Tuesday 13 May 2014

Mother's Day Weekend 2014

I had a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend.  My daughter has been busy in the last 2 weeks working backstage and preparing props for their high school musical "Grease".  This is one of my favourite musicals.  I have a "Grease" music book for piano which I bought when the film version with Olivia Newton John and John Travolta had first been released way back.  My daughter found the book which had long ago fallen apart and I had it rebound in a spiral binding.  I've been listening to her play the piano which fills my heart with joy.  So on Friday night, my husband and I went to the school for one of the performances.  Despite the uncomfortable folding chairs, I really enjoyed the performance.  My daughter's role was one of being backstage.  The actors performed very well.  Their singing voices and acting were amazing.  Not just teenage acting but there were several people who's charisma resonated out through the audience.  There was some very fine acting and singing.  Not forced singing or straying off key but legitimate fine vocal performances.  During the intermission, my husband bought me some carnations for Mother's Day which were being sold as a fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis.  At the end of the show, I was wishing I had something to give my daughter in appreciation for her role in the production.  I gave her my carnations.  She was so appreciative and then generously gave one of them to her best friend who was also working backstage.  That was Friday night.


On Saturday, my church was holding a Mother's Day Tea and Silent Auction.  I had not signed up to volunteer at this event because I had thought I was going to be driving my daughter to an appointment during that time.  She announced on Friday night that she changed the appointment to another day.  This meant we could attend the Mother's Day Tea.  After a leisurely morning spent enjoying some coffee and breakfast on the patio while I watched the birds and squirrels play in the yard, my daughter, my son, my husband and I set off for the church.  What a transformation the organizer achieved at the church!!  We walked in and there were 15 card tables set up covered by lace and embroidered table cloths.  There was a fountain surrounded by flowers in the middle of the space.  At the entrance where tickets were being purchased and collected, there was a dispenser of limeade along with a tray of tiny shortbread discs.  We were all offered a little drink and biscuit as we found a table.  On the table was a plate of fancy finger sandwiches which reminded me of my grandmother as she used to make these in support of her local Women's Institute group.  We sat down and a server (volunteer from the church) came and asked us if we wanted orange pekoe or flavoured tea.  As a family, we chose the orange pekoe tea.  The server went away and we listened to students performing on the piano as nice background music to this beautiful atmosphere.  Our server came back with a pot of tea for our table.  She announced that spring salads would be forthcoming and we were to help ourselves to the enjoyment of the sandwiches.  What a really nice time I had with my family sitting, chatting and laughing together.  This doesn't happen often as our children are their own individuals with work schedules and busy social calendars.  The salads came and were thoroughly enjoyed.  After finishing her salad, my daughter waited for me to finish savouring my own salad and then asked if I would go and browse through the silent auction items with her.  We left my son and husband visiting with each other and off we went.  I know this is a small thing but it was one of those moments that creates wonderful, warm memories to hold us through the trials and cold moments of raising children.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my daughter.  When we came back to our table, my son asked if I would go up with him to look at the silent auction items.  Off I went with my grown son while in the background the soft piano music continued to play such soothing songs.  If I had a film version of this Mother's Day tea, it would be softly muted with filters but very bright and cheery.  This is how I remember my time at the tea.  My son saw an electric tea kettle at the silent auction and shyly asked if I would put a bid on it as he could use it in his first apartment in September.  I ended up not wining any of the bids but that was OK.  This was fundraiser for the church but more importantly for me, it was a time to reconnect with my family.  After the tea, we went home and my daughter went to play "Grease" music on the piano.  A little while later she asked me to play some of the music for her.  This then led to us playing some piano duets together.  What a balm and joy to my aching heart!!  My heart is still full a number of days later as I write this.  The best moments in time do not require money to be spent.  Just time spent enjoying each other doing something that we both enjoy is enough.  That was my Saturday and what a gift it was!


On Sunday which was Mother's Day, I awoke early and put on the coffee, emptied the dishwasher, put on a load of laundry and had a bowl of cereal so I could be ready for church.  I then went out to the patio to enjoy the warmth of the bright sun and watch the birds.  My husband, knowing I like to listen to Jigs and Reels with Danielle Butt on OZFM on Sunday mornings, brought out his IPad and tuned it in for me.  I hung up the laundry to dry outside and when it was time, I went off to church.  When I came home, my husband had a very nice lunch ready for me with soup, sandwiches and homemade rhubarb punch.  We ate and my children gave me a very sentimental Mother's Day card with their own additions.  Their own sentiments touched and added to my already overflowing full heart.  Needless to say, when this happens my eyes fill with tears that slowly overflow and roll down my cheeks.  It was a wonderful gift! Due to the busy week of rehearsals, performances and then a late-night cast/crew party, we excused my daughter from the next planned activity.  My son and husband took me golfing on a local Par 3 course.  I've had one golf lesson so far this year.  I had a great afternoon playing golf.  In the past, I could always throw the ball farther and straighter than I could hit it.  In the past, it was the norm for me to have holes where it would take me 10 to 15 shots to get the little white ball in the hole.  With just one lesson, I was able to keep up with my husband and son until I started to tire at the last few holes where once again I was back into the double digits.  I don't remember my score, but I do remember enjoying the warmth of the sun, the camaraderie between us, the birds and the sound of the running water as the little river was full.  My Mother's Day ended with my husband making me a prime rib dinner complete with Yorkshire pudding.  He even made a rhubarb lunar cake for the dessert.


This past Mother's Day weekend has provided me with many warm memories and moments worth hanging onto.  I will pull the memories out during difficult times like little precious gems.  At those times, I will handle them like rolling smooth stones in my hand.  I will admire the memories just like admiring those smooth stones.  Then I will tuck the memories back into my heart for the next time I want to cherish them.  I truly am blessed!

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