Mom Carlson inspired me. When she broke her leg at 87 and was told she may never walk again, she ignored them and within 5 months was up walking around her room holding onto furniture. Over the next 7 years we had the pleasure of her company at our home on numerous occasions and she taught me that as a mother, you always need something to do. I would say, Mom – relax, let us take care of you. Well I received a large Pish, Posh to that. And up she went to peel potatoes, dust, iron, set the table, fold clothes, etc, etc.
The most vivid memories of Mom Carlson revolved around her kitchen and her kitchen table. And needless to say those memories centred around desert. Raspberry pie, chocolate marble cake, banana cream pie, pumpkin pie, pineapple upside down cake to name a few. Mom and dad’s love of raspberry pie made them put in a raspberry patch in their backyard that was as tenderly cared for as their children. Every July they would start picking their raspberries and freeze them individually on trays so they could have raspberry pies the whole year. Sometimes they even shared these pies with the rest of the family. Everyone was so polite until Mom brought out the deserts, this is when her inner strength started to show. I was never sure if the pie lifter was actually for dishing the pies or was a weapon to protect them. Don’t get me wrong mom wasn’t being stingy, there was always a chocolate marble cake to go with her pies. I could never figure out how after a huge roast beef dinner with her famous roast potatoes the family could still eat desert, never mind a piece of cake and 2 pieces of pie.
Mom sitting at the top of the dining room table with her family surrounding her is an image that will always be with me. As a 17 year old girl she plopped me in the seat beside her and welcomed me into her family and when I sit at my dining room table with all my Carlson’s around me her love will continue to surround us. Love you mom.
