TO MY MEAN MOTHER FOR MOTHER'S DAY

The Meanest Mother in the World I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also. But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and my brother had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not one hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actualy hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.
We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made alot of our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends?
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us- and it nearly did. By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 16. Sixteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.
Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of three children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested or beaten his mate. My brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, burn the flag, and a million and one other things that our friends did.
She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean.
Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.
I miss you mom!
Happy Mother's Day to all the "mean moms" out there!

My mother Dianne is on the left and Kayla's on the right. Their brother in the middle.

A Very Troubling Week

Well it has been a very trying time here in our home. If something can go wrong, well you know that saying, well I believe it now. Everything did this past week. First I have re-thought my favorite time of season. It used to be spring with flowers in full bloom, but since there is no end in sight for allergy victims, well now it's fall when all the bushes start to die out and I can breathe again and see from my streaming eyes.

Then lets see my mom used to prepare me for all the grown up things a daughter needs to know once she gets a family. Things like husbands ( which i think she fibed on some), children, taxes, voting, you know everyday stuff. But the other things like every major applaince breaking down in your house 1 day apart from each other well that was never discussed. First the dishwasher, then the refrigerator, the hot water is streaming from my faucet in the bathtub is worn out and so the hot water had to be turned off for a extended period of time and then we discoved a leak behind the bathroom cabinet so now that has to go.

If it wasn't bad enough we went to Tickfaw State park to give my best friend a baby shower over the weekend and to relax and not think about all the troubles of the past couple of days and what do you know as we were packing to leave after a very pleasant afternoon with family and friends, then darn if my van, my very faithful, dependable mini-van didn't break down and had to be worked on.

Yes I am having a pity-party as my boys call it. I tell them moms are not allowed a temper fit like they have or to get aggravated like their dad will get so moms will have pity-parties and maybe someone will take pity on them and say encouraging things to her (unlike her own family who roll their eyes at her behind her house when they think she isn't looking).

So I hope everyone has had a better week this week then I. I am posting a picture of my happy place. A place that my husband and myself like to go to when Louisiana gets a little to unbearable sometimes and where we will be when we reach retirement age.