Thursday, May 28, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM--DEMETRA ALLENDER!!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM--DEMETRA ALLENDER!!!
My Mom is 70 years old today. Still beautiful, smart, savvy, with the same wicked sense of humor that lets me know she's always a few steps ahead of me.
My Mom grew up in a household with her generous, kind Mom who I called Yia-Yia(I've referenced my Yia-Yia(Greek for Grandmother)--Georgia Chiboucas--numerous times in this blog, over the past few years)and her Dad--Nick C.--a smart, ambitious man who unfortunately lived as an alcoholic most of his life. My Mom never complained though. Instead, she told great stories of her brother, two sisters, and her spending numerous days fishing, running around at the beach, and even running around in their front yard, spraying the water-hose at each other(Every child shirtless, in underwear. Those were innocent days, when a child was safe in their front yard, shirtless, in underwear).
My Mom grew up loving dogs, and she carried this love for dogs into her marriage with her husband, John.When I was around 7, we got a German Shepherd puppy. My Mom and Dad later became active in the German Shepherd Dog Club of Tampa, and for years, my Mom was the Mom to not only sis Tina and me, but our doggie-siblings, too!
It was a lively household, and one where education was emphasized, and where we were supported, and always lifted-up, by Mom, her faith(she was raised Greek Orthodox, and converted to Roman Catholic)and her faith in us.
I can't believe she's 70 (people still say we look like sisters--and if I resemble her--then that's a real compliment to me!), because she is still all-Mom, all-the-time!
Thanks for your love and encouragement, Mom. I know I haven't always made it easy for you!
If you are fortunate enough to still have your Mom, then, in honor of my Mom--give her a hug, and a phone-call, today!
Photo Credits:
Photo of Mom, by Hansoo. Celebrating her birthday a bit early at our house, on Sunday, May 24th, 2009.
Photo of Mom and me, in Atlanta at a photo shoot with L.A.-based photographer, Kelsey Edwards on August 5th, 2007. I was having head shots made, and Ms. Edwards kindly included both Hansoo, and my Mom, in some of the shots!



21 comments:

Collin Kelley said...

Send her my love and birthday wishes. That is a fabulous photo of you two.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Collin--Hi there! I'll pass along your love & good wishes!Thank you for the compliment--Photographer Kelsey Edwards really helped us feel at ease.

New Yorker wannabes said...

Chronia Polla! Health and happiness for your mother!! You look exactly like her Lisa.

Have a great day! Greetings from Greece :)

xoxo

Georg said...

Bonjour Lisa,

Yes, there is definitely a likeness between both of you.

So happy birthday and a long and happy life from here on.

Demetra must be the modern version of the Greek goddess Demeter, the Earth Goddess. Splendid name.

Georg

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Marianna--Hi to Greece! Thank you for the compliment, Marianna!
One of my dreams is to visit Greece with my Mom.
Georg--I love my Mom's name, too. She has only used it this latter half of her life, as she was called "Little Nonie"(pronounced in English:No-Nee) and then simply "Nonie" for many years(after a Thea(Greek for Aunt) named "Big Nonie" called her "Little Nonie").
Thanks for saying we share a likeness.
M.Riyadh Sharif--Thank you. She'll love reading this note from you.

Karen J. Weyant said...

Happy Birtday! What a beautiful picture! (It's not hard to take a beautiful picture when you have beautiful people!)

BTW: Here is my new blog (Blogger was bad, I had to move)

www.thescrapperpoet.wordpress.com

Word press should let you in -- you just have to wait moderation until I ok you! I didn't forget you; I'm just slowly making my rounds.

jmsjoin said...

Happy Birthday Mom
She is a good looking woman. The two of you are spitting images.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Hi Karen--Thank you for the birthday wishes for my Mom--Demetra!"...beautiful people." Wow, thank you.
Looking forward to reading your updated blog, The Scrapper Poet!!
Hi Average Patriot--My Mom's going to enjoy seeing all these birthday wishes and comments on how good-looking she is! Thank you for commenting!

Unknown said...

Good living keeps people looking and feeling young (I feel 30 myself ;)). I'll bet she makes a mean Bakklava :) Happy Birthday, Demetra.

DeadMule said...

Hi Lisa, Happy Birthday to your mom (a bit late).

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Hi Brother Tim, Thanks--my Mom always says "I don't drink, I don't smoke, gee, I don't have any fun..." She's kidding of course--she actually loves all kinds of wholesome stuff--gardening, cooking(she makes killer Greek cookies--kourabiedes(that's the powdered-sugar-dusted almond-cookies), etc, etc.), and walking/sunning/working-out.
btw, Brother Tim, Congrats to you & your wife on your cool new digs!
Hi Helen Losse of Dead Mule--Why, Thank you!!

Thorne said...

Birthday goodness!
Lisa, I've tagged you with a "7 random facts" meme at Thorne's World. If you care to play that's cool, but if not- that's okay, too!
Peace!

Anonymous said...

I am a little late. I hope your Mum had a wonderful birthday. Goodness, what a beautiful lady. The two of you together are stunning. Hope she had the loveliest of days!

Kate Evans said...

How lucky you are to have her. Beautiful pictures of the two of you.

(Thanks so much for the Goodreads review!!)

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Selma--Thank you as always, for all your sweetness!Mom will love seeing this!
Kate Evans--Thank you so much!
I was happy to pen a (mini) review of your novel, "For The May Queen"--I so enjoyed reading it!

Dustin Brookshire said...

Your mom is beautiful. It was great meeting her at your wedding!

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Dustin--Thank you, honey. I'm so fortunate to have such loving, supportive friends.

Jennie said...

My love to her. Please tell her that I miss her very much.

Jennie said...

My love to her. Please tell her that I miss her very much.

mens chains wholesale germany said...

If you are fortunate enough to still have your Mom, then, in honor of my Mom--give her a hug, and a phone-call, today! cheap wedding bands canada , cheap wedding bands australia ,