My mother won't admit it, but I've always been a disappointment to her. Deep down inside, she'll never forgive herself for giving birth to a daughter who refuses to launder aluminum foil and use it over again. ~Erma Bombeck January. January is the month Star & I go away. Each year since my parents moved back to Queensland I have taken the kids & spent at least 10 days with my mum. This has been particularly important to us since first my dad, & then my youngest brother, died. For the last few years my other brother has been gadding about Asia so mum & I were all of our family there was.
Now Liddy & my mother are like two peas in a pod. Star & I, well we flip them out. They are just really, really pleased not to share our head space but we are family, quirks & all, & the bond is strong enough for me to regularly uproot myself from cats & garden to make the 2 hour trek north. We have tried to do it at least once a term but January is our long stay. I keep my Christmas reading for January. I try & plan to be around for dad's birthday. I have mum's Christmas present wrapped & ready ~ & she has ours! We anticipate quiet hours of reading time, long walks on the Sunshine Coast beaches, trips up into the hinterland for bush walks & window shopping all the little curiosity shops. We eat & talk & the children hear ma's stories about being the oldest girl in a family of 8 growing up on a farm after the war, & being a young girl about town in a Brisbane that has disappeared.
This year Star is auditioning on dad's birthday. This year it is wetter than usual. This year my schedule is more crowded than usual. I was chatting with mum last night. The roads up her way are awful. The driving conditions are awful. She has more rain coming down than we do. We would be house bound & going stir crazing in her house rather than our own. With great reluctance we have agreed to defer our visit until the weather conditions improve.
No biggie, you think. No biggie except ma & I know, who better? that there is no future guaranteed us. There are only so many years, so many days, so many hours, vouchsafed us & we do not know how much of that is left to us. I know trying to wrangle a similar space later on in my year is virtually impossible. Yes, I can pack all Star's work into her bag [& won't she just love that!] but Star has put her hand up to work backstage for Creative Generation this year. We hit the ground running & it isn't going to stop.
Gloom & doom, gloom & doom. I think we've had enough rain for now, don't you?
9 comments:
Aw, I am sorry that you cannot have an enjoyable visit your mother. I do miss you when you go, but you always make it up with posts on your adventures.
Seeking: I have an e~mail planned in my head for you. Hope you are well enough when it arrives. Lots of things to chat about but my head space is ratty just now.
Your quote is riotous, but subject serious and near and dear to my heart. I'm also keenly aware that time is short with so many of my loved ones right now.... I hope you can enjoy a visit fit in at some point in time.
Beautiul photo.
Blessings on the new year to you, Ganeida.
JL
Sad for you to miss that special time. Do squeeze it in later. People are so much more important than doing stuff, especially people like our Mums!
I know what you mean about the weather. It really can get you down after such a long rainy stretch.. Our clear days are so humid that we long for it to burst with rain just for relief!
Sad to hear about the proposed visit. I visit my parents twice a year so I know how important these visits are. Sadly my last visit to my mum wasn't great as her health was very poor and slept most of the time and couldn't talk much. But on a brighter note, I was able to spend time with my dad helping him.
Do find time when the weather improves.
Thinking of you during this wet weather:)
Oh dear how disappointing. I know just how you feel about not knowing the future, and parents are so important aren't they? I do hope you fit in a visit later in the year.
Oh so sorry that you can't make this visit. I wondered when I started reading the post if the weather would be a problem. And totally understand the concept of who know how much time any of us has--not just because we are busy. We so look forward to my mother's annual visit. I don't even allow myself to think about what it will be like when she can't travel here anymore. My prayer will be that the rain stops--and that you get to have your visit sooner rather than later.
I pray that things dry up very soon there. The photo of you is absolutely lovely.
That EB quote absolutely made my day! So sorry you missed your visit. The photo is delightful.
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