By tomorrow, I hope that the auction catalogue will have gone to be printed and I can start to relax. I’ve got a to-do list that isn’t written down – I only do that when I’m at risk of forgetting things – that really needs to be tackled in the next week or so.
The first things are birthday presents for eldest grandson and my daughter-in-law. They’re the last birthdays of the year now. My mother’s birthday was in November, which was always a bit of a worry. Presents held a lot of significance for her and, the older she got, the harder it was to get it right. She never criticised a present but one could tell that one had fallen short again. In fact, after she died, we found quite a number of things that had never been taken out of their wrappings, though Wink and I had gone to a lot of thought and tried hard to get things she would like. I still don’t know how we could have done better and perhaps it was not possible.
I’m not especially imaginative in that line, I wish I were. I have managed a few successes with Tim, fortunately – it’s sometimes the unexpected ones that work surprisingly well, such as the ice maker of a few years ago. He’s really good at presents, in contrast to me, quite exceptionally so.
All the same, neither of us is too bothered by anniversaries. It’s our fourth wedding anniversary on Thursday, but I doubt we’ll mark it. At least I remember the date – it took years for Russell and me to get it right, we had to look it up every time.
I have promised to take Tim out to lunch one day this week, though. We missed last week, I’m not sure how. Rare for us to let an opportunity for fun to pass us by and we will make up for it.
I can so sympathise with you concerning presents and mothers. Even as a child it was expected we would buy presents for our parents, learning to save up our pocket money, my mother’s birthday was April, also around that time of year is Mothering Sunday, another gift to choose, not flowers or chocolates but a present on a par with birthday or Christmas. Rarely did I feel the gifts were good enough.
When our offspring were growing up up I made it quite clear there was to be no purchasing of cards or gifts for Mothering Sunday, the bunches of daffodils and greenery from church was fine, just remember the fifth commandment all the year round please. A few years ago daughter sent a gift, has continued to do so but she knows and understands there is no pressure. She points out too that I’m not good at finding the right present for people either, I do agree with her on that point.
Crikey, that was hardline for a child! Since I didn’t get pocket money, I couldn’t save it, though I did save any money I did get and never spent it on myself (my parent’s never realised this, I suspect each thought the other paid, they were very generous and kind).
I take whatever comes. This year, two children gave me presents and I don’t mind at all that the third didn’t. I don’t equate presents with love, thank goodness and I’m sorry that my mum couldn’t help doing so. I had an easier childhood than she did.