Mother's Day was Just Right

What a lovely Mother's Day weekend. Saturday Mr. Peculiar humored me as I drug him about town for a chicken coop tour. Perfect fodder for my farm and beekeeping fantasies. We saw chickens and bees and goats oh my!

I worked Saturday night and therefore slept most of the Sunday. How glorious to sleep uninterrupted! I dreamt of bees and gardens, mason jars full of honey and my family gathered close.

When I woke up the boy, with some cajoling, made me coffee and I commandeered the remote control (believe you me this is a privilege as we only have one television). The family watched the end of "The Secret Life of Bees" and the beginning of "Waitress." After that I can not say what happened on the television front as I had to return to work.

Before I left Mr. Peculiar spoiled me with dinner (shish kibobs and tabouli). The girls made a couple of darling homemade cards and smothered me with hugs and kisses.

It is these moments. These sweet simple moments that mean the most. I'm so glad my brood understands -- it's not about fancy or big expensive gifts. It's about simple gestures and snuggles and taking up the slack. That is true love.

xo.

Grateful

Mother's Day was all I expected and then some. I got my frothy coffee and homemade dinner (guacamole burgers). I was also treated to a handful of tears and some moaning and groaning (it wouldn't be a day for mothers without it). We went for a three generation bike ride - us, the kids and my parents. I picked out my mother's day present - a new pair of running shoes. The shoes and I went for an inaugural run and had an accompanying photo shoot:




My daughter made me a card:


She also wrote a letter:

I love my mom when she bakes. Her food is mouth watering. Her dishes are very delicious and seem like they take a lot of work, but she says they're simple. She always adds the perfect amount of flavor. My mom cares about me and makes sure I succeed. She pushes me to organize. Her ideas are great. My mom has surprises of vacation and pets. I love my mom.

It was a good day. Yesterday back to the grindstone. I spent the ENTIRE day cooking and cleaning and then cleaning some more. And yet my house is not and will never be clean. Tonight it's back to work with both the hub and I on graveyard shift. Thank goodness my parents are still in town to watch the kids for one final night. The next four weeks will be tough. We'll get through.

Right now I'm enjoying my coffee in my new favorite mug. The husband is in bed for the day after working all night. The two older kids have been shuttled to school and the five-year-old is still asleep. This moment, tucked into a stressful upcoming month, is perfect. My plan is to steal these cracks in time where the light shines through.

+++++++

And on a side note: Right now I am ever so thankful for this blog and for YOU! If not for you I'd be in so much trouble. You see last night I baked (cream scones, strawberries and homemade vanilla ice cream). When I bake I take off my wedding ring. Last night I left it on the butcher block. This morning, when taking a picture of my coffee mug, I remembered the ring and went to retrieve it. It was not there. Guess where it found it? In the garbage. THE GARBAGE! Today is trash day. I almost lost my wedding ring forever. And this is my second ring. My first diamond is apparently buried in the garden (as far as I can determine). Oh my. I am grateful grateful grateful that I found it. Thank you thank you.

Here's to you!

What I Want for Mother's Day

An opportunity to sleep in ...

Frothy coffee made by someone other than me ...

Time to read ...

A little outdoor fun ...

And a lovely homemade dinner (husband prepared of course)

Happy Mother's Day to all you spectacular ladies out there...
I hope your day is as good as mine is bound to be!

++++++++

Toilets and Terrific Kids

Thirty days ago I purchased a toilet repair kit. For the past month this kit sat in our bathroom nestled next to the toilet. Because, you know, the kit and toilet had to get to know one another. They had to date. I didn’t want to pressure them lest they contest their arranged marriage. And I certainly did not want the toilet to elope with the repair kit next door. I also harbored clandestine fantasies that the hub, in a manly state of affairs, would replace the sticky float valve. But apparently he too was concerned about pushing too far too fast and also postponed the porcelain nuptials.

Thus the toilet remained in a state of disrepair; the only way to fill the tank was to lift the lid and tap the float arm. We tried other remedies; excessive shaking of the handle, kicking the bowl, cursing. Nothing worked. Please don’t report us for toilet abuse. We love our toilet and have no desire to revert to outhouse usage. We do nice things with our toilet too. We read with it daily: Nobokov, Kidd, Lamott, Colbert. A wide range of literary options are readily available within arm’s reach.

But back to the nuptials. Today I’d had enough. It was time. Wrench in hand I presided over the ceremony. After a mere twenty minutes two became one. It was very touching - a match made in heaven (well China actually, that's practically the same right?).

My only regret? That we didn’t get them together sooner. Now I can rip up the “How to Use Our Toilet” instructions.

Oh, hello! Welcome to my home! The restroom? Sure but take these
instructions with you. It explains how to use our toilet. What? No,
I’m not trying to insult you. Wait! Where are you going?

Perhaps now people won't be seen running from our house - fleeing the odd people within. Then again maybe not.

+++++++++

Most of you are aware Sunday was Mother’s Day. I had to work eight to eight leaving little time to see the kids. My workday was slow with few emergencies. We had two hospitalized patients, a dog bit by a rattlesnake and a dog with dysfunctional adrenal glands. Around 6 o’clock I opened my big mouth, “If things stay like this I’ll actually get home on time.”

Stupid, stupid, stupid! (read with accompanying banging of head on wall). Everyone knows this type of talk invites karmic revenge. The world does not want things to work out properly, easily - no. What would be the fun in that?

As such a boxer walked through the door at 7:15 pm; forty-five minutes before I was supposed to leave. Why was this boxer there? He had a belly ache. An x-ray revealed the cause - large rocks in the stomach; i.e. surgery. Four rocks and one blue plastic piece later I was finally able to go home. It was 10:20 pm. I called to let the family know I was on the way. The hub had given up and gone to bed (he had to work at six) but the kids were waiting up. Keep in mind - this was a school night.

As I walked in the door music started playing - Pink Moon by Nick Drake. I looked up and saw this:



The kids led me the couch:






They did their best impression of fanatical football fans:





Then they took off my shoes, rubbed my feet and told me how much they loved me. Finally we wandered upstairs, read “Are You My Mother?” and fell sound asleep. I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day.