Not all of our mothers were wonderful.

[SwissTony]

38. My father was an ahole.

(Don't mean to hijack the thread).

He was physically abusive, particularly towards my mother and my older sister. I was next in line, but didn't suffer nearly as much as they did. When the bastard died, I didn't even go to his funeral.

My mother was a difficult woman. I guess she had to be. My parents married in post war Britain and their was still some degree of rationing. Plus she married an a'hole (yeah, I know, if she hadn't, I wouldn't be around). So, circumstances weren't great. But she brought up 5 kids, got me through university. We had times when we'd be very close and times when we hated each other e.g. she'd read something in the Adelaide News (which is basically where Rupert Murdoch got his start) and maintain it was true even when it was obvious bullshit.

But I loved her and I know she loved me.

My mother-in-law was one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. She had so much time and patience withe everyone, particularly kids. She could walk into a room where 10 kids were having full contact karate fights and have all of them settled in about 5 seconds. She was wonderful.

I have only one complaint...she and my wife, when they got together, would not stop talking!!! I mean it. Neither of them ever drew breath. They wouldn't stop talking. From pre-dawn to post-dusk. They didn't know what silence was.



But she was a lovely, kind woman.

And it's an inter-generational thing. My daughter and my wife can't stop talking to each other!!



When they get together, I just retreat to my man cave.