I Remember Mama, by Rita Vecchi Palumbo

Submitted August 2010

I remember Mama as a young, beautiful, loving, ever busy lady. The first thing on entering the kitchen she would always put on a clean, pressed apron For our breakfast she would squeeze oranges and strain the juice, so it would be pulp free, cook oatmeal and put it through a sieve so it would be smooth and prepare cocoa on cold mornings.  She spend many hours preparing meals – everything was from scratch. The chickens had to be killed and cleaned, home made pasta every Sunday, wonderful soups, cakes and pies. Mom was an excellent cook and a neat housekeeper.

Often you’d hear her singing especially when she was doing laundry in the basement – she loved opera, of course Italian opera was her favorite, she knew several arias and sang with a lovely voice.

The sewing machine was in constant use – making aprons for the bakers and store clerks, dresses for the girls as well as herself.

Mom always had the radio on in the kitchen, she enjoyed the “soaps” one especially “Our Gal Sunday.” Of course the news both local and national were important to her. She was very interested in the political campaigns.

Gardening was also one of her specialties, she had a “green thumb.” We had many fresh vegetables and lovely flowers during the summer, plus plants in the house, African violets her favorite.

Many hot summer days we would head for the lake. Elda and Eva in the stroller we walk to the lake. In order to better keep track of the little ones in the water she brought a bathing suit. At first she felt a little silly about wearing it but later rather liked it.

One thing Mom hated were bugs, anything that crawled or flew. If a fly dared come in the house she would chase it around until she killed it and heaven forbid an ant should get in – it didn’t survive very long.

I remember how Papa enjoyed pulling pranks. April Fools day he would always fool Mom and she couldn’t fool him. One year he had plastered the cellar stairway a few days before April 1st. Papa came home for the noon meal and as we all sat down Mom remembered she needed something in the basement. As she opened the basement door she let out a cry and said, “Louie the plaster has all come down.” He jumped up and went to the door and as he looked, Mom calmly said, “April Fool.” Well Papa wasn’t too happy, Mom enjoyed it for years.

Mom didn’t have a very large wardrobe however she was always stylish and looked great. She was well groomed, her hair never out of place regardless of what she was doing.

I was fortunate to have her for so many years. Even in her nineties she still had a lovely smooth complexion, beautiful hair and a great smile, walking very straight with a quick step.

She is always in my thoughts – and missed.