Reflections – Page 2

Things My Mother Said …

Filed Under: Featured, Reflections · March 5, 2015 · Leave a Comment ·

Still travelling memory road – like the topics for my last two posts.

This time, I’m remembering the things my mother used to say. I think many of them are pretty classic ‘mum’ sayings actually! I wonder how many on the list other people can tick off as well …

Here they are – in alphabetical order, for want of a better way to arrange them:

As long as you live under this roof, you’ll do as I say.
Because I SAID so!
Did you brush your teeth?
Do as I say, not as I do.
Don’t EVER let me see you do that again!
Don’t speak with your mouth full!
Don’t you use that tone with me!
Elbows OFF the table!
Finish your dinner, or you won’t get any pudding.
Hmmph … yes, get out of bed NOW. If you could stay out last night, you can get up this morning.
How many times do I have to tell you …
I don’t care WHO started it!
I’ll give you till I count to three …
If I catch you doing that one more time …
I’m not going to ask you again!
It’s way past your bedtime!
Leave your sister alone!
Look at me when I’m talking to you.
Stop that crying! Or I’ll give you something to cry about!
This is for your own good.
Turn that noise down!
When I was your age …
Wipe that smile off your face!
You’ll eat what you’re given and like it!
You’re older – you should know better.

And the final one … this became a family classic. :) As we got older, we used to tease mum by getting in first and saying it to her!

“Be good. Be careful crossing the road. Have you got a clean hanky? And don’t forget to say thank you!”

Only yesterday …

Filed Under: Featured, Journeys, Reflections · March 2, 2015 · Leave a Comment ·

I was sitting on a tram on my way home the other day and idly looking out of the window.

We pulled up to a very crowded stop where I saw all the hopeful faces of people waiting to board. And the thought suddenly crossed my mind … “Wow …. they’re all younger than I am!”

A young woman climbed aboard, dressed to the nines for a night out. Surely it was only yesterday I was as young as she is now, full of fun and hope on my way to a party. Some fashions haven’t changed all that much. Mini skirts and wedge heels are back in!

There’s a serious-looking Uni student, laden with books, presumably on her way home. Only yesterday I was at Uni too. Of course I didn’t have a smartphone in those days. But I recognise myself in her worried look. I guess there must be an assignment due.

I also find myself smiling when I see a wee girl in school uniform, juggling her heavy bag and moving down the tram to find a seat to hold because she’s too short to reach the overhead bar. I remember that very well! Hmm … though lots may have changed, my stature hasn’t. I’m still too short to reach!

And surely it was only yesterday when, at family gatherings, I saw all the ‘oldies’ sitting around the edges of the room, watching with smiles on their faces as we young ones mingled, danced and exuded energy. Now I’m one of those oldies myself.

Only yesterday, it seems, I could leap out of bed without a single muscle twinging or complaining. And only yesterday, I could see my reflection in a mirror without any if those wrinkle-shadows cast by an overhead light.

Only yesterday – just a heartbeat ago – I was much younger.

To forget is the secret of eternal youth. One grows old only through memory. There’s much too little forgetting.

(Erich Marie Remarque)

Perhaps Remarque was right and I need to do more forgetting! :)

A Procrastinator? Who, Me? No More!

Filed Under: Reflections · January 8, 2015 · Leave a Comment ·

Three frogs Ok … so for a self-professed procrastinator, that title is a very bold statement! :)

But as a follow up to my previous post, I thought I’d add a brief bragging entry to my blog ‘cos I’m feeling good!

So far, so good, anyway!

Four days since my last post and I’ve been kissing frogs galore. :)

I’ve mowed my lawn.
My laundry is done … well, almost! Prevented from completing the job only because there was no room left on my washing line.
All dishes washed every day before going to bed.
I’ve been to the dentist. Now THAT was a big, scary, ugly frog! Oh … not the dentist! Just the challenge of making myself go. :)
All floors vacuumed. Although some dust bunnies remain, they are cowering in the hardest to reach corners and know their days are numbered!
Kitchen floor thoroughly washed and steam-cleaned.

That’s more than one frog kissed per day. Like I said, I’m feeling good. :)

Long may this burst of goodness last.

But … hmmm … don’t hold your breath! When the working/business year kicks in, it’s usually much harder to keep up with domestic chores. And my family of frogs increases in size when I add business-related frogs as well.

As long as I can keep up the habit of kissing one frog per day, that’ll be enough for me.