Another year, Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley

The years fly by, seems like I just did my annual Mother's Day tribute to my Mom. I learn something new every year, or at least refresh my memory. Mom left us in 1971, many years ago, and, she was 71, born in 1898. Wow, 1898. William McKinley was President. The Civil War had just been over thirty some years, in 1865.

Older folks may understand, when it comes to mind, and I really analyze it, to me, my Mom, Jessie  Maud, seemed rather old, but she was only 71 when she passed, I am 80, that is hard for me to rationalize. I guess there is a difference between other people and a Mom. Mom's are just taken for granted.

My favorite memories of Mom, one always comes to mind, the pancake morning. We were vacationing in Michigan, and a few of my brother's friends were with us. One morning, Mom was making pancake batter. Apparently one of those days, too think, add milk, too thin, add more pancake mix, etc., etc., etc. We had a big, really big, bowl full of batter. Dad, as he was prone to do, saw it and made a big issue out of it. He had an audience ... "Jess, way too many pancakes" ... etc., etc. Mom told brother Bud and friends, "Eat them ......" I'm sure she added some other comments. She fixed them, they ate them, all of them. I forget how many I ate. It took years for me to look at another pancake. Not sure if my brother ever ate any again.

Sunday mornings, after church at the old First EUB in downtown Dayton, Dad was often making rounds at Miami Valley Hospital, or delivering a baby or something, so Mom and I walked to church alone. Afterwards we would go to a lunch counter, not sure which one, Woolworth's comes to mind, but not sure about, in those days, being open on Sunday. Chocolate milkshake and cinnamon raisin toast. Funny the things we remember. On vacation, heading to Northern Michigan, we would stop at a small store in Northern Ohio, trial bologna ring, crackers, "rat" cheese, Cokes, milk and fig newtons. Still my favorite.

Mom bailed me out on more than one occasion. Dad would take the car keys, Mom would get them back for me. 

I think I took my Mom for granted. I wish I had appreciated her more, she was just Mom. Her birthday, December 18, a week before Christmas, the day we always put our Christmas tree up. She passed on a Good Friday. I remember speeding out to the house on Montgomery Road after Dad called and gave me the news that she had passed. I remember thinking that it was not possible, I thought Mom's lived forever.

Happy Mother's Day, Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley.

The Jessiedean, well,  you can see where the name came from ... Dad built the boat in the early 30's, triple planked, she may still be afloat somewhere. Some of my most vivid memories of my childhood revolve around that boat. The fragrance under that deck is still with me, oilcloth, oil, gasoline, my first ride was with my Mom and Dad, on Burt Lake, in Northern Michigan.

I hope she got something for Mother's Day

Olympic mothers getting $1,000 gift cards to help with travel to London

Neat, I guess. Maybe it's my advanced age, but when I see things like this, or someone selling a 30 million dollar home, or any other extravaganza where millions are spent, I think of the homeless families, the out of work families or the "on the edge" families, and wonder if perhaps this obscene display of wealth could not be put to better use. 


Hey, today is Mothers Day. Let's get EVERYONE to go to Walmart, or somewhere, buy just one potted plant, take it to any nursing home, and present it to some Mother, who has no one. Do that, and my guess is you repeat the gesture, and brighten the lives of a few more............

All 800 mothers of Olympic and Paralympic athletes will get $1,000 Visa reward cards to help offset the cost of traveling to London for the upcoming Summer Olympics. The cards are a gift from  Proctor & Gamble and part of the company's "Thank You, Mom" campaign.

The $1,000 payments are part of P&G's big ad push; you know, the one with the commercial that has you trying not to cry while you're watching the commercials on "American Idol."

P&G will set up a private "home away from home" in London where athletes can relax with their families, brush their teeth with Crest and swap out Duracell batteries in their camcorders. Don't try to bring in Neutrogena products, though. That could get you Tommie Smith'd from London.

Mothers Day

Well, I have to show these flowers off. My wife got them today for Mothers Day from our son and his wife in New York, Brad and Bernie. I have never seen such a LARGE arrangement. My wife was overwhelmed when she came out and saw them. In a later email, I was told that Brad picked them out.

I put the photograph on Facebook. Put another entry that the FAA had called, either wanted us to take them inside, or put a blinking red light on top of them.

Been married almost fifty years, I take great pleasure when my wife is happy. I am sure our Daughter Melissa and probably Granddaughter and perhaps Great Granddaughter will show up and make her day complete. I think it is great that we set aside one day to honor Mothers, they don't get the credit they deserve. 

I hope all Mothers are acknowledged tomorrow. I am sure that there are some who are all alone in the world. If you know of someone, take a moment to wish them a Happy Day. Let's all go to a nursing home and spend a little time with a lonely Mother.

Happy Mothers Day..

Jessie Maud Shannon Dooley

Jessie was my Mother, we lost her too soon. Life can be so busy, being a youth and being busy all the time, being in school and being busy all the time, then college, the Navy, married, and looking back, I really never had "quality time" with my Mom, I regret that.

My Mom bailed me out many a time. Dad would lay down the law, and Mom had her ways to circumvent those laws.  I guess I never really took his threats seriously, I knew Mom would intervene on my behalf.

She loved to have a good time with family and friends, she was a most gracious hostess, and she never met a stranger. Her happiest memories were when the whole family was at the dinner table, eating one of her home lovingly cooked meals.

I remember on one occasion, a friend of theirs from Columbus, Ohio drove over for a visit. With him, was Fred Taylor, the Ohio State basketball coach. Before they left, they had spent three hours talking, and Fred and Doctor Rose devoured most of a freshly baked apple pie she had made.

She was also a PK, a "preachers kid." Her Father was a minister in the old United Brethren Church and later became a Bishop. Mom and her sister Eva, and Brother Ora,  had many stories and memories of their early days.

Old Doctor Ed Werner, our neighbor, determined that Mom had high blood pressure. This was some sixty years ago. One recommendation, a shot of bourbon once a day. Mom had never tasted liquor. We had to disguise it in a large glass of juice to get her to take it. She only did it for a few days. I am not sure how we disposed of the bottle, she didn't want it thrown in the trash for anyone to see, I think we buried it out in the backyard.

She used a "cuss word" one time, that I know of. When Dad retired from practice, he went to work for Blue Shield, had an assistant, car and all. He used to travel around the state, attending local Medical Association Meetings,  "imploring" Doctors to NOT abuse health insurance. Mom used to ride with Dad on his trips. On one occasions, his assistant Nelson accompanied them and did the driving. During the drive, my Mom commented, "I've noticed there are not as many "bastards" on the road when Nelson drives." A rare outburst from my Mother.

She is buried next to my Father at the old Wilkins Corners Cemetery, a spot she has occupied since they married, many years ago, next to his side. I truly wish I had gotten to know her better. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

A Mothers Day Tale

Thomas Prusik-Parkin & Mhilton RimoloJust when you think you've heard it all, a man goes and dresses up like his dead mother -- for six years -- in order to continue cashing in on her Social Security benefits.

Thomas Prusik-Parkin was in court yesterday for allegedly collecting over $115,000 of his deceased mother Irene's government benefits after she died in 2003.

How did he do it? Well, first, he reportedly changed Irene's death certificate, adding a fake Social Security number and birthday, making it seem like she was still alive. Then he went to the DMV to renew her driver's license -- dressed like her.

And then when people started growing suspicious of him during a real estate battle, he threw on a coat of nail polish, a red cardigan, and some lipstick and met with the DA's office.

Needless to say, Prusik-Parkin's ruse wasn't as rock solid as he thought. He and an accomplice -- Mhilton Rimolo, his "nephew" -- were indicted in 2009 on 47 counts, including grand larceny, forgery, conspiracy, and criminal impersonation.

Mother's Day 2012

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a holiday in honour of mothers that is celebrated in countries throughout the world. 

In its modern form the day originated in the United States, where it is observed on the second Sunday  in May. 

Many other countries also celebrate the holiday on this date, while some mark the observance at other times of the year. During the Middle Ages the custom developed of allowing those who had moved away to visit their home parishes and their mothers on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. This became Mothering Sunday in Britain, where it continued into modern times, although it has largely been replaced by Mother's Day.

Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, whose mother had organized women's groups to promote friendship and health, originated Mother's Day; on May 12, 1907, she held a memorial service at her late mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia. Within five years virtually every state was observing the day, and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday.