Sep 23 2009
Mother Lovett: It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To.
Mother Lovett was a tiny, tiny, tiny woman.
Let’s just say she had a BIG personality.
She only stood at about 4 feet, 11 inches tall, after osteoporosis had severly hunched her over. She tried her best to (literally) keep her head up, but sometimes it was just too tiring.
The best moments that my cousins and I share involve Mother Lovett. Anyone that knows our family or has crossed paths with us can relate. Unfortunately, but in the MOST lovable way, we often enjoyed a good laugh at her expense.
And still do.
Such as remembering her 87th brithday last April, the last birthday we would have with her.
She was angry, mad, infuriated – whichever way you want to spin it – she was ticked.
She had a fairly good reason. After almost 50 years, we had finally moved her out of the house her husband built. (I know you are wondering which husband, it was her first.)
That house was her life.
But after many falls, bumps, bruises, and scares, along with those other few tiny problems she had – you know, being BLIND and DEAF, and living alone – it was time to move her out.
We had to drag her. She refused to give up ANY pride and admit it was time to go. We mentally, emotionally, and physically could not take it anymore. The fear of her rolling down the landscaped bank while picking weeds, falling face-first on the pavement while carrying sticks to a dump-pile, or getting stuck in the bathtub (all of which did indeed happen), was just too much to bear.
It was very hard on my mom. But it was time for her to move. And we didn’t really give her choice. She had just spent a few months in a rehab facility recovering from her cake-baking heart attack, and my family arranged for her to go to an exceptional assisted living community where she had her own apartment.
It was a fab apartment. Much better cleaner than what I would be moving into within 6 months, after my nuptials. It was big, too.
She moved in about a week before her birthday. In my family, we always have birthday parties in our homes – always. This makes for lots of food, fun, unlimited alcohol, and just a wonderful, hilarious time spent together.
(We also get together most weekends just to hang. Have I mentioned I have the best family ever? )
Her birthday party was set to be on Saturday evening at her daughter’s (my aunt’s) house. All week, she swore up and down she absolutely, definitely was not coming. She was angry with all of us, pouting the majority of the time she spent with us.
Which was all the time. Someone was there 24/7. I really mean that. She was rarely alone.
Friday night comes and we are spending some time together at my aunt’s, sans Mother Lovett. We realize she really is not going to come celebrate her birthday. We are sad, but at this point also fed up with the stubborness. She is safe and in a very nice expensive place.
We got hungry. And we had a perfectly good cake.
Coconut cake. Delish.
So we had a few slices.
Saturday morning, our wonderful friend Barb spends some time with Mother Lovett. Barb tells her that we never know what tomorrow will bring, and we are all together and healthy TODAY, and she shouldn’t pass up this opportunity to spend time together. At the last minute, Mother Lovett decides to come for the party.
Her party.
There was no time for a new cake.
Probably the first and only time her height ever came in handy.
She never noticed.
Beautiful words.
Sweet, sweet, sweet. Such a beautiful post. Family makes life special, for sure.
Glad you stopped by Heart of A Country Home. My fitness goal is to look like your Pre-fitness show pic!
oh man, that’s a great post! my grandma was about that tall too! and feisty as heck!
This post made me laugh. Reminds me of my family! I enjoy that you guys just turned the cake around, hahaha.
Yep – just like mine!
Thanks, my dear!
Beautiful post, poignantly written! your grandma is quite a character! lol!
Forgot to say… I added you to my blogroll. Hope that’s okay.
i love this post
that cake looks delish!!!
LOVE this post, adorable
coconut cake sounds fabulous! never had that before, but i certainly want to!
That pic of her with the cake is just adorable :O). It’s so true, you never know what tomorrow will bring – so glad she decided to go at the last minute!!
- Beth @ http://www.DiningAndDishing.com
That is awesome! I’m glad she decided to go to her party. She sounds like such a fun, special person.
lol *she never noticed…
PRICELESS!! Too cute. I LOVE that you are devoting time to remembering your wonderful grandma and honoring her and your family. What a sweet way to show your family you are, and show others what a truly loving heart you have!!
Blessings-
Amanda
That is hilarious, and wrong and wonderful all at the same time!
Thank you – I actually haven’t even told anyone in my family that I started a blog except for my hub. I think they will make fun of me!
More to come!
Oh my gosh!! That was a great post!
My husband is going through a similar time with his grandmother right now – she’s 86, stubborn as all heck, and has been living in the house her husband built all those years ago. She too has had many falls and scrapes, thankfully no heartattacks, but the situation worries his family greatly. Luckily, his sister lives right next door, but when the time comes to move her – and I know it’ll be sooner rather than later – it’s not going to be pretty.
I love your stories of your grandmother, they’re beautiful. This one is hilarious because it’s just rings so true with those of us who have or have had a Mother Levett in our lives. The part about the cake – and the picture – are PRICELESS.
That picture is hilarious! I just found your blog from Pioneer Woman. I can’t wait to try some of your recipes
[...] Mother Lovett taught me her trick. Put the butter in the microwave for 6 seconds. Not 4. Not [...]
[...] of my most hilarious holiday memories was a few years ago on Christmas Eve. We always went to Mother Lovett’s house – I could tell stories forever about those [...]
[...] I do love bacon grease in every other aspect. I remember Mother Lovett having a disgusting jar of gray sludge in her refrigerator when I was [...]
[...] beat an egg white to use as ‘glue.’ Thank you, Mother Lovett, for always telling us we did things wrong teaching me [...]
[...] never understand why the coconut didn’t come out red since we were using red food coloring. Mother Lovett was happy, as she loved the pink. I’ll admit – it is [...]
[...] have learned that I do enjoy zesting without Mother Lovett yelling in my ear about how I am doing it wrong. But I still miss [...]
[...] I then moved on to making things from scratch, but using recipes, like Mother Lovett’s. [...]
this is absolutely hilarious! you’ve got a gem of a character in your grandmother to write about, which is so essential in keeping your audience interested, and from what i’ve read so far you’re doing an excellent job!