Mom Says, So You Have To

I have one of those mothers who thinks it's more meaningful to be visited by her children on Mother's Day than on Christmas or her birthday (she actually told us that).

Of course, when you produce six children, and six daughters at that, I suppose there isn't a more important day to celebrate yourself.

So I always spend Mother's Day on the Northern Neck being the respectful oldest daughter.

This year's trip to the river had a twofold purpose though, because with the recent demise of the beagle, here, it was time to bury his effects and say one last goodbye.

He loved visiting out there; my parents have several acres on the Rappahannock and there was plenty of room for him to run and large shade trees to nap under.

He and I had visited just ten days before his last day and even in his dotage, he'd seemed absolutely content napping in the sun on the porch all afternoon.

The only time he was ever unpopular on a visit was once in his youth when he bounded out of the car and took off like a shot, only to return less than a minute later proudly carrying a dead baby rabbit in his mouth.

My mother, who had been sending me updates on the mother rabbit and her new brood, was understandably upset.

The beagle was mystified at our reaction; his instinct had betrayed him and it was clear he didn't know what he'd down wrong.

But it was the last time he did any hunting at the river.

Two of my five sisters also made the trek down from Maryland, so there was a fair amount of reminiscing ("Remember when she hitchhiked to the beach in her bare feet?" about one of the absent sisters) and sarcasm ("It's a chopped salad but we don't usually use a bread knife to cut tomatoes," to yours truly about her knife skills).

You know, that sort of sisterly affection where the aim is to insult with humor, but always to get your dig in.

Meanwhile, my mom sits there smiling, but reminding us to stop talking about sisters who aren't present and to please be nice, just like she's been doing since we were old enough to talk.

In fact, I believe that's why she wants us to come down for Mother's Day.

I think her idea of celebrating herself is just having us around so she can do what she does best, which is mother us.

Good daughter that I attempt to be, I'm more than happy to oblige.