Oh wait, she's dead.

Not sure if I've talked about this before here.
But this had happened a few more time of late and I do find it funny.
As I do most things except mean customers. 

As you all know my mom died when I was 13.
I got a new mom shortly after. 
So my new mom has been my mom longer than I ever had my birth mom in my life.

When my new mom came to live with us she told us to call her by her first name, Mary Ann. She said if you are comfortable with mom that is fine too, but she made it a point to tell us she was fine with her name and she understood that it could be difficult to say mom to her. So be it, Mary Ann she was from then on.

Now I refer to her as my mom so if I am speaking to someone I would say my mom did this or my mom said that.  You get the picture.
In the blog sometimes I will say my step mom only to differentiate for the story I am sharing that this is my 2nd mom.

Recently when I showed my parents 47th wedding anniversary pictures on Facebook someone sent me a note via messenger. It said, "I hope you don't mind me asking but it says your parents are celebrating 47 years of marriage. Aren't you 61?"   That made me laugh. She was indeed correct.
So I had to write back and explain that this was my 2nd mom etc.
Apparently, she looked at this post for several days before she had the courage to ask. She said, "I know it was nosey but you never ever said anything about a step mom or dad so I was very confused" 

This has happened a few times in my life.
Once when I went to a allergy doctor that my sister went to see. Oh my it was a real cluster !@#$

My sister and my cousin both went to this doctor. They loved the guy and this doctor really helped my sister with her seasonal allergies that I appeared to be suffering from as well. My sister Stephanie is not blood related. She and Mary Ann came to live with us after Dad married Mary Ann. Stephanie was 5-6 years old at the time. All of my sisters are just that, my sisters. I don't think of them any other way.

So sitting in the doctor's office he began to ask me questions about my family health history.
Does you father have any allergies? 
No.
How is your father's health? 
Very good.
Does your mom suffer from any allergies? 
No
How is your mother's health? 
Very good.
More questions then I realized what I had said a few questions before.

"No, wait, my mom is dead" I say laughing. Oops, so not good.
He put his pencil down on his clip board and looked up at me sternly.
"Pardon me?"
I said, "I'm sorry my mom died when I was very young, I automatically think of my step mom."  
He only nods, makes a grunt sound and goes back to the questions.
Fast forward to siblings.
We go through the same types of questions.
He asks if any have allergies. 
I say, "Why my sister Stephanie comes here to see you and we suffer from the same thing."  He nods and writes.
Then I realize she is not blood-related and say, "Ah, I'm sorry but Stephanie is really not my sister (not the best way to have said it) Stephanie is my step sister, sorry."

He puts down the board and says, let's skip this and go on with the exam. 
He seems so pissed off and I know me laughing while telling him didn't make him any better. But c'mon I laugh at everything, that was funny to me.
I know he thought I needed more mental help than allergy but c'mon it was 1982 at the time and didn't people have blended families like The Brady Bunch?

Now it is 1987 and it was right before I got my big job. I was working at this travel agency and my mom would stop in from time to time. Joe, the owner was a great guy to work for. Loved, loved, loved him! 
He was very theatrical and flamboyant. 
He was so fun and always singing in the office and just a happy lovely man.  One day he asked me something and I sure wish I could remember the question now to explain this story but I don't recall. I only recall his reaction.

But after he asked I replied, "Oh Joe my mom died." 
He shrieked loudly and held his hand to his chest and said, "She was just here. Why the hell did you come in today? Oh my God Peggy I am so sorry, she was so young.  Go home, do what you have to do!"  
He was coming to hug me and I began to laugh. 
I said, "Joe calm down, I'm sorry but my mom died in 1969" 
He stopped and just stared at me for a minute and then said, "who the hell is that lady that was here yesterday that you call your mom?"  
I told him my step mom.  He asked why I introduced her as my mom. 
I replied," because she is my mom." 
He walked to me and hit my arm. He told me I deserved that hit because he thought my mom just died and I came to work. I told him if it makes you feel better I can still go home.  He laughed and the office who was all staring at me in shock that my mom had died and I was at work were now all laughing.

Joe told that at my little going away party when I moved away for my new job. He now found it oh so funny.

This happened again yesterday.
We were discussing how celiac is often hereditary. I mentioned that my sister was suffering from some issues but refused to go GF to see if it would help, or be tested.  Then I realized, "Oh no, this isn't my "real" sister so I better just shut up. Luckily for me, they had more questions for me and I just dropped it.