A Lobster for Mother’s day

Mother’s day draws near and while I often wonder why we set aside only one day to remember someone who gave us so much, for me it is a special time.

My mother died five years ago after al lengthy illness; however, my early memories of her see a strong and vital person who worked hard to give her family, there were only four of us, the best possible.

My mother did not like to cook and in truth was not all that good at it. My grandmother was and I honour her as well on this special day.

Nanny taught me much about cooking from how to boil water properly to how to bake a pie. Her lessons have remained with me over the years and often when I am working in the kitchen I think of her.

My wife had a strong relationship with her mother who died some six years ago. Both my wife and I are members of the local Rotary club. Wee joined because we believe in giving back to our community and the Rotary motto of Service before Self said it all.

One bonus and there have been a number, that has risen from our involvement with the club is the annual, Mothers Day lobster dinner. Mothers Day coincides with the opening of the lobster season on Canada’s east coast so a lobster dinner is an ideal match.

The event is well attended and the community appreciates the opportunity to purchase a lobster dinner with two salads, a roll and desert for a very good price that is well below what one would pay in a restaurant for the same meal.

The Rotary members gather an early in the afternoon to package the lobsters. There are a number of people who prefer to pick up and take out the dinner so we accommodate those as well as the people who choose to join us in the hall.

Now, I personally, do not like lobster but love the salads. My wife loves lobster so we switch she gives me her salads and I give her my lobster.

The dinner is a happy event and you can see the smiles and appreciate the laughter as families, sometimes crossing several generations, sit down and tuck in.

In my early teens, our family, my younger sister, my father, my mother and her mother used to go out for dinner on Mother’s Day. We went to a family restaurant along Lakeshore Boulevard. The restaurant is no longer there and I cannot remmebr the name but being part of the lobster dinner brings those memories to the surface and a smile to my face.