My photo
No longer on the river and, again, an empty nester. Back to living on Fleming Island and making some more friends!

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

"I am my mother after all!"

Years ago I saw a mirror in a gift shoppe that had printed on it a poem I found to be amusing:  "Mirror mirror on the wall; I am my mother, after all!" Perhaps it's more amusing now that this forecast has come true!

A few years ago my first thought was this would NEVER happen--I would never be like my mom, as if that is a bad thing, you know?  I don't think I'm aware of anyone who really wants to be just like their mother, especially ladies. Boys might wish to be like their dads, but I would say fewer of us females wished to become their moms. Or was it only the way I feel? 

Only of my funniest stories of my grandma, Lily, was about my sisters and I taking her to the store to shop. We were at Copp's Discount Department Store, an early version of what Wal*Mart would grow up to be. Grandma needed some hairnets so while she pushed her cart through the grocery department, Lori and I went off to secure the hairnets in another part of the store. Finding the package of three white nets, to match her hair, we came back to where we left her in groceries. She was walking in an open space when she asked us how much they were. We said, "Thirty nine cents."  She slammed on her brakes and asked, incredulously, "WWWHHHAT???" This price was crazy high, at least as far as she knew. We had to laugh, as we all banged together when she slammed on her brakes like that, in shock and horror at the cost of hairnets. I am guessing my aunt usually just picked them up for her and never discussed the cost of them. 

Now that is me, when I see something in the store that costs more than I believe it should, my brakes go on! But, you are right, that is not my mother, that was Grandma. My guess is Mom was the same way in her older years, but without the same story as the hairnet shopping trip. 

One day my mom was telling me about how she only wants to get dressed once a day. If she had a midweek church service to attend, she would get ready for church in the morning. I scoffed at that (sorry, Mom!) but now, that is me! I do not want to change my earrings so I wear the same color if I do change my tops, to keep them in place. What?  That is nuts---what is the big deal about changing one's earrings? I do not know!

                          

 Mom sitting at her headquarters in her apartment, having a chuckle

Mom had said to me more than once about going only one place in a day's time. What?? Of course, you go all day long, right? Now that I am facing nearly 65 years of age and have ruined my leg joints, once I am out, will try to accomplish what I can while out. Getting in and out of the car repeatedly, though, is tough on me. One my greatest pleasures is when Justin is my driver and takes me where I need to be. He is so good about putting out his hand to help me walk on unstable ground, or to step down from a curb. He is a gentleman! But, on my own, I am good to go out and do my thing, and then go home again. And stay there! Like a big lump! Sorry I laughed, Mom. 

There are more comparisons to be made, things I do that my mom also did but let's just leave it to the mirror to tell those stories. At this writing I do not time when people get up in the night, if I can hear them, nor do I count how many times it is me getting up. At least, not yet!