Things I Don't Want To Know

I wonder if other mother-daughter relationship evolve in the course their lives and take on different meaning at different stages. I have great love for my mother, if for no other reason than she is my mother. But right now, I think she is more like a caricature providing comic relief in my life.

Mom Who Dreads Planning

Over the weekend at the resort, mom said several times - It's so much work, going away. Why do you want to do it?

- It's nice to get out of the city and spend some time together.

- But it's cumbersome and fussy, all the packing, driving, cooking and cleaning. It takes so much time, it's not worth going away. Nothing wrong with staying home and doing nothing.

- You'd still be cooking and cleaning at home.

- Not for so many people. You don't have to plan for yourself.

Mom Who Sleeps With The Lights On

I shared a room with mom at the resort. At bedtime the first night, she turned on, that's right - turned on, all the lights in the room. At 11 pm, the room was brighter than high noon in a cowboy movie.

- Why did you turn all the lights on?

- I like the room bright.

- Even when you're asleep?

- Yes.

- I can't sleep with the lights on.

- Can The Boy sleep with the lights on? Can you switch rooms?

- No, he can't sleep with the lights on.

After some negotiating, mom agreed to sleep in a darkened room. But I had to leave the bathroom light on. That's so she can find her way to the bathroom in the night. But I was the one who got up several times. Mom did not get up once.

In all these years, after all the nights mom spent at my house, I never knew she slept with the lights on.

Mom The Developer

I went for a long walk with mom through the golf course. The course is spread over manicured grass and some rougher, swampier land.

She kept saying - Just think of all the houses you can build on this land. You can fit so many people in here.

- But this is a resort and people pay to come here to get away from the city and other people.

- This is just wasted space.

When Bro joined us, we went for a drive. We drove to Taximan's cottage to take a look see. The cottage sits on a dense strip of side-by-side structures, each opening onto the sands of Wasaga Beach.

Mom walked around the little cottage, pointed at an open area and said - You can put another cottage there.

- Look how crowded together the cottages are already. Why do you want to put another building here?

- So more people can come.

- But it'd be work having to host so many people. Remember, you don't like to pack and clean and cook for lots of people.

- But it's okay if you charge them for coming.

Mom The Absentminded

On the day we went swimming, mom put her bathing suit on in the condo before heading out to the pool. Once we got out of our street clothes, mom was ready to leave the change room.

- Mom, are you going out like that? Is that your underpants over your bathing suit?

- Oh, I forgot I had them on. I better take them off.

Mom The Exploiter

On one of our walks, we came upon a pond of Canada geese. There must've been twenty of them.

She said - We'd be lucky to catch one of them.

- What would you do with one?

- Cook it and eat it.

- You'll get hauled off to jail.

- That's why you need luck on your side to get one.

By the end of the resort stay, she said - This is much better than camping. Less work to do.

- Camping is a little more work, but it's a different experience.

- Camping is a lot more work. You pack more, takes hours to put up a tent, and when you take it down again, you have to clean it and roll it back up. Too much difficult work.

- It's worth it to live outdoors and have our friends and families and their kids together.

- Have you booked your trip for this year?

- SIL is planning it this year.

- I want to go with you when you go.

- I thought you said it was too much work.

- You're the one doing all the work. I am just tagging along.


Thanks mom, but urr...I'm not sure I care to know more about mom.