She would be 100 years old today. March 18th is our mother’s birthdate. She was never much interested in disclosing the year of her birth. I do think though, if she’d been granted more than 52 years of life and she had lived to 100 years, she’d crow about it.
Mom was born in a section house (a company house for railroad workers-usually section foreman) in McLean, SK on March 18, 1922. I wish I’d asked her more questions about her life, or maybe it’s more accurate to say wish I’d listened more when she told stories of her life.
Her given name was Clarice Marie Mish and she never much cared for her first name. She signed her name as Claire instead. Her childhood was spent in Wolseley, SK and much of it during the depression when money was scarce. Add to that her father was very seriously injured in a freak accident leaving her mother, a Polish immigrant, to raise 6 children by cleaning homes, working in the laundry at the “old folks” home and squeezing every dollar until it cried out for mercy.
She was the best of moms to three daughters, a hard working wife and partner on a small mixed farm in southern Saskatchewan and someone who found joy in the everyday of life. She had so many sayings that we carried with us into adulthood and now our children carry into theirs and so it goes.
Happy Birthday Mom
Barb's True Stories 
What a lovely and sweet, tribute, Barb. And what a nice photo of your very pretty mother! One thing I know for sure, just as you are proud of your mom, she would be ever so proud of you, your sisters, and her grandchildren.
Thank you Cheryl. She didn’t live long enough to meet any of her grandchildren. I know she would have been a loving grandmother.
That is a Beautiful tribute to Your Dear Sweet Mom. Gone to soon, but thought of often with Love and Laughter.
Hugs Barb
Love Kerry