
- all the last days of school
- all the graduation days - but still probably not enough
- all the other weddings
- all the corn’s planted celebrations

And probably another million things to remember and celebrate and forget more gradually every year.

Blessing to you all.

It’s a pretty day here.

I’m cooking pork chops.
Lib the husky is sleeping noisily.
Larre is coming to pick up Joana’s pickup - Jim’s decided he doesn’t’ need two trucks.
John is down from the city to help put in the crops.
The orioles are still coming for the grape jelly.
Pink and Floyd are doing well.

Writers group meets Tuesday. I made reminder phone calls yesterday, talking to mainly answering/voice mail. Topic is ‘favorite old radio program. I haven’t written anything yet but I’ve decided to write about Phone Forum - WHO radio’s call in show from the 1960s into the ’70s. Duane Ellit and Lee Cline were hosts. Yeah, I gotta get going.

Have a lovely what’s left of the weekend.