Happy Mother's Day 6/3/16

It is Mother's Day today here in the UK.  It seems earlier this year but I'm not complaining.  I have two vases of beautiful flowers and some lovely chocolates, including some handmade by a local person. My youngest son also popped in to see me.  I'll catch up with the other two soon. 

It's lovely of them to remember and I do appreciate the gifts but I'm glad they don't get too sentimental about it and feed the commercialism attached to these sort of days.  I believe my children are my greatest achievements and they shouldn't need a specific day to appreciate me.  Fortunately I see a lot of them and we are in touch all the time and I do feel loved.  We have good relationships.

But days like these, especially with all the hype, must be so hard for some people.  Mothers who are estranged from their children or those where the children turn up with a card and gift out of obligation rather than desire so that the whole thing becomes meaningless. 

And what about those who would desperately give anything to have a child but are unable to do so.  I'd be burying my head under the duvet and staying there all day, and probably longer.

Then there are those who make a conscious decision not to have children.  This can be for any number of reasons but again society makes it hard for them with many people wanting to challenge that decision.

I couldn't imagine not having my children but I'm a Mother every day not just today.

And in case you didn't know, according to the National Day calendar today is also:
Dentist's Day
Frozen Food Day
White chocolate Cheesecake Day &
Oreo Cooking Day 

Well I hope the Dentists are having a good time imagining how many more visits will be generated by everyone eating icecream, cheesecake and cookies!

And just for a final point of trivia, yesterday I posted a piece called  "Is your cyber life death prepared?" as in have you thought about how to close your internet sites down after you die.  What was interesting to me was that the post attracted more page views than I've ever had.  An increase of about 600 % on usual traffic.  Weird.

50 Shades of Me 5/8/15

Well there is no Hodgepodge today as Joyce is busy with her move.  I hope all is going well for her.
 
I wanted to post something and came across this on Mary Anne's page  so I've borrowed it.

1. I am the wrong side of 50.
2. I have never read any of the 50 Shades series.
3. I love reading.
4. I have lived in London for 99% of my life.
5. I have been married for 31 years.
6. I have two brothers.
7. I wish I had a sister but thanks to my hubby and brothers I have 8 sister-in-laws.
8. I love tea but don’t drink coffee.
9. I’m allergic to penicillin and erythromycin, the usual alternative.
10. I have a cat.
11. I liked playing hockey at school, until I got too close to someone else’s stick and ended up with a black eye.
12. I had an operation on both feet when I was 14, to correct bunions.
13. My favourite subject at school was Maths.
14. I hate snakes.
15. I love chocolate.
16. I have 3 children.
17. I’m qualified to teach Tap Dancing.
18. I had a crush on Donny Osmond.
19. I can knit and crochet.
20. I’ve been to USA
21. I like walking on my own.
22. I don’t like hot spicy food.
23. My favourite takeaway is Chinese.
24. My favourite Chinese dish is Peking Duck.
25. In my first job I used to go debt collecting.
26. My favourite colour is blue.
27. I like doing jigsaw puzzles.
28. I like doing most sorts of puzzles!
29. I’m quite logical.
30. I’m not artistic.
31. I have an ongoing battle with the toilet demon and depression.
32. I’m a Mother-in-Law.
33. I worry about getting dementia.
34. I like driving but don’t have a SAT NAV
35. I’ve walked a half-marathon.
36. I’ve run in a 25 leg relay race in Holland.
37. I’m Catholic.
38. I’m currently reading “Catch 22” but struggling with it.
39. I enjoy going to the theatre.
40. I watch too much TV.
41. My favourite alcoholic drink is red wine.
42. My favourite course at a meal is dessert.
43. I like having fresh flowers in the house.
44. I hate rudeness.
45. My first pet was a dog called Sandy.  (Well it was the family pet.)
46. I prefer to be too cold rather than too hot.
47. I hate being the centre of attention.
48. I’m right handed.
49. My main act of vanity is colouring my hair.
50. I’m happy being me.

Whew that took some thinking about!