So today I was listening and humming along with some of Amy's songs when her version of "Big Yellow Taxi" came on. I was immediately whisked away from my day job and back into my childhood.
Fall 1994:
Mom and I drive around town running various errands in our Station Wagon. I'm probably dressed in something like brightly colored leggings, a festive fall sweater, hair in a side pony tail or double french braids. The soundtrack to this outing, is the recently released albumn "House of Love." About 3/4 of the way through "Big Yellow Taxi" we park at our intended destination, Michaels (possibly MJ Designs), but we still have some 'mmmm, bop bop bop bop'ing to do before the song is over. We sit in the car and sing the rest of the song at the top of our lungs. People can probably hear us in the parking lot, but we don't care. It's a beautiful, crisp fall day and we are together and singing. It doesn't get much better than that. We head into the store and gather our things. I think mom even let me pick out one of these silly animal figurines I was obsessively collecting at the time.
It's a really specific memory. Just a regular day. But lovely. A simple, yet perfect snapshot of how I think of my relationship with my mom. It makes me miss being a kid and really makes me excited to have my own kids one day. I hope I can be half the mom she is.
I may have teared up at work today remembering this. I'm so excited for her and my dad to come visit in a little less than a month. I miss them.
"With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot."
