Sundays past and present

For some reason as I was having my shower this morning, I found myself thinking about other Sundays from eons ago. You know, the ones where you have a lie in, get up at some ridiculous hour, have a long relaxing soak in the bath with the radio and a good book, and by the time you surface, a full roast dinner is miraculously on the table with no effort whatsoever on your part.

It got me thinking of how much I took for granted as a teenager, and the fact that Mum hardly ever had a lie in!
Photo: in Mum’s kitchen in the 80s

Even if I was up early (read around 11 am), Mum would be busy in the kitchen making pastry for apple pie, the joint would be on and the spuds in, veg all prepared and she had this fantastic flat bake tin that made the most fabulous gravy from the juices of the meat, a little cornflour, gravy browning and the water from the veg. Of course, it wasn’t the tin that made the gravy, but the love Mum put in when she made it. Come to think of it, gravy was probably one of the first things I learned to ‘cook’ other than fried eggs on fried bread. Yum.

When Mum came up to stay we would let her lie in as long as she wanted. It was such a long journey for her on the coach, and that first night would see her sleep for at least 12 hours. We never used to do very much, just walk the dog, go shopping perhaps and she came to the monthly ladies group meeting. We took her to the BBMF, the woods, a chinese buffet (she tried everything), Boston Stump and the Pilgrim Memorial. If we go to Boston now, we will light a candle in The Stump for her and the Dads.

At my sister’s, there were times when Mum didn’t want to get up, so she was left to stay in bed all day. On one visit, I went upstairs and called Mum a lazy cow and to shift her arse.
Readers will know I loved her very much, so you can read the full story here.

Our last visit saw Mum in bed at the home as she wasn’t well. She was asleep for most of the time I was there apart from a few seconds when she opened her eyes, focused, and I hope realised I was actually there holding her hand and she wasn’t dreaming.
We spoke several times on the phone after that and of course I continued to write.

I said my final goodbyes the morning of the funeral. Mum looked comfortable and peaceful, but so very thin. She and Dad can have all the lie ins they want now. ❤ ❤