Page 29 Spring is the time of awakening flowers.


Page 29
Spring is the time of awakening flowers.
And mothers primroses.

It’s time to get into the garden again. So off I go to mothers ready to start on a major spring tidy up of the garden.

“Hi mother I am going in the garden today, it needs a tidy up”

“You were out there the other day. What else could need doing” mother!!

“The weeds are coming up, the dead flower stalks need removing, do you want me to continue?” phew she is hard work. “I will spend a couple of hours outside then come in for a cuppa and cake.”

“Oh Alright but wrap up warm and don’t do too much” (cake normally wins her round)

I really enjoyed being outside messing around for a few hours. When I went back inside. I sat and told mother that the spring flowers were coming up and that the lawns needed mowing again when it was dry enough. (Big mistake)

“You can’t mow the lawns the primroses are out. I had this with the other gardeners.NO” (mother and her primroses)

“Their mainly in the hedge row and I will mow around the ones in the lawn”

“And what about the daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops and everything else that’s growing in the lawn” (oh heck I have my work cut out here)

“Mother you could hardly see the flowers before I cut back the shrubs.  Why are you so worried?”

“Because they are pretty and I like looking at them”

Fair play mother is right they are pretty and I would never cut them down. Now I just have to convince her.

“I will see where the flowers are because the shoots will be showing, so the next dry spell we get, I am mowing the lawns!” I skipped the persuading and went straight for assertion, it’s quicker.

Mother sat and scowled at me, but her favourite program came on TV and a cup of tea and slice of cake became her centre of attention. All was forgotten, for now.

We actually had a couple of rainless days after this, so on my next visit I suggested that I should mow the lawn. Ouch, I hadn’t given mother enough time to forget.

“Now I have told you to leave the lawns until the primroses have finished” mother being adamant is like a red rag to a bull, I am not defiant just free willed, well I like to think so.

“The lawns need doing now or they will be too long to cut”

“If you can’t manage leave them, I will get a man in” that old chestnut, men are better than women, (I think not)

“There is no need for that I will do the mowing and leave the flowers alone” with that retort I went out to do the lawns.

Mother can be hard work at times.

 I started the mower and of I went happily cutting the grass, when I turned at the top of the garden to come back down there was mother, sat on the seat of her walker by the primroses.

“What’s this” I ask “a one person picket line”

“I am keeping watch, making sure you don’t cut the primroses” well I laughed.

“Why don’t you make a banner as well and do some sort of chant” I giggled.

“Don’t you laugh at me I like my primroses, everyone admires them” mother was so indignant.

“I suggest you go inside before you get cold, the primroses will be fine”

“I will in a bit, when I am ready” and there she sat watching, waiting for me to do the dreaded massacre of the primroses.

I was tempted, but didn’t, the primroses lived to see another day and mother, she got cold and her legs ached for days. But in her mind she had saved her primrose.

Till next time
Copy right to Valarie Potter







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

page 22 chrstmas comes but once a year

page 22 Christmas comes but once a year Thank goodness for that. Well we are all prepared for Christmas, everyone turns up (who would dare deny mother, me if I wasn’t cooking) mother was in her element holding court over the proceedings. The turkey was purchased as promised with all the trimmings. Mother and I sat and prepared the vegetables the night before, all I had to do was cook it. “I will have to go and help in the kitchen for a while” mother says to her guests “I have to keep an eye on things” (yes it’s not just my driving) “It’s all ok out here mother, no need for you to worry yourself” (in other words, go away) “Have you put the sausages in the oven, they need to go in you know” I glare at her to no effect. “They go in later, along with the stuffing, unless you want them cold” (sarcasm or what) “Ok, just don’t forget” (grrrrr) “is there anything I can do to help” mother is looking at me sweetly, ok lets get her working, “Yes, you can start la...
Read more

Page 26 Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Page 26 Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But will mother agree. As mother has taken to using the walker in public now, when she asked me to buy her some more t-shirts, I suggested using the walker and choosing her own. That suggestion was met with some trepidation, which I suppose was understandable, as it would involve some walking. “How about we go to the bank this week see how I manage and the shops next time” says mother looking hopeful. “Alright, if that’s what you want to do its fine by me” So off we went to the shops. I drive now that mother has finally given up (people are safe at last) but now I have a front seat driver. “Stop I have forgotten my glasses” shouts mother just as I am turning round.  “How can I watch the roads without them” states mother. “You don’t need to, I am driving” “Yes but I am helping” (is blind folding her legal or classed as abuse) Instead I go back into the house and get the glasses. “Alright you can g...
Read more

page 1 you can choose your friends

page 1 You can choose your friends - - - - - - -but your family, you’re stuck with. Have you ever noticed that there is a definite role reversal in life? When your young mothers care for you, when your older they still believe they’re doing the caring but in fact you are. On my last visit I noticed that mother was becoming more, not frail as that would never describe mother, or confused, as she will always be able to nag for Britain, but more not able to cope with things. The first was the garden, walking up the path was more like going on a trek through the jungle, machete at the ready watching out for wild animals, scrambling over the under growth dodging tree branches and brambles, then coming across a clearing.  It was the lawn!! Mown and tidy? How bizarre. Bemused I carried on to the house to see mother. After the normal pleasantries, such as you’re too thin! You don’t eat enough! You look a mess! And so on. Followed by replies of, I’m a healthy weight, ...
Read more