Sunday 14 March 2010

20 Mum's the Word

It's an important day for two special ladies in my life.

The first is Taggart. It's her 34th birthday today!

We have already celebrated this occasion while in Gran Canaria together. Partly because I wasn't going to be with her today, and partly because we thought it would be a good opportunity to try and get some free drinks if we said it was her birthday. It was working a treat until someone queried the date that day and we had no idea what it was!

So I want to say happy birthday to my fabulous friend and I hope you enjoy your day despite having to work. Just remember not to be too lenient just because you are in a good mood - a criminal is a criminal, even on birthdays!

The other lady I want to talk about is my mum because it is Mother's Day in the UK today.

Some other bloggers have implied that it is going to be a bit of a chore for them having to go and see their mums. This is when I realise just how incredibly lucky I am, cause it appears I managed to get to the front of the queue when it came to mums being doled out. My mum is ace!

I actually class my mum as one of my good friends. In that we like to hang out together, 'do' lunch, go shopping, go for cocktails etc and I also have the same conversations with her as I do with my friends. I just tone it down a bit as if she is a bit prudish, because she's still my mum and there are some things I'm sure she would rather not know. As she has always said to me, 'You pretend to be a good girl, and me and your dad pretend to believe you!'

She is very often the first port of call when I have a drama in my life and need some advice. I know it can be off-putting for guys when a girl is always on the phone to her mum, (especially when even our 'quick' calls can last at least an hour) but my ex boyfriends soon realised it wasn't actually a problem and often worked in their favour. This is down to the fact that my mum is not in the least bit biased. Many a time I've recounted an argument I've had with a boyfriend and instead of being on my side she's told me if she thinks I've been a little madam and it's actually me in the wrong and that I should apologise.

It explains why all my exes have thought she is great and I'm sure they've also been glad that she looks so good. Just in case it is true that that girls always do end up looking like their mums.

It's been said already that I'm her double. I'm not. Many a time we've stood in front of the mirror together and compared all our features.

'Are our eyes the same? Nope. Noses? Nope. Mouths? Nope!'

I actually wonder sometimes if I was adopted. In saying that, if I look even nearly as good as she does when I'm approaching 60, I'll be happy.

She does have a lot to answer for though. She encouraged me to be an individual when it came to the clothes I wore. Therefore I really feel that she has to take some responsibility for things like the turqoise and black checked, knitted, hot-pants. It wasn't all my fault.

And if any of my teachers thought I was a bit bolshy, they should be looking to my mum to blame for that as well. She told me that if I didn't understand something at school then it was the teacher's fault for not explaining it properly.

'Excuse me Miss, you really need to work on your lessons about long division.'

Obviously I am exaggerating slightly, but it was good because it gave me the confidence to believe that I could learn anything if I put my mind to it. It's only as I got older that I accepted that this isn't the case and there are some things I'm never going to understand, like brain surgery, temperature and men.

I'd say that it is probably down to my mum that I developed my love of travelling. She told me stories of the time she worked as an au-pair in Rome looking after the kids of a Countess and plastic surgeon and when it sounded like her only regret was not taking up the offer of a free boob job, it just made me want to experience it for myself (working abroad, not plastic surgery!) So fortunately, when I decided aged 18 to go and work in Portugal she gave me her full blessing. And again when I worked in Gran Canaria. And Holland. And Canada. And Australia...Sorry mum but you started it!

Me and my brother are often telling mum that she had it easy with us. We never really went through the rebellious teen stage. She would probably reply that is because she was clever and gave us a lot of freedom. It was my mum that bought me my first tickets to a concert, and even better, let me and my friend go on our own with no adults cramping our style! Okay, it was to see Five Star, so there wasn't much chance of danger but still I was only 11 and it made me the envy of all my friends.

Similarly, when she bought me a phone for my own room. It was probably because she was fed up with me lounging around her bedroom floor talking to whatever boy was flavour of the month. It didn't matter what her reasons were though, I just thought she was an amazing mum for doing that.

Likewise when I started wanting to go out to nightclubs aged 16, there weren't any arguments. We just agreed that she'd set her alarm and I'd switch if off when I got home in the wee small hours. Otherwise, it would have gone off at 3am and it would be her cue to panic because I really should have been back by then. Not that this ever happened. Like I said, she was fine about me doing so many things as long as she knew about them, that I never wanted to push the boat.

Don't get me wrong, she isn't so liberal about everything. She hates swearing for example. The 'f' word in particular. In fact she claims that she has never even said it! I'm just not sure I believe that. I bet there has times that she has been effing and blinding all over the place.

Perhaps when I had a life-threatening lung disease at 17? I don't mean because of the obvious upset it would cause seeing your child so ill. No, I mean because of the difficulties it caused. The fact that she had to put up with me crying constantly because I couldn't find any sunglasses for my holiday with the girls, that I felt looked okay on my steroid-induced fat face! And the way that I milked having an illness for all it was worth.

'You want me to do the dishes? I can't. I just feel too weak. I have a disease don't you know?'

I still do it now.

'I jacked in that job because it was boring. I almost died don't you know? Life's too short for me to be doing crap jobs. Anyway can you lend me some money for my rent?!'

I was in Scotland last week and as my mum saw me off at the train station I thanked her. She asked what for. I said just for being my mum. I want her to know that I really meant it.

Happy Mother's Day! Not just to mine but all the others out there and especially to my friends who are mums - you are all doing a fabulous job!

Rapunzel x

20 comments:

Plentymorefishoutofwater said...

Lovely post. Can tell it's from the heart. How will Mummy Rapunzel feel about you almost revealing her age though?
Anyway, you've reminded me what day it is...got to go make a phone call.
x

*Plentymorefishoutofwater - One Man's Dating Diary*

Lifebeginsat30ty said...

It's not Mommy's Day here, but I loved reading about yours! I feel about my mum the same way :) I think we talk a couple times a week, at the least. She really is my good friend. I can only hope to be as cool as her when I have kids!

Here's to telling our mums how much they mean to us!

http://lifebeginsat30ty.blogspot.com

Bobby Allan said...

You're truly blessed with such wonderful mother. Hope you have a great day.

Anonymous said...

What a great post !!My mum is great too, never moans and complaints about my choices in life..
I don't ring her first though, I would definitely ring you before her ;-)!

Have a great day too, she sure has an amazing daughter!!!
xxx

Keren David said...

Aah, this is really sweet. Lucky Mum..

Taggart said...

34!? slip of the keyboard was it!!?
I do hope everyone knows there is no truth in this blog!!!!!!

Apart from the bit that Rapunzel does have a wonderful mum. I can verify this cos I've met her, and if it wasn't for the fact that my own mum was so fabulous I would want to trade.

Big Hug to My bestest mate and her Mum.

Taggart
xxx

Anonymous said...

Lovely post!

Tuppence said...

Rapunzel, you are a very lucky woman! I love my mum, but we've never had the kind of relationship that you have with your mum - it sounds fantastic.

Very cute picture by the way - you look like you were a lovely little moppet!

And on other matters, where do you see yourself in ten years time m'dear? http://tuppennytales.blogspot.com/2010/03/ten-years.html
Tag, you're it!

Lottie said...

A really lovely post! I think it is great you have a good relationship with your mum..

Mine is my hero just cant spend a lot of time with her lol


Lottie xx

Doll said...

Ah, this reminds me of the relationship with my mum, the difference being that I am only thirteen and I live in Australia. But I've never really truly appreciated how considerate my mum has been to me (hey, I'm thirteen. There has to be at least some kind of experience gap), even though my friends constantly complain about their parents and I never have anything bad to say about mine. Reading this made me realise just how lucky I am to have a mother like that. And I'm glad you have a fabulous mum as well! :D Happy Mother's Day.

~ : Doll : ~

Anonymous said...

Your ma sounds ace, and that was a great tribute to her. I felt exactly the same about my mum, and reading that has made me miss her more – but in a way that made me glad to have had her at all.
You be careful not to strain yourself on the next blog, what with nearly dying and that.

Kate said...

Aw what a lovely post Rapunzel. I hope you had a lovely mother's day even though you weren't with your Mum.

It sounds like you have a fantastic relationship and she sounds really cool!

Kate x

All Women Stalker said...

What a sweet post! I have a craving for more posts about your brother :)

Kate said...

What a lovely post. It sounds like you and your mum have a really great relationship which must be lovely.

Kate xx

Anonymous said...

I'm not suprised 'All Women Stalker'. The brother does sound cool. Pretty good looking from all accounts. Supposedly has a great personality. And is apparently funnier than his sister.

Come on Rapunzel, get with the program. Tell us more about that awesome brother of yours.

Kitty Moore said...

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think 'Anonymous' above is your brother - I think you should tell us more about him (preferably all the embarassing stuff!) x

Skot said...

lovely post Rapunzel.

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