Mom

Cleaning the freezer and the refrigerator today ... clean is good, I like it a lot.  


I clean with an alcohol soaked clothe.  Perfect for frozen places ... cold places.   My mother taught me how to keep things nice and the smell of alcohol reminds me of that.  It's funny, the freezer stays pretty orderly ... I noticed a tiny spot of green, as in lime green sherbet.  Don't know how that happens.  These little eye soothers had slipped to the bottom shelf.  I am looking forward to a hot bath and cold eye wrap tonight. ... pretty good stuff ...

Of all the writing I do here it surprises me that it is so difficult for me to write anything about my mom.  I love her.  All the house cleaning skills  I have are because she taught me ... and that pesky perfectionist gene ... could have been from her as easily as from Daddy.  Daddy always gets all the credit.  Poor Momma.  


This is important to me ... tidy ... orderly.  The truth is, nothing feels "right" to me when things aren't tidy.  I know this may be a little OCD, but ... if it were possible I would like for every single little detail to be just so.  I know that is a gift from my mom.  It was so nice to be raised in a home where every little detail was seen to ... no soap bubbles foaming up in the soap dish.  No finger smudges on ... anything.  Momma had a huge commitment to clean.  I've never thought about this before, but ... my momma could focus. 


And ... she rocked the house wife thing.  Now I know how difficult that is ... for me there is a lot of security in orderly.  Mom did a great job of providing that ... her invisible hand prints are all over that! 


So ... rubbing alcohol and Lavin fragrances ... Momma.

Sometimes I think we’re missing out these days by choosing the easy life. Years ago, women wore heels that demanded skill to walk in and treatment for bunions, but they looked great. The time and expense to alter a dress and the discomfort of a girdle were a small price paid for a skirt that swished easily around hips and settled gracefully as a woman sat. Corsages for travel, gloves in the city, real breakfasts, and knowing how to dance all cost time and effort, but they also brought an extra richness and discipline to daily life. Now we settle for sweat suits, crocs, and dancing like we’re having seizures in step aerobics class. For the most part, we’ve also given up lush and difficult perfumes. While I’ll take a pass on girdles, I’d happily trade this whole year’s fragrance launches for a demanding perfume like Lanvin My Sin.


When ever I see bottle of it I stop and spritz it ... I lean in to the mist and remember sweetness.  A difficult ... demanding perfume.  Pretty funny.  Thank you Momma.