Friday, March 29, 2019
Mom
I have mentioned my mother many times. I was very close to her growing up. When I was grown we were the best of friends. I am her oldest child.
It was in the days before fast food. Even mixes that make cooking faster were not available in our home. We always had plenty of flour, sugar, butter, and milk. We made food from scratch.
There were seven children. You can imagine the meals we had to make. Since I am the oldest I was her main assistant. However we all learned to cook.
Mom was the most intelligent person I have ever known. She insisted that all of her children learn to speak and write with proper grammar. I was the most indoctrinated. I suspect it was because I am the oldest. All of us speak well and know the correct way to speak. The younger siblings are perhaps not as careful about it as I was expected to be.
Both my parents were strict but loving. Because she did not usually work away from home Mom was the main disciplinarian. From her I learned that, "I will tell your father when he gets home," is unacceptable. It means that Mom does have the authority that Dad has. If either parent says, "No!" it means no.
Mom had this look. You know the one. All mothers have one. It is the look that lets us know we have carried things too far. We called it 'Mom's go to Hell look.' She would never have said that because Mom never said a word worse than heck or darn.
To receive that look was wilting. To disappoint Mom that much made me ashamed. It was the best tool (besides love) that she had in her Mom toolbox.
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My mother also made sure that I could cook well and yes she also had that look when I had gone a bit beyond the boundaries. How I miss her though – 16 years now and it was so sudden.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend, Diane
My mother died suddenly also. She ans I were going to go to Washington DC so she could see my brother's name on The Wall. Instead my sister called to say she had died.
DeleteSounds like my mom and yours shared some traits!
ReplyDeleteWe learned to cook, clean, garden, and all the skills we would need.
I wish I could talk with her now.
I miss my parents every day.
DeleteOur moms could have been sister:)
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me once that my mother was like a smooth calming stream. She was definitely the anchor and safety in a storm.
DeleteI think that many of us had a similar mother, Emma, and we miss them every day.
ReplyDeleteToo often we waste words on our children when just that simple look would do.
ReplyDeleteSo true. The look is more effective.
DeleteShe sounds wonderful. My mother was, along with her virtues, not a mother whose attempts at discipline were taken seriously by my sister and me, but she never threatened to tell our father on us, probably because her relationship with him was so bad. I can't imagine growing up in such a big household as you.
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful household. Both my parents loved us and each other and we knew it.
Deletei love to hear stories from past when life was not rushed out and female were strongly concentrated on their main role AS MOTHER!
ReplyDeleteyour mom sound just like my mom ,she was most organised and sensible lady i ever knew .
never find such grip of perfect household anywhere else
yes i was familiar to that look and today i feel blessed that i had that.
lovely story...
ReplyDeletehave a great day