Mothers' Day

[echt]

And a splendid day to all the MNers abroad who are being waited on hand and foot today.

[MummyBeerest]

-s*

[MummyBeerest]

Ah, Hazchem, hope your DS is feeling betters

[Hazchem]

Sorry others had crappy days.

[MummyBeerest]

So sorry Across My grandfather, who is the sweetest man in the world, has dementia. It's the hardest thing I've ever witnessed.

[AcrossthePond55]

Beerest and Gregs sounds as if you both need a BIG ! And remember, you don't have to deal with Mother's Day for a whole year! For a day that supposedly celebrates us, we sure do have to do a lot of the work!

Mine has been 'bittersweet'. Mum has dementia & we all went & had chinese food with her. Well, everyone but me had food (Coeliac). It's so hard to see her failing, she was always the center of our family's universe but has now drifted into her own 'space'. But her joy in seeing us, especially my 2 sons, was beautiful. She tires easily & we all got a little giggle at the way, when she decided she's had enough of us, she just said "well, thank you all for coming. It was nice to see you".

So, now I'm home watching my beloved LA Dodgers. DS2 is bringing me something gluten free & DH is getting the wine.

I'll have my "Happy Mother's Day" in a glass. Preferably 13.5%

[MummyBeerest]

How awful.

Seriously, is it a holiday at all? Germany knows the score.

[gregsageek]

Ah, Beerest, sounds awful, poor you!
My DH has been away for the last week on a booze filled vacation with his college mates, which he does every year, while I have looked after the kids. Before he went, he left the webpage for the equivalent of Interflora up on the computer which, I now realize, he used to send flowers to his mother... DS2 vomited this morning!
However, have just seen my lovely neighbor and her H, although physically present, has completely ignored Mothers Day on the basis that if he doesn't mention it, it doesn't exist. Apparently does it every year! So am starting to feel relatively lucky as have had lovely card from DH and beautiful cards from DC.
Happy Mothers Day all!

[MummyBeerest]

My mother's day has been absolute balls.

On my own with DD as DH is out of town on business. Woke up at 5 a.m. here, I called my mother and she said the present "DD" made her (me) is ruined because I forgot to spray the painted vase with sealant. Then she wished my childless sister a Happy Mother's Day on Facebook for being "the best Dog Mummy ever!"

My Dad called me and asked me to wish my stepmother (whom I am not at all close with) Happy Mother's Day. While she was in the room. Because that's not awkward. At all.

I have to pack this whole fucking house myself as we move next week. Called MIL and wished her Happy Mother's Day, she told me her gift DD made was ruined (SEALANT, PEOPLE!) I asked her if she'd be able to watch DD this week (she works 2 days a week) for a couple hours so I can pack without a toddler getting into everything.

Her reply? "Pack while she sleeps."

So, uh, no? No? Thanks.

Happy fucking Mother's Day, me!

[PacificDogwood]

Happy Mother's Day

I am in the UK, but my mother has every right to expect a Mother's Day treat today - I hope my brother has stepped up to the mark.
It's a card and phone call from me and some photos of her PGC (precious grandchildren) - she'll like that, honestly

Personally I hate Mother's Day as a commercial invention, so don't bother with it myself, but I know it means a lot to my mum who I love dearly, so virtual hugs to her

[giggly]

Ha ha ifink I got nail clippers last year. This year a variety of school bought and made lovelies and woken up at 6.30 to celebrate

It's been a lovely sunny autumn day here in WA.

[drinkingtea]

I ended up in sole charge of 4 children at the Kindergarten festival today - amid a sea of one and two child families with both parents and most with at least one, often 2 or 3 or all 4, grandparents in attendance... A neighbour I know slightly (who was there with her husband, but about the only other one without grandparents) asked me to watch her 3 year old as she felt unwell but her DD was still having fun, so her DH was going to drive her home and come straight back to stay with the DD... An hour and a half later there was no sign of him, and I really, really wanted to take my own kids home as my own 3 year old was trying to fall asleep in my arms and crying if I didn't hold him in a newborn cradle carry, and I was having to rely on my 8 year old to babysit the other 3 year old as she ran about ... and I realised I had no way of contacting them erm.... Finally the dad turned up on his bike, saying their car had broken down ... By which time I had had plenty of chance to ponder why the only adult on her own with the largest number of kids was the one they'd picked out to be free child minder... Ah well... My older 2 kids were brilliant though, rose to the situation without a murmer and were excellent babysitters...

[drinkingtea]

Ah that is interesting Acrossthe Pond55 - I'll celebrate for that reason :o

Fathers Day is a bank holiday in Germany, so I'm all in favour of that artificial construct too :o

[drinkingtea]

Not interested in a Christian celebration - Mothers Day for me, thank you. Just as Christmas is a mid winter celebration and Easter a spring one - plenty of non Christian reasons to celebrate all 3, and the card companies may as well appropriate Mothers Day for their own uses, just as the Christians did the winter and spring festivities that long pre-date Christianity :o :)

[Bunbaker]

That's interesting Acrossthe Pond55. I didn't know that.

[AcrossthePond55]

Mother's Day in the USA wasn't a product of the card companies but has a history as far back as 1868 as a method of trying to reunite families torn apart by the Civil War (ours, not yours). It became an official holiday in 1914 when a proclamation was issued by President Woodrow Wilson.

As for me, my boys are grown & all I've asked them for today is to meet at my own mother's assisted living for chinese food & cake. I've told them that Granma (91 & slipping into dementia) should be the focus of our Mother's Days for as many of them as she has left.

[Bunbaker]

Youare I admit that did cheat a little and lift some of the explanation from another website. But I knew that our Mothering Sunday (not mother's day) is part of the Christian calendar, not an artificial construct like father's day.

[echt]

I'm glad it turned out better, Hazchem.

I wasn't quite waited on hand and foot, making the fire, and a cuppa in bed for DH. This was redeemed by posh nosh in town.

Having a lie down now.

[Hazchem]

Thanks. I'm glad I haven't ruined anyones day by being grumpy.
OH even made a lovely dinner and we went to a friends house for a shower (Our hot water broke yesterday) they have as really posh lovely shower with a view of the garden and sky so it was almost as good as a spa retreat.

[Makemineapintofrioja]

And did not have to visit Grandma for the first time and can have my girls all to myself today and get two minutes of attention - I hear you drinkingtea

[Youarejustwordsonascreenpeople]

Happy Mothers Day to you all.

Thanks Bunbaker for that fabulous explanation and for calling it what it is, Mothering Sunday and not Mothers Day.

Mothers Day is a construct of the card companies, Mothering Sunday is a Christian celebration.

[Makemineapintofrioja]

I am having a great time in the Netherlands. Just finished eating apple pie and am in the soft play wearing my new hand made necklace which is very pink

[drinkingtea]

Happy Mothers Day Hazchem - I don't think you're an arse either, and I always prefer to read about other people living in the "real" world rather than rise tinted ones misery loves company :o

Its Mothers Day here in Germany - I think the UK is the only place that celebrates in March so the March Date must be "wrong" Mother, who lectures me every UK mothers day when I phone her to wish her an enjoyable day, on the UK date being right and questions why Germany has a different mothers day, as if I changed it to annoy her personally There are at least 3 dates around the world aren't they? Or is it just UK versus international?

Usually I growlingly write Mothers Day off as Grandmothers Day - really are we the only family where on both sides the grandmothers think it is all about them, the full day, not just flowers and a phone call...? This year we have a festival at Kindergarten, so DH has gone to see his mum for the entire day and I am taking 3 kids to the Kindergarten Festival.

My kids made me breakfast in bed, including a cup of tea made by my 8 year old eldest - presented proudly with home made cards and a pottery heart DD made at school... at 6.30am :o

[Bunbaker]

"Forgive my ignorance, but why do we have different Mother's Day? Why can't it be a universally accepted date?"

Because ours is on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It was originally a time when people returned to the church, in which they were baptized or where they attended services when they were children. This meant that families were reunited as adults returned to the towns and villages where they grew up. In time, it became customary for young people who were working as servants in large houses, to be given a holiday on Mothering Sunday. They could use this day to visit their own mother. It was traditional to eat Simnel cake on Mothering Sunday.

[PortofinoRevisited]

Bonne Fetes Des Meres from Brussels. I got a lovely card and a hand painted mug this morning. It is horrible out so I am going to have a lazy day and dh has a nice bit of lamb to cook.

[ifink]

Yes another corker from the Mother's Day school stall in qld (which I had to donate gifts to and then give money to DD to buy something).....this year I got.......wait for it...........nail clippers