She glanced my way, giving me just a moment to see a sparkle in her eye. With a smile, Mom shrugged her shoulders. "The things I do for my kids," she drained her glass in one gulp and nodded.

An hour later, glasses refilled and bellies full, Kelly and I were down in her workspace; our former basement. The walls were newly painted and now holding clippings from various fashion magazines. Several sizing mannequins and sewing machines were residing now where my first dark room used to be. Oh well, C'est la vie.

"They're right over here," she said as she grabbed a rolling garment rack and flipped through the...