My mother died in her sleep after she went to bed on the night of November 11, 2014. I remember her with some photos from fond memories of I have of her, and some photos that predate my birth:
Mom is wearing her “Partridge Family bus” blouse
Standing outside Finlandia-talo (Finlandia Hall) on June 22, 2000 when Mom visited me during my summer studying in Helsinki
During her visit we took a trip north to Lapland and Mom is standing next to the train station in Kemijärvi
Taking a woodsy walk around Kemijärvi
At Joshua Tree National Park
Mom and Dad shortly after their wedding
Mom as a teen at Christmas
Since her death I have assumed the role of baker of shortbread cookies. I started baking this past Sunday, November 7 and combined with baking nights on Monday and Wednesday (last night) I have filled 11½ tins. Last year, when COVID kept everything shut and everyone inside, I had the time on my hands to bake 49 tins. I know that with places opening up, stores allowing in-person shopping again, the Y back open and the Mississauga Scrabble Club resuming operations that I will not have the time to make that many cookies this year. It saddens me (a bit) and relieves me (if I am honest) to know that I will have a reduced baking quota this year. This chart shows my annual shortbread cookie tin count since 2015:
| Year | Number of Shortbread Cookie Tins I Made |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2017 | 31 (I found an incomplete list; but at least 31) |
| 2018 | 39 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2020 | 49 |