FRIDAY FOTOS: Beth Says Good-Bye

FRIDAY FOTOS: Christmas with the Kids

FAMILY: Our Daughters Are NOT Ourselves.

My mother was always disappointed in me. I am not as much like her as she thinks I ought to be. This is not my perception, but something she actually said. (Although if brought up in a situation where it might be unflattering, she would deny it.)

Mom is a good girl. She follows rules, respects authority and never does things people might talk about. As for me, not so much. A rule that complicates without improving, should be ignored whenever possible. Many (not all) authority figures are more about their egos than doing a good job … particularly those who got promoted by flattery. They had to do it and now they expect to be on the receiving end. I’m too loud, too opinionated and too independent. I keep trying to remember to talk softer, because it might be annoying for others. (Just because I think what I have to say is fascinating, doesn’t mean total strangers will.) The other 2 issues really don’t bother me. It’s a free country. People are welcome to disagree with me. It doesn’t make them bad … just un-enlightened.

These are old observations. What I noticed over the weekend is how different my daughter is from me. Oh sure, her personality is different. But I’m not my mom. I expected that. It’s even good. Who wants a clone of themselves?

What I noticed is how physically different she is. We look good in many of the same colors, but she can wear darker shades without looking washed out. While we both have curly hair, I like the way hers curls better. Those are things I knew, but she’s just built differently.

I recommended some styles that look good on me. When she tried them, it wasn’t that flattering. She needs a skirt to be 4 inches shorter than mine to hit the same place on her legs. She has short thighs. 

One of the few things I’ve always had going for me is long legs. Even when they were chubby, they were still long. I wish she’d gotten that. On the other hand, she has a better rear end than I do. Big gut. Flat Butt. That’s me. She has a nice round little tush. You have to work with what you’ve got.

FAMILY: Beth's accident

Kamikaze deer haunts rural roads.

My daughter decided to come home after her live broadcast from football tailgating. She was driving the speed limit and watching the road in front of her. A 3-point buck charged across lanes of traffic and rammed her door, shattering the window inches from her face. If he’d been bigger, he’d have been in her lap. It shook her up. She called and all I heard was sobbing. It took a few moments, before I figured out what had happened.

She’s unhurt, but Bambi is dead. As for her car, the driver’s window and door are trashed. The mirror is hanging by a cord and even the back door has some damage. It’ll cost $3,000 to fix it. 5 minutes earlier … 5 minutes later, it wouldn’t have happened.

Today, she’s going through the same realization we all had after getting the bill from our first accident. “$500 Deductible? You mean I have to pay part of this!” Growing up sucks.

FRIDAY FOTOS: Water and Beth at Missouri Botanical

FAMILY: Move-In Mania

All summer, Beth has been organizing a promotion for her campus radio station: Move-In Mania. She put together a handout and got $350 in prizes. But when it came to volunteers, she didn’t get the turn out she hoped for. The promotion targeted Freshman Move-In Day, but upperclassmen should have been available. Of course, no one was in school mode yet.

This is what you have a mom for. College students don’t need a mother for the same things that 2-year-olds do. (Thank Goodness!) But we can be the go-to gal, when they’re in a bind. I brought coffee, picked up the pizza, and manned the booth, when everyone else was out. Certainly not heavy lifting, but I hope it helped. I try to strike a balance – not invasive, but not disinterested. The right mix for Beth is completely different from Eric. Being a mom is always a work in progress.

Here's a link to streaming audio from the station:
http://www.wiu.edu/thedog

FOOD & FAMILY: Beth's Cooking

Beth has been cooking recently. It helps, but she heads back to college in a few days. I’ll have to become re-acquainted with the kitchen.

My daughter is a fine cook, but she doesn’t make exactly 2 portions. I think I need more food than I actually do, so if there’s extra I eat it. I have a real case of clean-your-plate-itus. Empty-the-pot-atosis, too. The extra food will look better in the dogs’ dish than on my butt. Now, if I can just remember that …

The advantages of her cooking are:

• I don’t have to do it.


• She has more time. I don’t mind cooking. I just don’t like coming home tired and hungry … and then having to start dinner from scratch.


• More effort. More variety. I get in ruts. Campbell’s Soup and Healthy Choice dinners control the portions, but they’re boring after a while.


• It’s like being a man. I come home and dinner is on the table. Pretty cool.

The very minor down side of having someone else do the cooking is:

• Of course, she doesn’t take my diet as seriously as I do.


• I opened my big mouth and said I’d do the clean up. She’s messy.

I’ll miss her when she leaves, but she has to grow up. It’s the law.