• Me in '23

    Steel magnolias

    Thank goodness my mother was a saver. And not just those ubiquitous plastic margarine tubs, Ziplock bags and, well, actual money — after all, this is the woman who shamelessly tucked envelopes of garage sale profits inside her favorite designer jackets. Her “mad money,” as she called it. Luckily, she told her three daughters about the secret stash of closet cash before she died. Even 15 years later since she passed on this day in 2008, Mom still manages to surprise me. As Daughter #3, I knew my mother had kept mementos of me: a lock of hair, old baby shoes and all of my K-12 report cards. Much to…