Mothers' Day

It's been great looking at all my friends on fb who have changed their profile pics to pics of their mums. Jen got in first with a picture of our mum, and I need to get my act together and find a pic on my portable hard drive - must be some, either from mom's 80th birthday, or from the pics we made into a slideshow for her funeral.

I miss my mum. In recent years she drove me crazy, and I don't miss the crazy old lady she became. I don't miss the arguments over stupid things - I could never just let it go - and I don't miss the responsibility of caring for her. But I miss the warm, loving person she really was. I miss the chats we had when I started to grow up. I miss the times we played cards together and cooked together. I miss having someone who was always on my side, even when I was wrong. Most of the time when we were growing up, Jen was "Dad's girl" and I was "Mom's girl." There were things each of us did with both parents that were our special things, but Jen was more like Dad and I not only looked more like Mom, but I was more like her in interests. Neither of us was really crazy about doing outdoor things, both of us would read all night and then need to sleep all day. Neither of us was really brave, and would try and escape from scary things - like spiders and mice and FROGS!! Dad and Jen would have to move them for us. And the teaching bond was very strong - we often shared ideas and went to talks and conferences together.

She would do anything for us - from helping us out with cash when we were struggling as young marrieds, to driving to fetch me for a day, missing a service she really wanted to go to, because I was so sad over a break-up with a boyfriend. When I fell and broke my ankle, she had spent the weekend with us, and had just got home when Pete phoned her. She didn't even stop for a cup of tea - she got straight back into the car and drove through the Umkomaas Valley (which she hated doing) again, so she could come and sit by my bed in hospital and then stay and look after the kids.

Mom was the best granny - she would do things with the kids we would never do - go and play in the Dingley Dell or get them a donkey- (yes, a real live donkey - it only lasted a few weeks before we had to give it back, but that was something they will always remember her for), or have tea parties in the garden or take them swimming in the porta pool when it was far too cold to swim, or make special Easter Eggs for Nic when she couldn't have real ones one year. And as a great gran, she was awesome - she read to Kev and played cricket with him and taught him about flags of the world, and played cards with him - even when he couldn't understand the rules. When they left to live in Westville - she would stand on the driveway as the car drove out, and tears would pour down her face as she waved to the sobbing little boy she loved so much. She kept a book of "Granny's funny sayings." She made a new one for Kev - and lost it, when she began to forget things - so she started another one.

I miss her - so many things, so many memories. I am so glad I had a chance to write a tribute for her that Pete read at her funeral - but I wish I had said the things I feel while she was still alive.

Happy Mothers' Day - Mommy. Enjoy the time with your mother - my "little granny" and know that you are remembered.