Sunday, May 13, 2007

Mother's Day

I was looking up "Today in History" in the Library of Congress (link on sidebar) and see that May 13 is the day that the first person was buried in what was to become Arlington National Cemetery (1864, and it was a Confederate prisoner of war). It now contains the bodies of soldiers from all of our wars back to the Revolutionary War. The picture to the right is not Arlington, it is the Santa Fe National Cemetery. This is where my mother was buried in 1993. She was not a soldier, but was married to one for 15 years until he died on active duty of natural causes, so she was entitled to this plot. Oddly enough, my father is not there, he is buried in his family plot in Makanda Illinois -- a place famous for being the birthplace of Sen. Paul Simon, and for having a water tower that looks like a big yellow smiley face (take that Wal-Mart, you didn't invent it).

We all agreed that this cemetery in Santa Fe would be suitable, even though she was not military herself. She was in Albuquerque, and dearly loved New Mexico. My maternal grandmother also ended up buried in (ABQ) New Mexico instead of beside her husband of nearly 70 years. Again, he is in southern Illiois. A bit non-traditional in both cases. Santa Fe would have suited my mother very well in life, even though she didn't live there (Albuquerque and Roswell were the NM towns where she lived). It's a lovely place.

All I have left now is a mother-in-law in Missouri, and I hope that she has a wonderful day. Glad that she lives on high ground. The floods have returned. I received a card from the cats, my only "kids".

6 comments:

Peacechick Mary said...

But, did the kitties send any catnip? Nooooo. Cat's don't share catnip. Have a great day.

Blueberry said...

Sharing catnip is not their strongest suit. They can have the catnip and I will hog the chocolate.

Mando Mama said...

That's a great story. Everyone ended up kind of where it seems they belonged, which as we know in life ain't always together all the time.

I'm only recently at ease with not being "laid to rest" -- it made me feel sort of odd that my family wouldn't have a "place" to visit "me". But, my son has got it under control. He informed me that he is going to put my ashes in a balloon, add a little air, and then set it free to make that obnoxious farting noise as it sends my ashes hither and yon. That's a good kid.

Glad yours were able to honor you today, kittymama!

MM

Blueberry said...

And speaking of "laid to rest", we finally put Duncan's ashes at the foot of the wisteria vine today. Since my kids are all furbabies, it was an appropriate day and a sunny, pretty one as well.

pissed off patricia said...

I'm not a mom. I have no idea where my own mom might be. So for Mother's day I thought about my grandmother a lot even though she has been dead for a long time.

I decided yesterday to buy a new pretty white concrete bird bath for all my visiting birds who are new moms right now. I think they liked it and I know I love watching them enjoy it since natural water holes are not to be found down here right now due to the lack of rain.

Anonymous said...

My cat was cut off from the catnip! No more!