Mothers and Chirrens

Saturday the SNSS and his family came over bringing flowers and wishes for a "Happy Mother's Day". The SNSS, being a creative and witty fella, thinks the Saturday before Mother's Day should become "Step-Mother's Day". Being a Step-Mother, I heartily agree.

I am a Step- of two types. Since 2-24-68, I have been a Step-Child, sometimes a Redheaded Step-Child. I mean that in a couple of ways. I was redheaded, by way of Miss Clairol. I was also a "Redheaded Step-Child" in the manner of feeling mis-treated. But in retrospect, I did more of the mistreating than was dished out to me. But, thanks to a loving Step-Mother, we got past all that. We now have a solid, respectful, relationship. I value it.

On 12-31-2002, I became a Step-Mother. Now, those of you who ARE Step-Mothers as well as Mothers know that the job description for S-M is a LOT different; especially when you acquire your steps as grown-ups instead of children. You can't try to be a "Mom", they already have one. You can't tell them what to do. First of all they aren't YOUR chirrens, and second, they are grown-ups. Then there's the whole clash of "Family Traditions" at holidays and b'days. I think being a child of a blended family with a Mother of a blended family helps me understand the complexities of this situation. I also THANK my lucky stars that I had such a good role model as Mom for how to be a good S-M.
I hope I'm as good a S-M to my Steps as she was/is to me. I'm NOT fishin' for a compliment, y'all. Really, I'm not. Your actions this weekend were confirmation enough.

Sunday, I awoke to find my Tall Son was "in the house". He had arrived while we slept. {Our friend Peter, see LawDog's post about Friday night, had been with us Saturday and Sat. night, so it felt a bit like I was runnin' a "hot bed motel". I'll post more about Peter's visit in a couple of days.} He stayed up 'til about 8:30 then hit the rack for a nap. I rousted him out of bed about Noon and we went over to Mother's to transplant some rose bushes. We in the sense of HE did the digging, while I sat on the porch and supervised my Mother supervisin' him. HEY, it was Mother's Day... I'm supposed to take it easy!

When we got back to my house, he wanted to know if I'd be too upset if he went over to the park to AMTGARD for a bit. "They're gonna call me a 'Mama's Boy' if I don't show up!" He abandoned me, for 2 hours! *g* But at least his cruel friends won't be callin' him a 'Mama's Boy' !
My younger Stepson came over and met out new puppy, Tipper Sharpton. He seems to like him better than Boo or Ben. They played a LOT!
When the ABG got off work, she swung by my Mother's house to pick her up, and they got here right after ySS. I started the rice and threw the yeast rolls in the oven and in about a 1/2 hour we sat down to an excellent meal of salad, City Steak (which has it's own gravy), and rice. ABG and ySS had brought Cabernet Sauvignon, so everyone who wanted wine had a glass.

After dinner had settled and the dogs had been played with it was time for dessert. I had made a blackberry cobbler the day before, in honor of DB's b'day, so ABG heated up individual servings in the microwave and topped them with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla. For those of you who weren't here for the "Great Cobbler Debate" a few months ago...you can go to the archives and look it up. I make GREAT pie-crust cobbler. Two layers of solid crust, with fruit in between, then a lattice crust on top, dotted with sugar and butter.

I had given Mother her present last week when I gave her her b'day present. But she did get a card. I did give ABG and Tall Son a present, though. Back at the Arts and Music festival I had gotten them presents I was goin' to save for Christmas, but I decided they were really more appropriate for Mother's Day.
They seemed to like them.

Today I go down to Killeen to see Mom for a few days. I will take her a Mother's Day present and card, of course. And, we'll go out to eat. I'll probably make her a cobbler, since I need to make one to take to the SNSS's for dinner the day I come back.

Don't get all anxious, I'll blog from her 'puter.