My grandmother, my only living grandparent, who spoiled me rotten when I was young, who sent me candy every Easter and Halloween while I was in grad school, who raised two kids who turned out pretty well, who watched those kids marry good spouses, who loved her five grandkids and watched some of them marry good spouses, who was devoted to her husband as he was devoted to her, who makes a mean marinara sauce, who makes a mean bracciole, who makes a mean eggplant parmesan, who taught me to fry my meatballs and make my gnocchi small, whose cheesecake has ruined all other cheesecakes for me, who manages to stay in touch with family across the world, who filled huge stockings with gifts at Christmastime, who always has a story about a cousin or an aunt or an uncle, who says 'muah' very loudly when she kisses me, who watched us when my folks left town, who traveled through Europe with my sister, who traveled through Europe with me, who has a small but valuable group of friends, who watches Penn State football games and soap operas with indulgence, who takes the time to talk to me every Saturday (usually), who warned my college roommate that not eating vegetables would keep him irregular, who always stressed the importance of education, who came to every junior high and high school concert I (and my sisters and cousins) sang and played, who drinks a Brandy Alexander every year (whether she needs it or not), who played Centipede late into the night on the Atari 5200, whose stern look can stop you in your tracks, whose big laugh is infectious, who played the 'straight man' to my grandfather in their lifetime comedy act, turns 90 today.
Happy Birthday Mom-Mom! I love you.
