Bonnie wants a rebuttal

She's not dead yet! Or even close!

I’ve mentioned that one of the primary reasons I wanted to move back to the Midwest is to be closer to my mother, Bonnie Hartman. You know, in case she get’s sick or needs help or something. Mom will be 75 soon and isn’t sick and doesn’t need help or anything. And although she never remarried after my father passed away almost 32 years ago, she’s a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself thank you very much. She wanted to point that out to me. And to you.

Of course, I know that. But one of the best pieces of advice I got while contemplating this move was to spend time with your parents when they are well and can do fun things with you. Before they get sick or need help. My current boss, who lost her own mother in a tragic accident, told me that a few months ago even though she knew it meant she might lose me.

I love spending time with my mom. She’s fun. She’s always up for an adventure and generously donates her time and sewing skills to my pet charities and friends. If you’ve met her, you’re probably a recipient of one of her quilts, aprons, masks, jars of peach jam or favorite Amazing Grace-scented perfume or lotion. I won the lottery when it comes to moms.

I’m also lucky that a major health issue or accident is not the primary reason for this move. Thus, I hereby set the record straight by allowing her this guest column.

~ Holli

From Bonnie:

Well, Holli keeping me on the edge goes back years!!! I didn’t get this gray hair because of anything I myself did!!!  When she graduated from Iowa State years ago and worked for a few years at the Des Moines Register everything was so good. I could buzz down there, do my visit, spend a few hours at Prairie Meadows and go happily home. THEN she decided to go to law school. Denver was chosen over Iowa (boo hoo)(she was wait listed at Iowa) and off she went. Ok, she will be gone 3 years and she will come back. After all I had her cat, Shug. I have always said once you go to Denver, you never leave. Sun shines every day, so many things for my daughter to do. She loves concerts, culture, bars and makes new friends every day.   So -- I was sad when she stayed!!!

Several years ago she started talking about coming back. She had several reasons and one of them was ME!!!!  Haha!! About time!!!! Haha!! The girls all got concerned about me as I visibly aged every time they saw me. I am in reasonably good health for a “chubby” person. 🤪🤪. But I am not an idiot -- loved that idea that they think I might get sick and need them or for heaven’s sakes DIE😩. If only I would have fallen down the stairs or tripped over a string on my carpet and got this process going years earlier!!! What an idiot I am. 🤪🤪🤪🤮

But hey!!!! It is now our turn to have her close!!! I am 3 hours away, Missy is a short airplane ride and Melanie is 3 hours away!!! More Hartmanfests for us!!! This process has been so fun. I know she was stressed through a lot of this but sending my friend Diane Struecker and me ( The Old Ladies Traveling House Hunters) to look at a house in Rochester for her and then telling her she should buy it was like SO MUCH FUN!! And she listened!!

So soon the actual process begins!  I just have to remind myself that I am a visitor and not a live in family member!!! Like I wanna live near the Mayo Clinic?!  I am not 90 yet❤️❤️❤️  I would invite you all to visit, but it is not my house nor my place to do that. But come on up anytime and share this wonderful new experience of turning her into a Minnesota Gopher.  She already qualifies as an Iowa State Cyclone and a Wisconsin Badger. 

Happy Mom and sisters here!!!!

~ Bonnie