My mother is still alive..living in Napa, Calif. I can call her, but she can´t respond as she has had quite a few strokes. But she is very aware of all I say. She is cared for in her own home..around the clock..all the time.

My mother was tall and blonde..with thick hair that she wore in a "french roll" or a thick braid down her back. Her grandmother was German from Sudatanland. My mother was/is a beautiful woman.

She was/is patient..very patient. She stood by my father thru his alcoholism and all his troubles thruout his life. He passed away some years ago.

My mother has 2 masters..one in Chemistry and one in Library Science. She worked all her life.

She is a refugee from the Czech Rep after WWII..when our family was threatened by assasination by the Russians because my grandfather, her father, was symbol for the Czech people being a general in the Czech Army. I was just a baby when we fled for our lives.

My mother´s youth was ruined by the 2nd WW..so you could say that she was very playful as an adult and as my mom. She loved swimming and was very good at it. And she loved sunbathing afterwards..something I also took after.

She liked to chase me and friends when we played hide and seek or "you´re it".

She had her own wisdom thru all our difficult years when I was growing up that has made our relationship quite complicated. But today..being much older myself..I can respect and see where she is coming from. Her generation..the one that grew up in Europe is quite different from mine..that grew up in the US. But I can see now and understand..I think.

She loved/loves me very much in her way..and I am so grateful that she is my mom. I can still see her tears (which were very rare) and my father´s (rarer still) when they said good-by to me at the airport when I left for Sweden..newly married and starting a new life..and I am still here in Sweden..now with 5 grown children and 4 grandchildren.

Good post. Thank you for giving me this chance to give tribute to my mom...