Patt with Two T's

  Yesterday I posted with a picture of Mom at 90, but I think she'd prefer to be remembered with her big smile, red hair and party dress.  She had one hell of a figure--never more than 120 lb. in her life.  Her hair was dyed bright red for years and people actually asked Mar and me if we dyed ours black.  Duh.  Her final suitcase was locked last night around 8 pm, and she departed the station.  She finally got her wish after waiting so long, and I'm glad for her.

Mom's suitcases are packed and she's ready to depart the station.  She doesn't have many;  I helped pack the last one.  It's also ready, but not yet locked.   One suitcase is filled with childhood memories up until she left home to get married at age 23.  She came from good parents who lived their lives with their only child in San Francisco, then Burlingame.  They lived well, but didn't have a lot of money.  They were a core group of three until Dad, then my sister and me.  Her parents died very young--both in their mid 60's--and within 10 days of each other.  One of "natural causes" and one by her own hand.  Very sad time for Mom who then got thyroid cancer and her favorite boxer Rex died all within a few months.  She remained composed through it all and never let her children see her sadness.  The largest one is 50 years old and is all about her marriage to my dad.  Anyone who knows me has heard me say they got up smiling and went to bed s