Memories with your mother?

What a topic. My mother was my best friend, my attorney, my life guide. She was my role model. One of my fondest memories of her is when we would sit in the backyard and do crossword puzzles together. Then the shopping. Going into the city every Saturday together. Walking through the garment district and watching her bargain with the merchants. These activities I realize now were learning experiences. From her I learned to love the written word and also took on some negotating skills.

My two sisters used to take off to play and leave me behind. Mom would come outside to play with me, and we would jump rope. She would hold it and we both would jump inside together. Then we would take turns. "Down in the valley where the green grass grows, there sat Jodi as sweet as a rose, along came a boy, and kissed her on the cheek, how many kisses did she get in a week?" Oh, such fun! I also have a lot of memories in the kitchen with Mom. I would help her do the canning from the garden. Beets and tomatoes were my favorite to do, because the skins just slipped right off. It would start a whole giggle match. We would try to "shoot" each other with the beets.