It’s a weird day today. I’m swamped at work, I feel unrested from the weekend respite, described below, and today is the day that would be my Mom’s birthday if she were here.

So, rather than dwell in the mourning and depression that unfortunately clouded her life and still causes, I think, everyone in our family to pause now and again, I want to declare today officially:

PAT DAY!

Go out, do something slightly unconventional, question authority, help someone in need, and later on, say something so sarcastic and cutting, but truthful and witty, that it causes the listener a bit of an intake of breath.

These are the things I learned from my Mom.

TO PAT! (Who would have been 75 today, and even as a ghost may not forgive me for publishing her age. I can’t even imagine what the retribution would be were she dwelling in this mortal coil.)