Friday, May 04, 2007

Friday 55 & Da Count-That'll do...

FRIDAY 55
Dark clouds part across the sky like curtains on a stage. Glorious sunlight streams through and shines radiantly upon those who are favored. If you listen closely the strains of angelic melodies echo faintly. What rapturous delight after endless and seemingly fruitless toil to hear the words,
'Mom's really not so bad. She is reasonable.'



DA COUNT
Yes, folks earlier this week my 16 year old stated publicly and in my defense that I was, in fact, a reasonable mother when it comes to assigning chores. Calypso was bemoaning the burdensome responsibility of having to fold her clean laundry and put it away (the laundry I sort, wash, dry, and sort again). Diana leapt to my defense and spoke the words I have recorded above. I considered calling a notary public to have the statement recorded legally for all posterity but I suppose publishing in blogdom will suffice. She hastened to add that my requests were based on actual tasks that truly needed to be accomplished unlike some of the duties assigned to her at work merely for the amusement of superiors who enjoy seeing her put in place.

Mind you this is the child who told me when she was 3 and a half that she'd not be potty trained because she didn't want me to control her. (I am NOT making that up). The same child who at 4 and a half told me I should not interfere with her plans because she knew a lot more than I did. There's a verse in the Bible that speaks of mothers saying, 'Her children shall rise up and call her blessed.' With Diana, I figured out pretty darned quick that 'blessed' would only be uttered (if at all) well after every other adjective she could think of had been used.

'Mom's not that bad.' I'll take it. High praise indeed.

Of course, after she had a fit on me last night at 11 when I picked her up from work and then screamed, 'Shut up. I hate you!' at high enough decibels to wake the dead as she was walking to the bus stop this morning, I doubt she'll have much good to say when I tell her she is not going shopping with her best friend tonight.

Ah well, back to the pits with me. Such is life.

27 comments:

Jim said...

And yet, so many of us actually thought parenthood was a swell idea . . . heck, it starts with sex, what could be better than that?

Still a lot more pluses than minuses, ya gotta admit. My son let me hug him for a sec, as he returned to the dugout after hitting his first home run the other night --- that kind of thing pays for a lot, down the road.

XO

James Goodman said...

Ah, if only I knew as much now as I did when I was a child...

Great 55 today, btw.

S said...

Yes yes, but you are reasonable, and thats what counts!
Thanks for playing, make sure to tell Gman you played today...I made him the host...he he but he doesnt know it yet:D

S

jillie said...

Great 55! I know I gave my mother fits and I am sure she wanted to pull her hair out at times when I accused her of me not having a life! We laugh about it now!

I did my VERY first 55 today!

Have a great day lime... ;o)

Anonymous said...

dont ya love being the "bad guy"

LoL

have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

I really like this 55 lime.
Wouldn't it be so much easier to just be friends with our kids and let them do what they want and never have to put up with shouting and arguing but then the rest of us would be left with spoiled, selfish, rotten, lazy adults.
Gees, I think I know a few people like that, wonder if they hated their parents too!
tc

Rusty Nails said...

You are a wonderful mom and your daughter is the blessed one...

I'm surprised after an outbreak like the one you described that shopping is all she'll be missing out on. Mine would be contemplating which prosthetics to save their allowance for.

lecram sinun said...

Ahh... the teen years! Cheers on the count.

Anonymous said...

your great great aunt mushed dogs? shame on her...where's the ASPCA?
I'm calling NOW!
tc

Jocelyn said...

You so heartily do not suck as a mother. These kids are going to hit age 22 and be on their knees in front of you.

Breazy said...

Must be the day for the eldest daughters to be mad at us moms. Mine can't stand the sight of me right now and that is just fine with me. Mr. B and I have to go spend the night at the courthouse from 10PM to 6AM for the Bible Marathon I posted about a couple weeks ago and C planned on going with us without asking anyone first, of course all of her plans were made while I was out of town working.

They get some creepy people looking for a fight after midnight so my child is not going and she is mad as can be at me but this is normal because my goal in life is to make her life miserable. I told her I was glad she figured out my goal in good time, now I don't have to try hard to show her what I am doing!

Take the praise, you may never get more ! LOL!

Have a good weekend!

(M)ary said...

Mom's not so bad....

Strong praise from a young 'un. You must have beamed from ear to ear!

And I agree you are not so bad...in fact you are pretty cool!

Logophile said...

You know what you neeed, honey.
A little vacation, so your family can appreciate you.
Come on, you know it would be juuuuust the thing for you.

Anonymous said...

I find humor in most things you do. This as well.

Am I morbid?

Just maybe.

Smile sweetie. Part of life.
We've all been there. She'll forgive you. Lil booger.

G-Man said...

Perfect 55 Limey!!

Meaningful, and it goes well with Da Count!!

As always, an exceptional player...

And BTW,

TAG!!!

I tagged you on a meme.
( read my post for details )

Mona said...

AH! It seems the same story everywhere. WHEW! I am not alone!
My Son would ofetn answer to my Queries with a single answer " Never mind.ou woud'nt understand"
As if some nitwit nincompoof noodle gave him birth!

Anonymous said...

The same child who at 4 and a half told me I should not interfere with her plans because she knew a lot more than I did.

My kid's about to be a teenager. I'm looking forward to that day he says that, because I'm going to say "excellent," disappear for a minute, then return with several folders with hundreds of papers and say "then you can do my taxes."

Semi-Gloss Lacquer said...

I think one of the coolest television ads I ever saw (and I don't watch TV,) was a series of kids basically going through this monologue, (their images would change,) but it ended with the kid saying, '...yeah, I know, I'm going to say the most outlandish and hurtful things sometimes, but I really need you to know that I need you to be the adult, because I'm just a kid, and no matter what I say, you're the adult, and I'm not, and I desperately need you to be, so in case I don't say it... thanks, and I love you...'

That having been said?
Never could figure out women... (yes, I've been around plenty... and it's not been so bad that I don't want to NOT be around them ever again,,, quite the opposite,)
---but Mothers and daughters???
fugettaboutit...
Ain't no way I'm going there, other than to say, 'I'm praying for you, and things do get better, (and.... dude... you have a 16 year old?... what's up with that? you look way too young to be having a child who I would have wanted to go out with when I was in highschool...)

...hmm, maybe there's another way of saying that...
but still.

(last night me and a buddy of mine were wheeling around leading 'bike-hop,' --and the two girls we were riding with were both in their twenties I guess... (I did not feel better thinking: '...um, yeah, I'm twice their age...'

Yes, I'm wearing my earrings again, and No.. I don't want to be reminded of my bald spot...

cathy said...

Isn't that just how it feels when your kids approve of you? Yeh!

Cosima said...

My son turns 5 soon, and already I have heard the bad and the ugly and the wonderful in a single day. The thing I take pride in is that he knows that he can say it all, that we can disagree... most passionately, and he still feels secure in the knowledge that I love him very much.

Moosekahl said...

It's amazing how much "smarter" moms get as the "children" grow up. My mom is totally cool...the ultimate "mom compliment"

RennyBA said...

You 'a bad guy'? Well actually I've always thought that girls like you are at their best when baddest:-)

barman said...

This is an awesome 55, I really love it.

It sounds like your daughter is prone to extremes. At least you rock in there from time yo time. That is high praise indeed.

Hey we can not be aces all the time. I watched one of my best friends sons discover that this weekend. He said NO in a fairly stern voice to his 10 month old niece. Her eyes teared up and she cried, she was so hurt but she was trying to eat a barret that could have killed her. He said he was not ready to be a parent. I would say you are not only ready but also have done a wonderful job of it.

Glad you captured that even if it was fleeting.

Stephanie said...

I started having the 8 year old put her own clothes away a couple months ago.. I figure train em early.

Now, if I could just get them to put their toys away I'd be good.

SignGurl said...

My mother keeps reminding me that I will like my girls again when they reach the age of 21. Only six and ten years to go for me.

I'm still waiting to hear that I'm "reasonable".

Great 55, Lime!

KFarmer said...

My high light was my son telling me through a note- are you ready? "You were right Mom, and I was... wrong." I dang near died. Congrats on your praise :)

Anonymous said...

hey Lime...just to let u know im still alive...lol...just...been burning the candle a bit...anyway, hope you're ok...catch u soon xxx