Broc Rocks Broccoli Blog

Found something so incredibly important to me, but thought I'd never see this Jade pendant ever again. So when I saw it, it was like I couldn't believe it.

It was summer in San Francisco, 1992 and my mother had come all the way from Denmark to California for a visit. (That has its own stories, trust me, lol.)

I was a nanny to two, cute half Asian/half Roma Gypsy toddlers, named Gregory and Geoffrey. Both of them had thick black hair. They loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a little more when I made mini pizzas for them. I knitted sweaters for them both.

During the week they went everywhere with me, to parks, San Francisco Zoo, Golden Gate Park, playgrounds, Stonestown Galleria Mall.
We rode busses, with the bulky folded up stroller and diaper bag. We were the stereotype of nanny with two children and full gear, with plain Cheerios in sandwich bag, mowing up into busses. So glad we didn't have social media then, lol.
But, I'd do it all over again It was a good time and I was with the family for as long as possible.

I was still watching boys during the week, while my mom was visiting, and we still managed to show her many things.

My mother was so funny...
I was used to the house on Balboa Street, that also happened to be a bus route. My mother paid attention to EVERYTHING.
The funniest thing was, while I was with the boys in the house, that were playing with their toys, my mother said, about the plush light blue carpet, "I think I will be SEASICK! How can you walk on this carpet??" 😂

I laughed and brushed it off. "Oh, Oh!" She exclaimed. "Must be American carpets, makes you feel like you're tipsy and wobbling, about to fall over!" 😂

My Mom, I swear .. 😂

One day we were in Chinatown in San Francisco. I think my mom's senses exploded with stimuli. She wanted to see EVERYTHING.

We didn't go to Chinatown specifically to buy a Jade pendant, but we somehow ended up inside a store. They came in all price ranges.

There was a sweet Chinese lady that explained that Jade pendant is believed to protect the bearer and bring good health and good fortune.
I mother decided right then and there that she was buying one for me.

The Chinese lady said to pick one with more green in it. After she rung it up, she blessed it in Chinese, she bowed her head and said it was custom.

I haven't seen this pendant in over a decade, and I had begun to think I had misplaced it, I'd lost it. It was 30 years ago. It was in the wind and I'd never find it.

Then somehow I found it and it took me back to the day when my mother bought it for me to bring good health and long life.
It was a very special moment, etched into my mind. I didn't ask for one, but she decided I should own one. There was a look of warmth and motherly love on her face.

I don't know what to say other than it feels like my mother is saying "hello" from Heaven.

I thought I had the strictest mom, but I didn't. She lived by a set of morals, honor and trust. I wasn't even 10 when she first told me about No Regrets. I can hear her saying these words, clear as day, as if she were next to me right now.