Beam me there, Scottie
My mom is here to visit. I have one glorious month of being able to relapse into a dribbling 3 year old again and I’m milking every minute of it. Suddenly, I’m incapable of buttering my own toast; the iron is an alien tool that I have no idea how to operate and my bed is magically made the minute I get up in the morning to brush my teeth. I love it when mom visits; I know she needs to feel needed, I know she feels important if she gets to mother me, and so I let her. Who’s complaining?
In return, I’ve be-decked her in flannel and fleece, lambswool and corduroy to make sure the Northern winds don’t leave her frostbitten. We go around town and there she is with a scarf, gloves and a thick winter jacket while I walk alongside her in jeans and a t-shirt. I’ve gotten used to the cold. Heck, it aint even that cold yet. Nonetheless, I smile and hold her hand, and ignore the passers-by who give me a “ah-yes-your-mother-is-visiting-from-a-tropical-country-isnt-she” type of knowing look.
She loves tea-cakes and fresh bread from the bakery. I make sure there is a fresh supply of both in my bread basket in the kitchen every morning.
When I leave for work, I turn on BBC1 for her, as the Gardening and Interior Decoration type programmes come on the air after the dreadful British talkshow at 8:30am that gives daytime television its bad name.
I ring her at about 11am from the office in between appointments with clients; I try my utmost to make it home for lunch or to get her to meet me in town for an hour if I can get away from the workload that day.
I’m taking Monday off work - been checking train times etc and have given her a choice of going to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lancaster or Keswick this weekend. She chose Keswick (pronounced Kes-ick) because it’s a country village, not a major city. We will spend the day at the Lakes, the Farmer’s market and poking our noses into little curiosity shops. I will feed her local fayre and see if we can be touristy and milk a cow in between shopping. I want to bring her to Barcelona sometime next week but I don’t know if I can get my leave sanctioned. I will try; it will be a surprise belated birthday present. I brought her to Venice last year (it was a flip decision between Gaudi and Gondola…..Gaudi, Gondola, Gaudi, Gondola, Gaudi…..) Gondola won.
In a few weeks, I’ll be back to living solo. Her being here is making me realize how much I do miss having her around. It’ll be hard when she leaves. I’m just thinking about it and already, I can feel that blasted lump in my throat. Someone should step up the research on teleport machines. "Beam me there, Scottie." I’d be home for a tosai, a hug from BabyFish and mom’s green curry at least every other day.
In return, I’ve be-decked her in flannel and fleece, lambswool and corduroy to make sure the Northern winds don’t leave her frostbitten. We go around town and there she is with a scarf, gloves and a thick winter jacket while I walk alongside her in jeans and a t-shirt. I’ve gotten used to the cold. Heck, it aint even that cold yet. Nonetheless, I smile and hold her hand, and ignore the passers-by who give me a “ah-yes-your-mother-is-visiting-from-a-tropical-country-isnt-she” type of knowing look.
She loves tea-cakes and fresh bread from the bakery. I make sure there is a fresh supply of both in my bread basket in the kitchen every morning.
When I leave for work, I turn on BBC1 for her, as the Gardening and Interior Decoration type programmes come on the air after the dreadful British talkshow at 8:30am that gives daytime television its bad name.
I ring her at about 11am from the office in between appointments with clients; I try my utmost to make it home for lunch or to get her to meet me in town for an hour if I can get away from the workload that day.
I’m taking Monday off work - been checking train times etc and have given her a choice of going to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lancaster or Keswick this weekend. She chose Keswick (pronounced Kes-ick) because it’s a country village, not a major city. We will spend the day at the Lakes, the Farmer’s market and poking our noses into little curiosity shops. I will feed her local fayre and see if we can be touristy and milk a cow in between shopping. I want to bring her to Barcelona sometime next week but I don’t know if I can get my leave sanctioned. I will try; it will be a surprise belated birthday present. I brought her to Venice last year (it was a flip decision between Gaudi and Gondola…..Gaudi, Gondola, Gaudi, Gondola, Gaudi…..) Gondola won.
In a few weeks, I’ll be back to living solo. Her being here is making me realize how much I do miss having her around. It’ll be hard when she leaves. I’m just thinking about it and already, I can feel that blasted lump in my throat. Someone should step up the research on teleport machines. "Beam me there, Scottie." I’d be home for a tosai, a hug from BabyFish and mom’s green curry at least every other day.
Funny I should mention "Home". It's strange..... I mean, England.... this is home too. This city, this job, this apartment.... I'm one of those people caught in limbo. Belonging to two worlds; knowing both, loving both, missing one when I am in the other. Where is home when my heart is in two places?
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sounding cliche; home is wherever we make it be...we adapt, we learn and we live huh? =)keep safe, old friend and say hi to your mum for me! =)
HELLO AUNTIE D!!!!!!!!!!
So nice, your mum's enjoying life now that all her kids are grown up. No wonder you were so keen on finishing off your DIY that night =)
Enjoy your little breaks with mum ya? Aren't you glad you work close to the Lake district now? Pretty pretty area I hear =)
Hi Al and Bec..mom says hi back. The Lake district is gorgeous indeed. I think we were the only 2 chinese people in sight when we went to Keswick!
Really? That sounds a little bit like Bunbury too (the Chinese in Keswick bit).
Yeah I know what you mean by 'Home', a bit hard to define at this stage whether it's kk, bunbury or perth! Probably easier to have 1st home, 2nd home, 3rd home etc... =)
By the way: hope the word verification thingy helps, noticed that you still had a few deleted comments in your latest posts.
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