Fifteen years ago today, my Mom passed away. It’s hard to believe it was that long ago, as it still seems like yesterday sometimes. This week has been particularly poignant as, as soon as I got my website up and running on Monday evening, the first thing I wanted to do was call my Mom and tell her. Even after all this time, that urge was still so strong.
There have been many times over the 15 years when I’ve thought I should call her and tell her about something that happened or something that struck me as funny, as we shared much the same sense of humour. I was very fortunate, as she wasn’t just my mother; she was also my friend. We shared the same taste in books and would often moan at each other about staying up way too late to just read “one more chapter” in whatever book we were reading. Mom was always a baseball fan and was at the very first Jays game in the snow, back on April 7, 1977. So in 1992, when the Jays won the World Series for the first time, she was ecstatic about the win. I am so grateful that she lived long enough to see her team win the World Series.
Mom was brought up with cats, and used to tell a funny story about her mother’s Persian cats who would sit on top of a grandfather clock and hiss at her and her sister, the aunt for whom I made Chintz Circles. She had a lifelong love of cats. When she moved into the same building in which I lived after my father’s death, she used to come and visit Max, the first Maine Coon cat I had, every day while I was at work. He was a smart cat and knew that she couldn’t bend over to pat him, so would jump up on a desk as soon as he heard her come in the apartment.
She always encouraged me in whatever needle art or craft I was dabbling and I like to think that she would have been fascinated by the use of technology now in so many crafts, although I remember her being somewhat bewildered by a laptop I had brought home from work and took to her apartment to show her.
I often think about how much my Mom would have loved to have seen Smudge drinking. I know she would have been as fascinated by it as we are. I remember the day I got Max. As soon as I got home, I called Mom and she immediately came down. Thinking back, it’s rather funny. There we were, two grown women, sitting and watching a kitten for hours and hours that first afternoon. He was, in many ways, as much her cat as mine.
The kitty picture today is one of Max.
Quilt Obsession 
Lovely post Cathi – memories are so special.
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What a wonderful post Cathi. My mother has been gone for 11 years and I too often reach for the phone to tell her something or to ask for one of her recipies. We both were blessed with wonderful mothers :0)
Crispy
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What wonderful memories! Fantastic post. You both were truly blessed to have each other.
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Such a wonderful story and fond memories! I know whenever I have something new to report I call my mother, who is 92 years old! She shares her memories of her mother and grandmother quilting and piecing quilts in years gone by.
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Very nice tribute to your Mom, Cathi.
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What a loving tribute to your mother. It is also wonderful that you had such a wonderful friendship. I had that same kind of relationship with my father who passed away 18 months ago. I can’t tell you how many times I want to call him up and share something with him.
I wish for you blessings today as you think of your mother and everything that you hold dear about her. It is truly a blessing to have such loving memories.
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What a dear and lovely post! I so agree, some days I’d trade almost anything for just fifteen minutes to visit with my mother/friend. I guess we can all consider ourselves blessed to have had such wonderful moms and precious memories to hold in our hearts.
Many, many hugs!
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What lovely memories to hold in your heart! Your mother sounds like a very special lady.
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Beautiful and touching post today. Thank you so much for sharing your memories. Big hugs.
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It’s lovely to read about the very powerful impression your mom left on you – the person. To me, that’s the greatest thing a mother can do. Leave something important, leave an impression. Leave something that impacts, that counts. You are loved. Nothing more important than that, Cathi. Not a thing more important than that.
I totally dig this photo, too. She looks lovely!!!
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It has been 11 years since I lost my mom and like you I still miss her. It is when one can replace the pain of losing someone so dear with the happy memories and joy they brought into your life that peace prevails. So glad that your memories make you smile.
Your Mom was “styling” in the picture. I love her hat!
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Thank goodness we have memories. I was just thinking of my mom yesterday, although that’s not unusual. She’s been gone nearly 20 years. Her family walked away from their farm in Saskatchewan in 1939 when she was 8 and moved to Wallaceburg, Ont. Then she became a city girl after she met my dad. The picture of your mom reminded me of mine – same coat, same little boots, same smile. 🙂
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What a lovely tribute to your mom! Wouldn’t we all just love to have one more day with our moms?
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Cathi….Touch the ❤ tribute to your Mom…She is so pretty…what wonderful memories you both made together!…Love the grandfather clock story!..My Mom passed away Feb 2nd of this year and I don't know how many times I've run to tell her or show her something…It was so easy to do, as we have lived together for the last 10yrs…Something so special about Mothers and Daughters, especially when they are also the very best of friends!…A Mothers Love never ends even when they are not with us…Thanks for sharing …Annie
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As I sit here with tears in my eyes, I think what a lovely tribute to a loving mom and friend. My mom has only been gone a little over a year now and there is still this big void that can’t be filled. After reading your blog, I know it will always be there, but what a blessing we both recieved to have such wonderful people as our moms.
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I feel your pain – and the love. Mom has been gone 10 years this fall, Dad just 2 months. I still find myself shopping for fabric and grabbing a paisley because Mom loved them so – then I remember, put it back, and hope that I can bring myself to sew with some lovely paisley print again someday. I pick up the phone to ask her about blind-baking a pie crust and put the phone back. I am so glad you have such great memories of your Mom, and believe me the love does not end – it just changes. Having said that, nothing – not even surviving cancer – has had a greater impact on my life.
Your mom is still and always a tremendous source of inspiration in your life. Wrap that mother’s-love-quilt around you and go on living a life she…somewhere….views with great pride, joy and love.
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This is a beautiful tribute to you Mum, Cathi. Thank you for sharing your memories. You were truly blessed to have such a wonderful mum who was also your best friend you must miss her so much. Hugs Ellyx
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Cathy,
I totally understand. I feel exactly the same way. December 28th will be 10 years for me. It just seems like yesterday. Oh how I miss my mother and would give anything for a hug and a visit.
Cats are my thing tho, she liked animals but now like I do. She would have thought I’m nuts to have 7 cats in my house. Many days I have to agree.
I just wanted you to know you are not alone in your feelings.
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Cathi,
I so enjoy your blog, especially the picture of your cat(s) at the end. I, too, had a beautiful solid black Maine Coon named Tarheel. He wandered up to my mom and dad’s cabin in NC one summer as a kitten. To this day, we never knew where he came from but what a find for us. I brought him home with me in October…he lived with us for 17 years…vet said he was a 2 year old even though he was so small when he wandered up to the cabin. He was a funny cat, to be sure. Funny, I had a fluffy marmalade cat when I was first married named Harry Max!
Alice
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This brought tears to my eyes because you expressed how I so often feel. I miss my mother so much and so often wish I could share an experience with her or ask her for advice. I just hope that she realized how much I loved her because I fear that I didn’t let her know.
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Such a sweet tribute to your Mom, Cathi! I am sure she would have been your biggest and most loyal fan!!!
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Thank you so much for sharing the memories of your Mother and the kitties. I am blessed to have both of my parents still here but far away from me in NC.
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I really enjoyed reading this Cathi. I put something on my blog on the same day about missing my granny (momo). It’s so nice we have wonderful memories to live in our hearts and minds forever…
thank you for sharing this.
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