Mother's Day Lessons
Pajama bottoms have been Mason’s stay-at-home uniform and many pockets have given under the pressure. As a teenager, my mother taught me to sew buttons and simple mending. I failed the lesson in ironing after a challenge to press my Dad’s pants for a dinner party they were hosting. I diligently ironed the crease right out of his knackis. My mother sewed both of my prom dresses and most Halloween costumes. The first summer I was home from college, she helped me to sew my own duvet for our sorority house. My memory is foggy, but as a mom of teenagers, I know too well how challenging it was to teach this dog new tricks. As I sew the third pocket this month, I am grateful for my mom’s sewing lessons.
One blessing of this Pandemic, is the time to reflect and connect with those close to us. In honor of Mother’s Day, I am sharing little lesson’s passed along from Pookie.
1. A hot bath at the end of the day. Light a candle, pour in some Epsom salts, grab a book and feel your negative thoughts flow down the drain. On Tuesdays I bring a drink into the tub since that is always the day that I fall apart.
2. Baking homemade granola makes the house smell amazing and a sprinkle on yogurt is delightful. Pookie also likes to toss frozen meatballs and a jar of sauce into the crockpot with lots of basil and oregano. She claims “doctoring them up” gives the illusion of homemade and again makes your kitchen smelling delicious.
3. Keeping a “gift closet.” I keep a few books, candles, wine- when I see a cute hostess gift I buy it so I am prepared when we are invited someplace. I appreciate that she taught me to be well stocked.
4. A funny movie can shift your mood. Preferably one with Diane Keaton and/or directed by Nancy Meyers. Being home for eight weeks, I have turned to many of these in time of grumpiness and I can’t help but laugh.
5. You can read multiple books at the same time. I keep a self-help book near my kitchen, a parenting book on a coffee table, and the novel I am reading on my bedside. I also tend to have an audio book on my phone. I thought it was nuts when my mom carried a book in her purse, and kept one in her car. I now also enjoy reading different genres at different times of day.
6. Choice Night. Growing up, this was one of our favorite nights in the Colbert kitchen. As long as we made it, on “choice night,” we could have anything we wanted for dinner. We learned to team up and cook for each other. Granted I made baked chicken, while Sarah whipped up yogurt sandwiches on her night. Being the oldest didn’t always come with perks. Choice Night aka Mom’s Night Off is helping me get through this quarantine.
Here’s to a day of celebrating all of the mama’s out there!
