Long live the queen
I write a lot about my dad - his history and his influence on me. That’s often the way it goes when you lose a parent before their time. Writing, journaling - it’s how I keep his memory alive in both my mind and my heart. But my mom? She is the QUEEN. She was born and raised an hour’s drive from New York City - a far cry from the Midwestern cattle farm where I grew up. The daughter of a police chief and a homemaker, she enjoyed a childhood that included boat trips off Long Island and along the Hudson River. After high school, she attended trade school and earned a certificate in cosmetology. She worked the makeup counter at the Macy’s in White Plains and spent evenings with friends - going dancing, laughing and living a full, vibrant young life. But the tall, willowy brunette with the million-dollar smile - who once turned down an offer to appear in a toothpaste commercial - yearned for something more. That desire to spread her wings took her down the East Coast, even...
