Over in the UK, Mother's Day is tomorrow. But the rest of the world -including Mr. D. - will be honouring their beloved mums in May. But whichever part of the world we live in and whenever Mother's Day falls, we'll definitely be keeping our mums in mind.
Everyone says I'm my mother's double. I've lost count of the times I've actually been mistaken for her. I'm hoping it's not because I look old! But then my mum could never be be considered old as she looks so young. She really could pass for my (slightly older!) sister. But I always felt that our looks were where our similarities began and ended as personality-wise we couldn't have been more different. I'm definitely more outgoing whereas Mum's a bit reserved. Our style in dressing is very different: I'm probably more Avril Lavigne whereas Mum dresses in a way that makes the Queen look like Avril Lavigne (which always frustrates me!) I like a good drink and can really put those cocktails away but Mum's a teetotaler who just has to look at a glass of wine and her head starts to spin. I like my music loud and angry while Mum's the queen of the easy listening classics. We couldn't be more different - or so I thought...
It hit me one day a few years back, when I was in a bookshop perusing the cook book section and was wondering what to add to my already ever-increasing stack of cook books when it dawned on me where I got my addiction from - Mum! As a kid Mum had a whole load of cookery books (and I do mean a whole load of books) which I used to pore over, looking at the pics, while Mum would be putting the recipes to good use. All these years later, I'm doing the same and always like to test out any fabulous recipes I come across.
It got me thinking about other ways in which I'm a lot like my mother. I'm often so busy focusing on the differences that I don't think about things that we both have in common. It's the same with the majority of my friends - they love their mums to bits but don't think that they're anything alike. Maybe one day they'll also discover that they're more alike than they think.
1. MUM AND I ARE BOTH FEEDERS!
Nothing to do with the band - this is where the cook books come into effect! When you come to our homes, you'd better be coming with an empty stomach. Just don't think you'll be leaving with one! In fact you may need a crane to carry you out because we're in danger of overstuffing you! Nothing makes us happier than cooking for other people and having people around our table (something we both get from Mum's late mum - my lovely grandma) and we feel really humbled by the appreciative comments we get.
2. WE WATCHED ALL THE SOAPS RELIGIOUSLY... BUT DON'T NOW!
Long before I ever came along, my mum was a real soap connoisseuse. It all started with a soap opera many people may not have heard of called Peyton Place, and from there it was I Crossroads... then Coronation Street... Emmerdale Farm....Dynasty, Dallas... She used to watch them all. And as I grew older, I also became a bit of a soap addict too, and could never get enough of soaps like EastEnders, Neighbours, and Home And Away. It was amazing because I couldn't remember my eight times table (I still have to think about it!) but I could remember what caused Madge and Harold were arguing about six months earlier!
However over the years our love of soaps dwindled. In Mum's case it's because she's too busy to keep up with what's happening in Weatherfield or Albert Square, and in my case it's because soaps don't interest me the way they once did and I don't believe that they're as good as they used to be. Though that said I do still keep with Easties and Neighbours, more out of habit than anything else (though with the latter, that won't be for much longer!)
3. WE'RE GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE OLD HOSPITALITY!
I only invite people into my home if I really like them (well doesn't everyone!) so it's very important to me that everyone who does come to our home, whether it's for a quick visit or to stay for a while, is made to feel very welcome and know that we are happy to have them over. So we go out of our way to make sure they're happy, comfy and that they treat the place like their second home. And looking after guests is something I learned from Mum who learned from the best - her mum! However I think most people prefer to go to Mum's than mine because she's a much better cook than I am!
4. SPORT IS NOT OUR THING.
Just about everyone in our family is into a sport of some kind. And just about everyone supports a particular football team. That's soccer to my American friends!
All except Mum and me. I've tried to get sporty in the past but it just wasn't happening. Mum didn't even try! We do however tune in to watch the World Cup especially when England's playing. That's about as sporty as we get!
5. AND NEITHER IS DRIVING!
Everyone who knows me knows that driving really isn't my forte. And it's not Mum's either. Mum never learnt to drive and nor has she ever wanted to. I once asked her why and she said that if she learnt to drive then that would be one less thing that Dad did - and he already doesn't do much as it is!
I did however manage to get my licence (how, I'll never know!) and was a car owner when I lived in London but sadly I'm a real hazard on the road due to being a real bag of nerves behind the wheel - something I've so far never managed to conquer that I hope I'll be able to one day - so I tend to leave the driving to those who are less of a calamity.
6. WE'RE NOT ONES TO COMPLAIN
OK maybe not strictly speaking true as we have been known to have the odd grumble. Maybe more than the odd grumble! But compared to a lot of people we know, we hardly ever complain. If life's getting us down, something seems unfair, or we're just having a bad day, we just suck it up and get on with it. So we're the ones who will tell the wait staff when everything is fine when the food and service sucks; tell people who enquire that everything's fine when it isn't, and are the least likeliest of people to leave a bad review on Tripadvisor!
And on the rare occasions when we do complain, it's only because it's absolutely necessary. I guess you could say that we know how to pick our battles. Oh and on the rare occasions when we do complain, we don't hold back - me in particular!
7. OUR BODIES ARE MADE UP OF NINETY SEVEN PER CENT SUGAR!
It's not just my looks I got from my Mum but my incredibly sweet tooth. Thanks to her, I'm a real sucker for sugar and it's virtually unheard of for me to go to a restaurant and not end a meal with a dessert. And if I'm too stuffed for dessert, I at least take a peak at the dessert menu to see what I'm missing out on!
8. WE'RE USELESS WITH TECHNOLOGY
Oh my goodness, where do I begin with this? At least with Mum, she was born way before technology took hold of us the way that it has now. She didn't grow up in an era where people stopped breathing if they had to go without their iPhones for five minutes. I however, have no excuse especially as I'm a blogger as well. I'm not as bad as I'm making out as given a certain amount of time, I can usually figure things out. That said, I'm still far from great!
9. ADVICE IS OUR MIDDLE NAME
For as long as I can remember, people having been calling on my mum whenever they had a problem of some kind - and they still do. Perhaps it's because Mum's very understanding, a good listener, gives good advice, and tries to help out in any way that she can.
Well it's a good job I've been trained by the best because at I've had all sorts of people - friends, family, colleagues, clients, random people on the bus - confiding in me about their problems.
I guess I just have one of those faces!
10. WE'RE REAL HOME BIRDS
Mum was always a home bird. I don't think she even went to the pub as a teenager. I, on the other hand, was a real night owl, and once I got a taste of London night life there was no stopping me.
However now that I'm older, those wild nights out are pretty much a thing of the past - although nothing comes between me and my rock gigs! I'd much rather stay at home and cook for friends. and believe it or not, we still manage to have a great time!
Do you take after your mum in more ways than one? In what ways are you similar? Or are you like chalk and cheese?
Happy Mother's Day to all the mums in Britain and Ireland.
Photos: Pixabay
Blog graphics: Angel Noire
This post has made me feel a little sad as my mum lives thousands of miles away from me and I miss her everyday. 😥 Even though I do speak to her almost everyday! We are very alike and that brings me a lot of comfort as my mum is an amazing woman. ❤️
I have an amazing relationship with my mum and we really are so alike. I get my love of the arts from her and we both tend to make a living out of the creative fields. A lot of people also say I look exactly like my mum which makes me very happy.
I actually have two mums - the woman who gave birth to me and raised me and my stepmum who's been in my life since I was nine. Both are phenomenal women, who have been great mums to me and fantastic grandmothers to my kids and I love them both dearly. A lot of people say I'm my mum's double which makes me very proud. But I also take after my stepmum in certain ways as well. I'm very blessed. 💕
I'm raising two boys who are twins. My mom raised two girls who were born several years apart. But that's where the differences begin and end. Everything I learned about being a loving mom I learned from my own mother.
My sister and I were raised by a single mom who did a phenomenal job of bringing us up with very little money. As a result it made me want to strive harder for better things so that I could enjoy my life more and not have to struggle the way she did. I'm in my mid thirties, not married with no kids so in that sense, my mom and me are very different. But I'm the first in my family to go to college and I've worked very hard to get to where I am in my career and it's my mom who instilled that determination in me.