This is my Mum. I love my mum.

So for this Mother’s Day I want to share my list of ….

“Why My Mum is Awesome and Things I Should Have Learnt from Her but Still Have a Ways to Go.”

1. Be Happy with Your Hair. My Mum has had the same hairstyle since she was 15 . She is now 74. That’s 59 years of being content with her hair. Not a bad record. And something that most women struggle with – ie “hair discontent.” I have not yet learnt this lesson.

2. Be Regal on the Inside. Because of her short vaguely curly hairstyle that she has had for 59 years, my mum sometimes looks a bit like The Queen- especially when the hairdresser over enthusiastically poofs her hair. Mum thinks this is amusing but yet, she happily depoofs her hair when she next has a shower. You see, my mum doesn’t need to look like a queen, because she is already regal on the inside and that, my friends, is more important. Not regal in a “I’m better than you “way, but regal in that she carries herself with dignity and deep kindness towards all other people.

3. Handwash your Woollens in “Softly” Wool Wash and DON’T HANG THEM ON THE WASHING LINE WITH PEGS!! Don’t , just don’t…( they will go all wobbly if you do.)

4. If you Get Parkinson’s Disease Don’t Whinge All The Time But Turn it Into Another Learning Experience Even if Your Body Freezes  A Lot and You Can’t Taste Anything You Eat and You Are in A Lot of Pain Pretty much Every Day.

5. Notice the Children who Can’t speak English or who Have Disability and Get Picked on by Other Kids and Other Teachers Who Should Know Better and Nurture Them even Though You already Way too Busy with Your own Stuff . In the 1960s, 70s and 80s, my mum was a school teacher. She was unique in her love for children of all backgrounds. I love that about her. I hope I have inherited a little bit of that from her.

6. Always Bake Scones using Cream and NOT BUTTER and DEFINITELY NO EGGS. Eggs and butter in scones are WRONG !WRONG!WRONG!But Mum’s scones are so RIGHT!RIGHT!RIGHT! without them and they taste so gooooood!!

7. Love God and read the Bible . A lot.

8. If it’s Cold – Wear a things close to your skin like a Singlet and a Spencer and TUCK THEM IN  TO YOUR UNDIES. It totally works. Big tick right there Mum.

9. Better Still- wear tights UNDER your slacks/jeans and OVER your undies and EVERYTHING into them as well. You will look like you’ve put on 10kgs, you will be WARM.

10. Love your Mum- Even if She isn’t Perfect. This is a portrait of my Mum’s Mum and Dad – Tom and Bertha Jean, – on their Wedding Day in the 1930s.

Nan Bertha Jean was tricky, but a product of a tricky childhood and as you can see, terrified on her wedding day, poor love.

So, this, my friends, is my list.

Mum, you are the queen of my heart.

Happy Mother’s Day.

And I hope others will learn from you like I still am.

Especially the undies bit.