I wish I was a poet so I could write an ode to my mom. Rita is, was and ever shall be the inspiration to so much in my life. She was strong, funny, earthy, unbelievably organized, genuine, unabashedly perky, family-centric.......in short, a real powerhouse. As a grown woman I can hardly fathom what it took to raise 10 kids. I am in awe of her ability, her ingenuity... her perserverance.
I am also bereft at the thought that we did not get much of a chance to be grown women together. She had faith that could move mountains, she had humor that could disarm the most stoic, she had intelligence to match the Queen of England (whom, she admired, fyi... A real anglophile, my mom)
For an uneducated, unsophisticated girl from Queens, she knew her s***. She is responsible for any love of high culture that I have come by, and I am gratefull to her for it.
Believe it or not, all the above is an opinion I have held of her since I was a small girl (albeit somewhat less articulated.) What a joyful revelation when I discovered as a teenager that she had actually been a gorgeous, talented, adventurous, sexy (1950's sexy....not 21st century skanky-sexy) and vibrant woman. I loved and miss her stories of life on the road, touring with her quartet as an opening act for Vic Damone, being on TV, attending the school for the performing arts, traveling the country and so on.
Lovely Rita, my dynamo, I still miss you. Happy Mother's day,
-k.
Oh yeah, Friday we also became homeless. The closing went off without a hitch. Good luck and god bless to the new family who will be calling it home. We had a lot of good times in that house and hope the good vibrations continue for them.
