Mom Beth C.T.

Four years ago...midnight, We lost Mom Trafton.  She was a complicated woman, a challenge. She was so opinionated and passionate. When she got something stuck in her craw...it was hard for her to let it go.  Yes, it's safe to say that we butted heads many times over the years, albeit my head butts were done with respect.

As mad as I could be with this woman, I respected her to the moon and back. She is a survivor of the Great Depression and old enough to remember how difficult times really were. How many young women in the 40's took off to start a life on their own? She was a school teacher who stopped off in Arizona for a teaching gig...then proceeded to California. She was FORMIDABLE!

There are many times I was irritated with her...like the time I was doing my business in the bathroom and she comes through TWO closed doors to talk to me....yeah, I'm sitting on the throne, looking up at her as she's asking questions.  I was not a happy camper! But you know, no matter how irritated I was, I loved her.  I loved that she was southern and sassy.  She made a badass Pecan Pie....who am I kidding...she made badass food! We loved chatting recipes, and we chatted about what we would do to change her home if we had the money.

She did not treat me like a Daughter-in-law...she treated me like her daughter. I am her daughter. I remember the day she told me that she was putting my name on her home.  I told her that it wasn't necessary, and her son's name alone would be just fine...but she insisted and I felt so humbled that she loved me so much.

It turned out to be fortuitous. Maybe she knew something I didn't.  She was smart about it though. On her deathbed, knowing that we could kick her ex-husband (who lived with her) out of the house...she made me promise to make sure he would have a home...either there or in Foresthill, and I did.

I remember after she passed, when we settled on the division of our assets, and I got her home....the Ex asked me "Why don't you just sell it?" It probably would've been the right decision, as I now owned the home outright, and there was no debt. But I knew that this was the chance she and I had to see all those changes we talked about come to fruition.  The house appraised at $114,000 on a slightly bigger 1/2 acre lot. It was in deplorable shape and anyone purchasing it would be doing it for the property and bulldozing the house. I gutted it and started over.  I'm glad I did.  It was the right decision on many levels.

There are many nights when I have a cold drink in my hand, and I walk the property...looking at the changes, and remembering her...knowing she'd really like this house (although there's no room for all the hoarding that people of the Great Depression often do).  I feel blessed that it's mine.  It is a gift from her, and yes...from my Ex.

I will never forget this remarkable woman.  Thanks Mom. I miss you...and I'm so happy that true love never dies.