Monday, September 28, 2009

How's your mother?

My head is clear, the coughs are receding into the background and oh my goodness, doesn't it make a difference feeling okay?

A friend of mine yesterday mentioned that this will be the last school holidays where 'Salina will be the only child, and was I doing anything special 1 on 1 with her.

Eeek - I hadn't even thought!!

Where am I going to find such moments? In the 8 days ahead we have cousins in town today, a playdate and softball training tomorrow, I am working Wednesday-Friday, we (including V) anticipate a flying visit to Brisbane over the weekend and the pupil-free day next Monday will be travelling back or recovery!!

I mean, last week we had some real quality mother/daughter times - there was the drive to and from Granite Glen (always fun - except when she is sleeping, which is generally the case on the return because generally she has well and truly worn out the batteries on horses and cousins) and I picked her up from Vacation Care early on Friday.

Right now I am on the computer and she is watching a kids show she NEVER gets to watch the whole way through because the bus arrives - as they say in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, it is about the definition of quality.

Well, okay, Z&TAOMM probably wasn't alluding to domestic excuses AND it has been a few years since I dived into that tome, but I am going to have to work on how to harness quality M/D time from the aspect of definition - because time/money/opportunity isn't as free flowing in this second week of the holidays as is required for the zenith of such experiences.

So her making scrambled eggs for me and only having one slight mishap involving balance, beaters, gravity and yolks fits in to the category of "great Mother/Daughter moments". As does 'Salina spreading mulch while I weeded and pruned. I think the moments of tidying together are priceless, and we did do the groceries together yesterday.

Then I think back to last week - one night she went to other cousins and I stayed with my parents, and then I spent most of the next day with my own mother.

Of course, I was on the computer for the majority of it (real work, not just fluffing around) and she was pottering - but we got to wash up together and the comfort of just being around each other - its nice.

So I wonder - what are great mother/daughter moments for all of you? Is it the moments crafted, the moments stolen, the moments of excess or the moments of mundane?

13 comments:

Alison said...

The spontaneous moments do it for me - usually the ones involving eggs, balance, gravity and a whole lot of hysterical laughter!!!

Lovely thoughts. Thanks for sharing :-)

bigheadedbob said...

Jeanie, even tho you don't know it, your doing everything right. Sharing cooking skills with Salina, is sorta of a lost art in the U.S. today, how sad

Nikki aka Widdle Shamrock said...

Mine are a little of everything you mentioned, sometimes moments are planned, sometimes they are spontaneous.

Anonymous said...

Mostly spontaneous. I like spontaneous. Often just in the car driving somewhere! Youngest loves it when she gets Mum and Dad to herself. Before she started school, we used to love doing the shopping then having coffee (and babycino) together.

Jayne said...

A little of everything usually works for us ;)

BB said...

I think you do the Mother-Daughter thing pretty wonderfully... Violet and I take on some projects together but I do know what you mean about being distracted by the demands of everyday life. I sometimes think though that these very 'distractions' are vital in teaching our youngsters that sometimes OTHER things need doing. And that balance is important. And that sometimes, they have to wait.
:-)
BB

Mary O. Paddock said...

How about mother-son moments? They are nearly always spontaneous around here. These moments find us if we create enough space in our lives for them to happen in.

Debby said...

Jeanie, those moments will continue to happen, no matter how hectic life is. You simply stop to admire your daughter. Say the words out loud. Magic happens. Even now, that mine are grown up. Still happening. Don't worry about making them happen. Just let them.

MissyBoo said...

We have a mixture of the spontaneous and planned type! Mostly its the spontaneous ones arising from mundane tasks that give me the most joy :)

Jen at Semantically driven said...

It's no fun here baby. I'm working this week and JJ just keeps getting in trouble. Grrrrrr.....

Lin said...

I think the mundane moments always touch me more. Cooking together, gardening together, tidying up together... And then enjoying the satisfaction, sense of achievement and the reward for our labour together afterwards.

Planned moments are usually associated with higher expectations. Sometimes these are met or exceeded, but not always. The spontaneous moments always exceed expectations. :)

Anonymous said...

Jeanie they are all wonderful moments treasure them Mothers love you no matter what. I know I miss mine dreadfully Love you heapsXXXX

ELIZABETH said...

He's all grown up and a quick hug still works as a mother-son moment.