Wednesday, October 12, 2011

My mother, Steve Jobs, and the iPad -- part 2

My sister Mimi, who writes a fabulous blog called Messy Mimi, forwarded the picture at left. It's our Mother, marveling at an iPad last Christmas.

I'm sharing the photo because I've received so many kind comments over the past few days in response to my last post, Steve Jobs' impact on my 92-year-old mother. In the blog post, I shared the story of an afternoon I spent with my mother, who has Alzheimer's, in which I showed her video from her past on my iPad, all thanks (at least indirectly) to Steve Jobs.

My mother was thrilled at the video. And apparently the story touched a nerve with readers. Here are just a few of the comments I received:

"What a great story. Both my grandmothers learned to use computers on an iMac. That's a legacy in itself." -- Alison in CA

"That's really quite a story. My grandfather suffered from Alzheimer's, so I know firsthand how magical that day must've seemed to both you and your mother." -- Claudia

"DESDE..TLAXCALA. LE AGRADESCO. A STEVE JOBS POR LA TECNOLOGIA QUE HIZO POSIBLE." -- Zalraviveros

OK, I've got no idea what that last one meant, but I thought I'd throw it in anyhow.

I forgot to mention that my mother, for several decades before her Alzheimer's set in, was a fabulous painter. Every year, she would mail out hundreds of Christmas cards. The card featured a painting she'd done since the previous Christmas. She loved to paint country scenes, primitive furniture and stuff she collected at the Super Flea in Greensboro, which included tractor seats, Mrs. Butterworth bottles, potato mashers, pie birds, and a chicken feeder she used as an umbrella stand. My favorite painting/Christmas card of hers was an outhouse--with a wreath on its door. It sums up her country girl charm and wit beautifully, not to mention her talent for painting.

I'll be visiting my mother soon, and my hope is to get her to draw something on my iPad's screen using the Brushes app. I've even bought a special iPad paintbrush. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

15 comments:

  1. Very sweet story. I am sure that the recipients of those Christmas cards cherised them.

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  2. Thank you for sharing that awesome story. It warmed my heart. My mom passed from Alzheimer's in 1999. She would have liked it I think.

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  3. it's really good. you're love for your mum is wonderful. I adored my mum she passed this year. it hurts so much still, I still can't come to terms with it. have a look at my blog. bright yellow car, it was wrote with my father-in-law in mind, it was an exact conversation, me and my ex wife had with him.

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  4. I recently posted a fascinating video on my blog about Alzheimer's Artist's. My mama died at 51, so my encouragement to you is, enjoy every moment with your mama! And yes, having her use the ipad for art is an excellent idea! something you will cherish in years to come. Blessings!

    http://theconfidentartist.blogspot.com/2011/09/painting-in-twilight-artists-escape.html

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  5. What a wonderful artist your mother is. I hope painting with the iPad brightens her day, and yours! :)

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  6. An outhouse with a wreath on it! Now that's original. :)

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  7. The Spanish means "From Tlaxcala (a state in N. Mexico)...I'm thankful for Steve Jobs for the technology he has made possible."

    Hope this helps! Beautiful story.

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  8. This is a great continuation to a beautiful story! I was just going to translate the spanish comment for you, but I see that Bea already did it.

    The painting is wonderful. I really hope your mother is able to create something just as beautiful on the iPad.

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  9. You're a wonderful daughter. And that picture of the outhouse with the holiday wreath tells me buckets about your mother. I wish I was on her card list back then! I would have kept it.

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  10. Great story...makes me miss the Piggly Wiggly of my youth...oh and good ol Southern Fried Chicken.

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  11. This was a great story. glad I found it.

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