A bucket from Kentucky Fried Chicken.
That’s the annual Mother’s Day tradition for Orefield resident Linda Fasching and her mother, Ruthann.
“So nobody has to cook,” Linda said.
“Keep From Cooking — KFC,” joked her husband Joe.
The chicken and time with Linda’s mother would come later Sunday. In the morning, the Faschings and several other families went to the restaurant Madeline’s in Upper Macungie Township to enjoy the Mother’s Day brunch buffet.
The poor weather Sunday couldn’t keep residents from visiting and celebrating Mother’s Day in the banquet room — or at a number of other area restaurants — with offerings from the buffet’s menu, which included prime rib, baked ham, pasta primavera, French toast casserole, scrambled eggs and pastries.
“It feels good,” Madeline’s staffer Zepporah Zotter said of helping set up the brunch. “I love being able to serve people, help them out and give them some good food. It’s nice that people get to come out and enjoy the day and whatnot. It’s a good time.”
Linda Fasching went to the brunch with both her husband and their 28-year-old son, Nick. She said she was happy to get the gifts that she did, including tulips, mums and a gift card for a spa treatment.
The time with her family is most important, Fasching said, adding that she was thankful she could still celebrate the holiday with her mother.
“Life is too short,” she said.
Mother’s Day is easier to enjoy these days than it was before, according to Joe. He recalled one time when a waitress yelled at Nick, who was about 4 at the time, for bumping into her while she carried hot coffee.
“Then we stopped going out for a while,” he said to his family’s laughter.
In a corner of the banquet room, the family of 95-year-old Clarice Forbes of Allentown showered her with well wishes, hugs, kisses and flowers.
Forbes, who worked as a nurse for 55 years in California, said she couldn’t possibly ask for any other gift, as being with loved ones “means a great deal.”
“I’m just happy to be with my daughter [Kim Melideo of Lynn Township] and her family,” she said.
Melideo, who received a new purse and cooler for Mother’s Day, said, “Especially since [my mother is] 95, it’s very special to be all together — and get her out of the house.”
At the opposite corner sat Coopersburg resident Christy Pearre and her 11-year-old son, Ethan, who very much appreciated that he could celebrate with his mother.
“It’s great,” he said. “It’s amazing because she raised me. She really taught me everything I know, and now I feel like it’s great that I can celebrate with her and acknowledge her for what she’s done.”
“[The holiday is] special because mothers play such an important role, my own mother [Sandy] too, in your upbringing,” Christy said. “Always there for you.”
Diana Sagl of Upper Macungie Township, who ate brunch with her husband, Dennis, and son, Matthew, values Mother’s Day for how it brings her children back home, as the three of them — Matthew, Lauren and Nicole — all live out of town.
“We don’t see them that much anymore,” she said.
When asked what Mother’s Day means to her, and how it feels to celebrate with her family, it didn’t take long for Orefield resident Carla Stiles to feel emotional.
“I consider it very, very, very fortunate,” she said through tears, as she is dealing with health issues.
Kevin, her husband, had joined Carla for brunch at Madeline’s alongside their son Alex.
“I’m happy to be here each and every day, and with my guys,” Carla said.
Carla explained that, in previous years, her family celebrated Mother’s Day by serving her breakfast in bed, which could include scrambled eggs, a casserole and even champagne.
Kevin said Mother’s Day is a highlight of the year and that it was a blessing they could celebrate the holidays.
“She’s been a great mother,” he said.
“It’s great to be able to come to celebrate her and show appreciation,” Alex added.
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