Mammy

'Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that supposed to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing.'  Toni Morrison

It's her milestone birthday today and even though I'm not allowed to say which one, I WILL say she's a long way from being an octogenarian just yet- Heaven forbid! (Although with luck, some day, God willing, fingers crossed, stars aligned, all being well, she will.) She and Daddy have been married for nearly 44 years-there's six of us-three boys and three girls-and over the years she's gradually acquired three sons-in-law, three daughters-in-law, sixteen grandchildren...and counting!

We celebrated her birthday properly on Saturday night- my sister came from London, my brother  made a surprise trip from California, and I know this made her happier than all the champagne, cake and presents put together. As she looked around the room, at all her children and their spouses, she told me how blessed she was to have such great children, and such wonderful sons and daughters in law. I told her then, that it didn't happen by chance. I told her that I'm learning from her how to do it right. That she's STILL showing me how its done, and one day, maybe I can be more like her.

Herself and the first four...

You see, she lives for her family, more so now than ever. She opens her door and her heart to all of us, often all at once!  Shes one of the least selfish people I know- there's never too many mouths to feed, no baby too cranky, no tantrum too
loud, no argument too noisy. Her opinion is valued and her company sought. Along with Daddy, and sometimes solo, she guest stars on all of our summer holidays...if she can squeeze us in. She's softened as she's got older- lifes's little nuisances don't bother her anymore- she's got her priorities right.

 No pushover, mind, she shoots from the hip but never ever, holds a grudge. She's fiercely loyal and refuses to conform for the sake of it. In her mind she's still thirty-five- nothing stops her and her diary is full. One of my favourite memories of last summer, was seeing her scramble up the climbing frame in the park with my children..and she reached the top before they did! So amazing is her energy that we all like to forget that she's not that young anymore.

Today is just another day but its also a milestone on her journey, and maybe that makes it a good time to say  thank you .... for everything. All she's done, all she's given, all she's taught us- WE are the lucky ones, WE are blessed. So a very Happy Birthday to you, Anne Therese, our most favourite of matriarchs, a very special lady, the queen of Nanas, but most of all, our lovely Mammy. Xxxxx

Herself!

Lakeland..Proceed with Caution

Beware the Lakeland catalogue! And I say that as a concerned devotee. You see, I coveted their stuff before they opened a shop here, before it was mainstream, when it was still 'edgy', when a typical reaction was,

'Lakeland? Is that like Kleeneze?' (Sort of, only better.) 'Nope, never heard of it.'

And no, I'm not exaggerating when I say that I'd be LOST without my silicon egg poachers, and that I'm not actually sure how I LIVED without my insulated butter dish, and quite frankly, life would be INCOMPLETE without my Chip and Dice. And don't even get me started on this shoe tree, (Yes I know!  Both novel and space saving!) I snapped it up for the children's shoes that appear to breed in the playroom ..and it's been great. It IS perhaps a little precarious looking, but bear in mind the rigorous testing conditions it's been forced to undergo. 

Almost too good to be true!

So you get the picture- I'm a fan. That said, I know the power that it holds over me so there's a bittersweet dread when the latest catalogue pops through the letter box.  I always intend to put it straight into the recycling bin without looking ...but I can't. *holds hand up* I'm only human,  so  inevitably, I sneak a quick peek and then I'm off down that slippery slope.

With great clarity, I suddenly realise that I MUST possess that floral insulated picnic bag- how can we, as a family, possibly enjoy the summer without it? And surely nothing says 'sunny day'  like those beaded food covers? And what about the silicon cupcake cases? I don't even bake, but I soooo would if I had those bad boys. And the pinny with cakes all over it? Clearly, THERE is the reason why I havent become the master baker that I was born to be. I mean look it, I own all the latest cookbooks and I've even got an Aga, for God's sake, so it's practically compulsory! All this time, there was I thinking I was just a lazy trollop, when in fact all I needed was that gorgeous pinny! And now that the house will be coming down with cakes, I'll DEFINITELY need those coordinating tins....in all three sizes obviously, because there's nothing worse than having a cake in the wrong sized tin...I'd imagine.

You can see the problem here.

Poach pods-you"ll never go back!

The other night, as I was indulging in a Little Lakeland lust before going to sleep, (I know that sounds rude but unfortunately, it's so not), Loverboy glanced over from whatever rubbish car magazine he was pretending to read, (even though I KNOW he only looks at the pictures), and said incredulously,

'Are you actually reading a kitchen catalogue before bed?'

' I might be,' says I, ' and what?'

'Oh my God, that's sooo sad. Let's have a look. (putting on an excited voice) 'Oh yes, I simply must have that utterly useless piece of crap to clutter up my kitchen even more than it is already.' And away he went on this theme, but I'm proud to say that I didn't rise to the bait, not even to point out that he clearly had deep feelings for the poach pods, judging by the number of eggs that disappeared down his neck.  Eventually, by stonewalling him with dignified silence, the abuse stopped ..and yet he was still  having a good old nosy over my shoulder. Then,

'That sandwich maker looks the business. How much is that?'

 Dear, oh dear,oh dear,  if only our twenty year old selves could have seen us at that moment- tucked up in bed, dual control electric blankets on, perusing a kitchen catalogue together.... Or on second thoughts, possibly not. This Kodak moment (for eighty year olds), was our embarassed 'Oh God, we ARE sad', but for a twenty year old it would be a living nightmare. So I decided, no more Lakeland love in the bedroom...and I'm definitely drawing the line at the electric jam maker too...unless it goes on sale anyway.