Katie Bo

Today's post is dedicated to the game old bird who is my Mum.

 

Having always viewed her all my life as not a  woman to mince with, I have realised over the past few years that underneath there was a vulnerability lurking hidden that I never really knew was there. Perhaps getting older shows up these facets of our personalities. Ones we cannot keep hidden, like we can when we are younger and more in control of our lives? I am not sure. It took me a long time to see this vulnerable side of my Ma.

Growing up I thought she was invincible . She kept me from harm. She made me happy and she could rustle up anything needed for a school costume at the drop of a hat !She would never let me out of the house without looking like a shiny new penny, despite her own sometimes embarrassing tendency towards the Mrs Bucket approach to life ( before Mrs Bucket was ever thought of). In short ,she was star. She had a strength and tenacity to deal with a whole host of poo that life threw at her and battled on regardless and I knew nothing of how hard this all was be for her. But now, I can see through the facade, as her physical frailty gets the better of her. And it makes me sad that I never realised.  

 With my dear old Dad at her side now for the past 63 years, they make an amazing couple. Still holding hands as they sit and watch the TV together, you feel you want to pick them up and put them in your pocket to keep them safe. That's not to say we haven't had the odd moment of disagreement in the past. We wouldn't be mother and daughter if we hadn't. The level of negotiation that was required for me to have my first "midi" coat at the age of 14  was unbelievable and as for me sobbing after being stoodup as a broken hearted teenager, well lets not even go there. But through thick and thin she has done everything she thought was right to keep me safe, make me a happy bunny and let me make my own way. And I love her for all of that and more.

 

She will of course not be reading this ramble, as she is a complete techno-phobe and afraid of the Internet. Did you know porn actually leaps out of the screen at you the minute you a computer on? No, well it does according to Mum... But that's another reason why I love her. She drives me batty, bless her.

 

I hope you all have had a wonderful Mother's day today.  I am off to spend the voucher for The Village Haberdashery my brilliantly trained daughter bought me. Hurrah.