Friday, April 27, 2007

Are We There Yet?


I am a baby boomer, born in 1951, a child of the 'sixties who wanted to be a hippie in a Cadillac, and who loved the night life of the '70's. (I still love nightlife; I just can't find anyone around my age group who'll dance with me - and I don't mean the waltz or that '50's stuff that older people do).
I'm going to be 56 next month, (I took the picture above about 5 minutes ago - I don't think it's to bad for 55) but I'm still about 28 years old in my head (and I mean that in a good I-like-to-have-fun-way) which makes me younger than my son - who is the point of this entry.
We met my son and daughter-in-law in Philadelphia this last weekend, and at one point before they were about to leave to go back to D.C., my son interrupted my love affair with a nice Pinot Grigio to say, "Mom, promise me that you'll exercise."
Uh, oh.
I've always wanted to be the best mother ever because my own was so rotten, and because I understand and always understood that children were the most important thing. I read, used common sense when I could and attempted to be the most rational person in the world where my son was concerned.
My own behavior was affected profoundly. Anytime I wasn't sure about an something, I would always ask myself, "Would I think it was okay if my son did this at my age?"
I t was the best moral code ever for someone who believed that children are precious - even when they're grown.
My son is a good person with an equally good and lovely wife. He is moral, hard-working, intelligent, interesting, fun to be with. I care more about his good opinion than anyone's I know.
I got him through a good private college, helped him through graduate school (another private college), gave him moral support, hid my anxiety from him when it would have been selfish of me to have shared it, and tried to be available and helpful whenever he needed me.
I'm glad to say I'm not finished.
I have something else to do.
My son pointed out that the people he worked with who were my age and a bit younger were happy or miserable he thought depending on the health and activity level of their aging parents. The ones who had parents who did not exercise, take care of themselves (he was not talking about health crises people cannot help), eat well, enjoy life were wallowing in worry and misery. The other offspring were enjoying life as were their parents presumably.
I can do something else for my son that I wouldn't do as well for myself. I can take care of myself.
I've already begun.
We often travel together in foreign countries; I don't want to miss that. I want to climb where he climbs, do (within reason) what he does. After all, he got a big part of that sense of adventure from me.
And you do not know how happy it makes me that I can help him with this one thing that will benefit all of us.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Are YOU Shortchanging Your Babies?

If you don't have a bathroom with 2 sinks, you need to seriously consider remodeling. Even if you have only one cat, he/she should have a sink to lie in and a sink to drink from. Summer is coming and these sinks are cool! I recommend the oval sink as the best shape for your feline children. (If you can't get your spouse to remodel your bathroom, surely this will be the argument that pushes him/her over the edge).