Mother S Day

Judy Seckler HORACE MANN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL -- Without the help of a fancy set of wheels or a cell phone, the students at Horace Mann Elementary School have big plans for their moms on this Mother's Day. "I'm going to go on Saturday and buy my mom a single red rose to surprise her," Armen Martirosyan, 10, said. He admitted she deserved more stuff, but he didn't have the time to go shopping because he had to study and do homework. "Actually, I don't like spending money.

Marshall Allen GLENDALE -- Carolyn Gordon, Jan Adduci and Winnie Calvario had a lot in common this Mother's Day: They each work in the rehabilitation department of Glendale Adventist Medical Center, are 38 and expecting their first baby. "People ask us, 'What's in the water?' " said Gordon, a physical therapist whose baby is due in July. Like any mothers-to-be, the women are full of excitement and some nervousness, especially because of their age. The women hear many myths and misconceptions about being pregnant at an older than usual age. Some people say older women are more likely to have babies with birth defects, or that they shouldn't exercise when pregnant, Gordon said.

GLENDALE — Visitors of Grand View Memorial Park will have an extra day to visit departed friends and family this month, thanks to the Glendale City Council. Grand View was originally scheduled to open this month on May 6 and 20, but the City Council's vote Tuesday added Sunday to the visitation days. Gates will open at noon and close at 4 p.m. — the same visiting hours since the city started visitation days in August. "It's an excellent move," said Palos Verdes resident Richard Stern, whose mother-in-law Geneva Hegemier was interred at Grand View in February, the first to be interred there since its legal troubles began in November 2005.

The gates of Grand View Memorial Park were open on Sunday after the Glendale City Council voted to add Mother's Day to the visitation days. The cemetery has been open for two Sundays per month since January but the City Council decided to give visitors an extra day for Mother's Day as a public service. For many visitors who came to pay their respects to their loved ones on Sunday, the cemetery was particularly difficult to bear because of its unkept and disheveled condition.

ON THE AGENDA The following items will be considered at Tuesday's Glendale City Council meeting: BOARD, PANEL APPOINTMENTS The City Council is scheduled to reappoint Housing Authority Member Laura Parazian as well as select nominating panels to reappoint or replace Design Review Board member Laura Friedman and Glendale Water & Power Commissioner Ruben Rubi. WHAT TO EXPECT Council will likely make the appointments and select the committees. GRAND VIEW FOR MOTHER'S DAY The council will vote whether to open Grand View Memorial Park on May 13, 2007, for Mother's Day. The cemetery, due to alleged improper practices, was shut down in late 2005 and is now operated by the city two Sundays each month, which would make May 13 the third Sunday of the month.

La Cañada resident and author Pauli Dutton will be reading from her work, When Daughters Fly: A Book For Mom, as part of a Tell It Like It Was performance, "This Magic Moment," which will take place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave. in Altadena. Also reading will be Pauli's husband Richard Dutton, Jean and Irwin Aichelee, Nancy Reas, Elizabeth Salvinski, Shona and Rob Stirbl, and Jacquie Townsend. Tell It Like It Was, an autobiographical writing and performing group, is open to new members.

DAN KIMBER Forgive me this personal note, but it's long overdue. Dear Mom, After 50-plus Mother's Day cards I've given you over the years, I'd like to say, here and now, what none of them ever did. I really should say "we," because your other sons join me in this. We've had so many talks over the years about just how great we think you are, and we all agree that it's time we let you in on it. First off, there are the thank-yous we owe you. Thanks for having us. If there was some Central Plan for how we all got here, we're very glad that you were chosen to bring us into this world.

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON "Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children." William Makepeace Thackeray There is no way to write about mothers and Mother's Day without knowing that while it is a wonderful and joyous celebration for many, it can a painful reminder of loss for others. I also know that many people, including fathers, grandparents and others, have taken a mother's role in the lives of countless people, and they too deserve recognition.

Valentine's Day is coming. And you know what that means. Lots of exciting, passionate, thrilling talk about possessives -- specifically, the use of possessives in holiday names. (If you know something I don't here, it's probably best that you don't mention it.) All across the nation, couples will come together this Valentine's Day to explore questions such as: Is there an apostrophe in Valentine's Day and where does it go? Is it the same for Saint Patrick's Day? Because that's coming up too and we still haven't figured out whether an apostrophe belongs in Presidents Day. And what about Mother's Day?

One evening last week, I found myself completely exhausted. This is not always true at 5 p.m. But as I glanced at the clock, I felt a tinge of envy as I thought of my friends who are either single or have older children. I often hear of them going to bed early when they are tired. But alas, I myself had dinner to cook, dishes to wash, three baths to oversee, homework to help with, lunches to pack and clothes to set out for the next day. I was worn out and reflected upon how Mother's Day is approaching.

Not long ago I wrote a column about how sometimes in terms like “teachers' union” and “homeowners' policy” the apostrophe is optional. If you really mean that the first noun possesses the second, an apostrophe makes sense. But if the first noun is intended as more of an adjective, you can often drop it: teachers union, homeowners policy. The column prompted an interesting response from a reader named Mary, who wanted know how the lesson applied to a recent document she had helped produce that made reference to Founders' Day, complete with apostrophe.

Mothers. Can't live with them. Wouldn't exist without them. Because asexual reproduction works only with certain species of frogs and turkeys. But beyond the biological oddities and the curious need to take away my drinking glass before I'm done with it, I still can't figure you mothers out. Seriously. You get one day a year to be pampered and served, given your choice to do anything you desire, and what do you want? I asked some of you, and here is what I heard back.

Mother?s Day. It?s a tough time for me. But I am surrounded by love. I like the presents. This year, Rachel gave me a lavender plant, in a beautiful pot. When I look at it, I think of her. And in my purse, I still have the pen, the one that Andrew gave me for Mother?s Day, the year before he died. On Mother?s Day I think about both my children. This year, there are other concerns. The economy. Our quest to fix things. To repair the world, one disease at a time. ?

Five years ago, Debra Collins didn’t care much for Mother’s Day. She had other things to worry about — like finding a place to sleep. She spent some nights a Wal-Mart parking lot. and others on the living room couch of her crystal meth dealer. This Mother’s Day, however, Collins joined more than a dozen other mothers (all of whom were recently homeless) who volunteered to cook and serve free breakfasts at PATH Achieve Glendale, a transitional housing facility and homeless support center.

Frances Bissias of La Cañada was recently named Mother of the Year 2007 by the Philoptohos Society of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles. The organization hosted over 600 mothers, their families and guests at its "Songs My Mother Taught Me " Mother's Day celebration at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The highlight of the event was the introduction of Mother of the Year 2007 by Helen Lambros, who praised Bissias' many contributions to church and community over the last 40 years.

The gates of Grand View Memorial Park were open on Sunday after the Glendale City Council voted to add Mother's Day to the visitation days. The cemetery has been open for two Sundays per month since January but the City Council decided to give visitors an extra day for Mother's Day as a public service. For many visitors who came to pay their respects to their loved ones on Sunday, the cemetery was particularly difficult to bear because of its unkept and disheveled condition.

GLENDALE — Visitors of Grand View Memorial Park will have an extra day to visit departed friends and family this month, thanks to the Glendale City Council. Grand View was originally scheduled to open this month on May 6 and 20, but the City Council's vote Tuesday added Sunday to the visitation days. Gates will open at noon and close at 4 p.m. — the same visiting hours since the city started visitation days in August. "It's an excellent move," said Palos Verdes resident Richard Stern, whose mother-in-law Geneva Hegemier was interred at Grand View in February, the first to be interred there since its legal troubles began in November 2005.

ON THE AGENDA The following items will be considered at Tuesday's Glendale City Council meeting: BOARD, PANEL APPOINTMENTS The City Council is scheduled to reappoint Housing Authority Member Laura Parazian as well as select nominating panels to reappoint or replace Design Review Board member Laura Friedman and Glendale Water & Power Commissioner Ruben Rubi. WHAT TO EXPECT Council will likely make the appointments and select the committees. GRAND VIEW FOR MOTHER'S DAY The council will vote whether to open Grand View Memorial Park on May 13, 2007, for Mother's Day. The cemetery, due to alleged improper practices, was shut down in late 2005 and is now operated by the city two Sundays each month, which would make May 13 the third Sunday of the month.

La Cañada resident and author Pauli Dutton will be reading from her work, When Daughters Fly: A Book For Mom, as part of a Tell It Like It Was performance, "This Magic Moment," which will take place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave. in Altadena. Also reading will be Pauli's husband Richard Dutton, Jean and Irwin Aichelee, Nancy Reas, Elizabeth Salvinski, Shona and Rob Stirbl, and Jacquie Townsend. Tell It Like It Was, an autobiographical writing and performing group, is open to new members.

After missing my mom's birthday, I was not about to miss Mother's Day. This became especially true after I overheard a couple of strangers at Starbucks talking about what they had done for their moms. Thanks to the unwitting good Samaritans, I was warned early enough to be able to buy some white jasmines and visit my mom. I may be coming across as a bit inconsiderate, but that's really not the case. Really. First, I am skeptical of these special-day celebrations. We have them for everyone and everything.