My mom prefers that I celebrate her not with flowers, but with scotch.

Nineteen years ago, she came to visit me while I was studying abroad — and promptly asked if she could smoke a cigar on the bedroom balcony of my Italian apartment. I'd never seen her smoke a cigar in my life.

• She's been surprising me ever since.

Over the years, we've smoked cigars together in St. Peter's Square (the Italian cops lit them for us), in a quiet Venice piazza and at a cigar bar in Portland after the birth of my niece (her first grandchild).

I've watched her slurp down raw mussels on a fishing boat in the Gulf of Naples — something even the local fisherman don't do without a dose of lemon.

• She's fearless.

We're 29 years apart in age, but before long, she became my favorite travel companion.

These days, our adventures look a little different. I have two small kids, and most of my travels involve diaper bags and planning snacks.

But for special occasions, I still surprise Mom with a nice bottle of whiskey. (She says flowers make her sneeze.)

We're slowly turning Mother's Day whiskey tastings into our own tradition. Two years ago, we celebrated at Westland Distillery.

• I had my two-month-old strapped to my chest — baby's first whiskey tasting, I joked.

My mom's back in Seattle this weekend. And while dragging a toddler into a karaoke bar probably isn't on the agenda, we'll still sneak away for a little whiskey and adventure — just like old times.

Share this story

Holidays like Mother's Day can be especially difficult if you've lost a parent or a child.

A few local organizations and events aim to help people who have experienced that kind of loss.

The Healing Center in Seattle hosts grief support groups, including for adults who have lost a parent. Adult groups are free and held virtually, so they're open to anyone in Washington state.

The TEARS Foundation is holding a Bereaved Mother's Day event tomorrow at its center in Puyallup (details here). The organization also offers virtual support groups and other resources for grieving parents.

Waves of Grief Collective will host its monthly gathering at Golden Gardens at 9:30am Sunday. People are invited to bring their own gear and swim, surf or boogie board on the water — or simply wade in.

• The event is free, but registration is requested.

💰 Three billionaires are reportedly bidding to buy the Seahawks: Celtics investor Aditya Mittal, former Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, and 49ers minority owner Vinod Khosla.

• The team is valued at $6.59 billion but is expected to sell for significantly more. (Sportico)

A new University of Washington report raises questions about how sexual assault allegations are investigated at Tacoma's Northwest ICE Processing Center, citing 172 reported incidents over the past decade. The report alleges the privately run detention center and ICE failed to follow federal accountability standards. (KUOW)

🚧 Seattle will close most Pioneer Square streets to cars on the six days this summer when FIFA World Cup matches are held at Lumen Field. (KING 5)

🎓 Washington universities including UW and Western Washington were hit yesterday by a global outage of Canvas, the online learning platform used by students and teachers. A hacking group claimed it breached the system and stole data from nearly 9,000 schools. (KUOW)

✈️ Delta Air Lines is launching a new nonstop route from Seattle to Philadelphia, adding another direct option for travelers out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

📺 A "Legally Blonde" prequel set in 1990s Seattle drops July 1 on Prime Video. (MyNorthwest)

While Melissa and her mother are staying close to home this weekend, Clarridge and her mom are busy exploring the United Kingdom.

This is them at a labor memorial in Carlisle. (We haven't gotten the full story on the dog yet — but good boy or girl energy, obviously).

Here's hoping they continue having a lovely holiday!