My last time to see my mom alive – I love the shoes in this photo!

Ten years ago tonight my mom celebrated her 80th birthday with me at my historic row house in Savannah, Georgia. I had fresh flowers delivered in the morning, and had called her in the afternoon to make certain she would be ready for our reservations at the very historic 17 Hundred 90, which was just a few steps from my house. She dressed in her favorite gown and had even put on some makeup!

Before dinner we had champagne and I took a few photos. Even back then she had trouble walking, but it was long before the diagnose of Parkinson Disease.

A week prior, my sister flew down with her and visited for a time.  A day or so before my mom’s birthday, her younger brother and wife made a surprise visit, and they were in total awe of my historic house with six fireplaces. My mom was proud!

We had a wonderful dinner that night and retired early. She would have the opportunity to visit me four times after that – twice in Florida and twice in my current home in Piney Point.

The photo above was taken in the Spring of 2009. Life was difficult for her then, and had gotten no better up to her death in January of 2010. That’s how growing old generally is.

Anyway, today would have been her 90th birthday. It’s best that she is no longer alive, as difficult as that is to say, but there was just too much suffering in those last years.

Yet we must celebrate such events. Happy birthday mom!