My Mum

I would like to say thanks to my mum.

There’s not much of her, but even though she’s getting a little older, she can still walk into a house and transform into the Tasmanian Devil of cleaning and have my house spick and span in no time!  What is it about that era?  When she irons clothes (which I must point out is not in my repertoire) they look super crispy and better than when they were bought from the shop!  How does she do that with my crappy, 20+ year plus, filthy iron???

Better still, she gets into a clothes folding frenzy, and when I turn back around after 10 minutes, weeks worth of washing is folded into neat piles so they can be easily slipped into drawers.  It’s a far cry from our family approach of “if we leave it on the sofa long enough it might annoy us so we’ll fold it then” or “quick, someone’s coming over – fold the laundry” or the more popular ‘ “can’t be bothered to fold that stuff – chuck it into the spare room and close the door”.  There is something cleansing and calming about neatly folded t-shirts and stacked undies.

I also love the fact that my kitchen can look like even pot, pan and plate in the house has been used and mum will rock up and, with a flick of a tea towel, have scrubbed those metal oven trays so clean, they sparkle!  Gone are the rusty remains I used to rationalised “added flavour” to meals.

I know that is one way my mum shows me she loves me.  She just does these things repeatedly – without being asked.  We held Xmas lunch at our house, and Mum came over just before Xmas and scrubbed the deck of our house so the decking boards looked like new.  It was just one less job I had to do and the deck looked brilliant.

Beyond cleaning, she is also a whizz in a garden re-vamp.  She knows how to treat plants and has a good sense of design so she always gives really useful input when deciding what she go where.

Of course, she loves my daughter Lily, and has spent hours and hours of time with her since she was born.  She comes to her dancing concerts and her school events.  She is interested in what she is doing and speaks to her with interest about all manner of pursuits.  Mum shows Lily how to paint, point her toe and various tap dancing moves – all which Mum is well accomplished in.  My favourite times are when we all bust a move together in the kitchen and laugh so hard we lall ose our fine dancing form.

So, this is to you Mum.  Your ongoing support is appreciated.  Your love is well received and reciprocated.  Thank you. xxx