"The Gardner?"

Happy Family Matters

Written by daughter, B. Marie

2/22/24 10:16 AM  

Mom often asks about two people and two people only. The Gardner and her son-in-law, Angelo. We are flattered that Mom thinks the establishment in which she resides comes with a gardener. Why not? It has two servants who wait on her hand and foot, so why not a Gardener? And while we're at it, let's throw in a housekeeper, a concierge nurse, a beautician, a seamstress, and a local door-to-door arabber!

But who is this mystery Gardener she keeps talking about? I hate to break it to her, but sometimes I have to advise her, "We have no Gardener, Mom." "We don't?" Mom replies, quite surprised. I continue, "You're referring to Angelo, your son-in-law, who happens to tend to our flowers, vegetable gardens, and does all the yard work." "Oh, so he's the one cutting the grass outside my window." Mom responds, chuckling. "Yes, he's the one," I responded, laughing too.

It's ironic that Angelo's mother-in-law refers to him as the Gardener. He's the one who tolerated me during our travels across state lines as we went to great lengths to find the ideal home needed to accommodate Mom. He's also the one who actually sketched out the landscape design for the front of our home prior to the move to Pennsylvania. He organized and managed the move, including breaking down the furniture, packing the boxes (with my help, of course), and carrying everything into the moving pod.