This One is for Mom

My mom and I have had a telephone relationship since I left home at 17.

At first our conversations were all about my new life in California, about the new people I was meeting, about school, about how different things were and how I loved it.

I remember laying on the carpeted apartment floor in our Toronto street apartment when I made the call to tell her I was pregnant with Kelli.

She screamed. I'm not sure she believed me as my mantra growing up was," I'm NEVER having kids."

I called my dad on his birthday in 1998 but mom answered. I told her to tell dad Happy Birthday and that his present was a beautiful baby girl that we were going to name Elizabeth.

Nowadays we talk about the kids. Where they are going, who they are hanging out with, how classes are going for them, and which of them will be coming home with us when we visit. I also hear about what's going on at home, how my siblings are, who came over to play cards, who they are playing shuffle board with while they are in Florida for the winter, and their health woes.

I still occasionally call around the dinner hour.

"Mom, how do you make _________(fill in the blank)?"

"Well, I never really had a recipe for that," she always says.  Always.

"Just do a little of this and a little of that."

Since I've started blogging mom likes to go to my blog for pictures and kid updates. She'll call and ask me if I'm okay if I haven't blogged for a while.

I got one of those calls last week, so Mom, are you listening?

The following is for you.

This is what our world looks like today. It's cold out but today I feel like I can breath a bit better when I step out. I think it is supposed to be a bit warmer, not breath-stealing frigid like it has been the last several days.

We got the girls a new car last week. The Civic was dying. The Beetle that we had found for Elizabeth last year was cute but didn't run. We sold both of them last week and bought this 2008 Honda Pilot.

Elizabeth will use it to finish out her senior year of high school, and in the Fall, ownership will transfer to Kelli for her senior year of college.

I took Will to school this morning. He filled me in on his basketball game last night and his plans for today and for the rest of the week. He is now officially taller than I am. I think his hair needs cut, he doesn't. He comes downstairs after his shower, gives his head a shake and comments on how awesome his hair is.

How long will poinsettias last?

I can't believe I haven't killed it yet but it lives on.

The sun is playing with our front door this morning and I wish I could sit and watch but......

I made some bread this morning. I didn't want to fuss with the bread machine because I need to go to work and won't be around, so I'm trying out a new recipe.

Of course I found the recipe on MennoniteGirlsCanCook. It's for brown bread and it makes only one loaf which is perfect for today. Here's the link.

We'll see how it turns out. It seemed dry while I was kneading it. Stay tuned. I'll let you know if I like it or not.

Of course our dishwasher is still not working so I have breakfast dishes to clean up. Having an old house and getting a new dishwasher are not compatible. Something to do with plumbing and how they make dishwashers nowadays.

I believe some of my best thoughts come when my hands are in warm, sudsy water. Farmer Boy and I usually have actual discussions together at night when we stand side by side at the sink. I wash and he dries.

Dishwashers may be overrated.

That's all I've got today.

It's shaping up to be a proper Wednesday I suppose.

Hope your day is a good one.

Love you.