Monday, December 05, 2011

Gold rings?

I didn't mention it yesterday because I didn't want to encourage it. I hoped that if I ignored it, it might go away. But I suppose that I'd better admit that yesterday - we woke up to snow. Look at that nasty white stuff in the garden.

We're all hoping that this isn't the start of a winter like the last one, when it snowed at the end of November and we weren't free of it till mid-January. So far, there isn't much of it but we're a bit anxious. We live at the bottom of a little dead-end road, downhill, and the street up at the entrance to ours is also on quite a steep hill. Neither street is ever cleared by the council since it's a quiet, residential area. Last year, Mr Life and I could at least get places by walking but this year, we have to be able to ferry my mum around or she's stuck in the house. Though in fact she's fairly stuck anyway since her digestion is still very ... well, I won't go into details. She needs to be near a loo, anyway. Sigh.

Today's present was five chocolate coins each. Note the past tense.

Now, if you've been paying attention you'll have been expecting penguin number 5. Ha! Fooled you - an iceberg instead, today.


Thinking about how I used to produce little gifts for the children every day during Advent (not such good ones as these, I'd have to admit), led me on to smiling at how the roles in a family change over the years. Nowadays, when I'm with the offspring they occasionally treat me (in the nicest possible way) like an old lady. This is perfectly justified in the context of technology, of course. I can work a computer (see, here I am doing it) but I wouldn't claim to be good in a technological crisis. But, for example, Daughter 2 tends to take my arm when we're crossing the road, I sometimes notice Son speaking slowly and clearly when addressing me and I'm relying on Daughter 1's advice if I ever clear my brain and time enough to consider doing any patchwork.


When I'm with my mother I'm the young, fit person who leaps up to fetch things, carries stuff in from the car and can occasionally make the television work. When I'm with the kids I sometimes feel like a silly old duffer.

With the cats, though, my function is as it's always been. I'm one of the staff.






12 comments:

  1. As always Isabelle, you make me laugh. An Iceberg! Who Knew???

    Are family relationships interesting? We're treading those waters now with my parents -- Mum not wanting help, but clearly needing some. I'm hoping it will get better as we go along. I'm sorry to hear that your Mum is still not 100% -- I hope she'll continue to improve bit by bit.

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  2. Isabelle, very droll, and I am still chuckling.I like the iceberg, but surely just because a wee bit of snow has arrived you are not expecting an iceberg to materialise?
    How about you tell the council that what with your mother's situation they should change their minds and clear the snow from your street?

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  3. Snow on the ground outside and icebergs inside. Do keep warm and wrap that dear baby and your Mum up snuggly.

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  4. I almost as excitedly await these penguin (and odd iceberg) pop ups as you do!

    I vaguely recall having an advent calendar as a child. But this tradition sounds so endearing and fun.

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  5. Thank heavens for cats then. Stock up on plenty of milk and cat food for the snow-in, oh, and loo roll...

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  6. Yeah, it's weird that morphing from child to adult with your parents. My dad still expects to carry my case in from the car (unless I have Rich with me of course when it's his job) but now I feel guilty about letting him as he's nearly 80 (although fit and strong still). So I've started bringing it in with me rather than rushing in and fetching the case later as I used to do.

    But I won't be speaking "slowly and clearly" to him - he'd hate that!!

    Nice to know the cats don't chaneg at least!

    Lesley xx

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  7. PLeeeeeeeeeease send snow! Pleeeeeeeeeeeese.

    Mmmmmmmmm chocolate coins, I must get some in. I leave it near to Christmas as poss. then I don't eat them all before the big day!

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  8. Having "been there", I know how it feels to be part of the sandwich generation. In the middle and being squeezed from both sides!

    Hoping that your snow is not here to stay. Only sleet here so far, but it is bitterly cold outside in the raw North Westerly wind.

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  9. Oh heavens, Isabelle, you could be writing about me. Ditto to all of it. Well, except for the cats, of course. My children are starting to treat me as rather doddery, and with Mum, who, as you know, is also in residence, I am the young able one. Hah.
    No snow here but it is much colder now. So maybe.....

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  10. I love snow, in the distance, on top of a mountain, in pictures, but no where near me.
    You're right about changing family roles, I find that my daughter tries to "mother"me, and though I've had a computer for almost 20 years she's still my "tech" person.
    Stay warm.

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  11. I have no children, and no parents, so have nothing to gauge my activities against - then I look in the mirror!

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  12. Silly old duffer? Nonsense. Wise, sage parent.

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