My Mommy ~ The Pearl of Poland

Here is a little tribute to my 85 year old Mom, Rosie Miller, who lives in Pennsylvania. My father died 14 years ago last April [they were married 50 years]& she really has never gotten over it. Actually, her personality changed quite dramatically after he died. I think Daddy must have kept her in line more than we knew! Mom has been rewriting family history for many years now, changing things to suit her --- she has done this since before she became old, but it has really become an art form in her later years. Sure wish she would make me sound better, rather than worse! She has very strong opinions, likes and dislikes. Her childhood was sad in many ways, which I might go into at a later date., but I’m sure it affected her personality. She has always “played favorites” with her children (3 of us) and also her grandchildren. As a little kid (they used to call me "the middle one"), I was the lucky chosen one, probably because of the many operations & hospital stays I had. After I left PA. at 19 years, I lost favor and have been odd man out ever since. That is also another story for another time. Mommy is a pretty interesting character. She has macular degeneration (blindness) and has only slight peripheral vision in one eye, total blindness in the other, but still runs her hardware store. As you can see from the videos, she smokes her little black cigarettes most waking hours. She works in her store 6 days a week, and I believe the only days the store was ever closed down (for regular business hours) was after President John F. Kennedy was shot and after my father died. She always used to say that she was the brawn and Dad was the brains of the outfit. (Some day I’ll do a tribute to my father, but I need to be in Phx since that's where our scanner is.) Mom has in fact commented that the store is her reason for being alive...so sad. When not working in her store, she is always working around her house/flower beds & I don’t know how she can tell a weed from a flower, but she can. Also, she always puts her leftovers out for the deer and other critters that hang around her place. Her bird feeder is regularly visited (& ruined!) by bears, but she won’t stop feeding the birds. She is a very stubborn lady. Mom also has a pretty unique style of dress. She has worn culottes and print knee socks to work for as long as I can remember. Also generally wears a vest so she can carry her cigarettes and tape measure with her at all times. The picture with 3 of us in is Mom, my cousin Mary from Indiana and I'm the one with the ponytail. So, with no more fanfare, here are some pics and videos of my Mom, Rosie Posie The Pearl of Poland. Enjoy and God bless your day. love, Cassie