This is a blog featuring my personal stories of food, gardening, yachting, photography, travel and life.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The End Of An Era

Last week an important moment in our adult lives occurred when my wife's mother passed away at the age of 91. She was the last parent and leaving us as orphans in the world. Mom lived quite an amazing life. Having been born at the end of World War I she was a part of the Greatest Generation which lived through many of the great moments in world history over the past 90 years--the Great Depression, World War II, The Cold War years, the space program and raising my wife!

She and her husband lived for three years in post-war Europe. They traveled all over occupied Europe in their little Volkswagen Beetle purchasing beautiful collectables, art and china while Dad flew for Uncle Sam's Army Air Force.

After returning to the U.S. they were stationed at Air Force bases throughout the country until they settled in central California where they spent most of the remainder of their lives. Dad played golf in his retirement and Mom did the same as well as puttering in her garden and engaged in her myriad hobbies ranging from african violets to ceramics to collecting antiques.

Our family will make a pilgrimage back to the California veteran's cemetery where her beloved husband lies. There we will return her to the California she loved so much and next to her beloved husband. The rest of us will just have to get along without them which will take some getting used.