Mother's Day is just around the corner and
most of us this year will be in lock-down.
I thought people might like to share a few
stories about their mothers - just for a change
of topic from politics.

My mother was an orphan, brought up by a grand mother. When granny died she had only distant relatives, distant geographically also. Her whole life was dad & her family.

As a young alone mother she had a pretty rough time during the war, with dad over seas & no support. This precipitated a life long pursuit of the security of bricks & mortar, which dad, one of 7 did not really understand.

It did not help that her only son went flying off aircraft carriers, racing formula 1 cars, or sailing for years around the Pacific islands, out of touch often for months.

She was a great mum, & I have only realised recently just what a great cook she was, when I try to produce loved food from my youth. Only 5 foot & half an inch, she made it to 99, which proved she was a hell of a lot tougher than she looked.

RIP mum.

Dear Hassie,

Thank You for sharing. Your mum sounds like a very
remarkable woman - her life could not have been
an easy one.

My mum was also a remarkable lady.
A very strong, determined, spirited,
brave, funny and loving woman who touched
our hearts and made such a difference in our lives.

She too saw a lot in her lifetime: both beauty and hardship. To
mum family was everything. She loved us all dearly and was
always there for us.

She was so determined to live to be 100 so that she could get
a letter from Australia's head of state. She was hoping it
would still be the Queen - whom mum admired greatly.

Mum and dad along with mum's parents and my older brother
arrived in Australia in 1949 as part of the first wave of
Baltic displaced persons after the Second World War.

Mum and dad worked hard and built a life together also giving
birth to another son and to their only daughter - me.
Life had its ups and downs . They lost a baby boy who died
during the war in Germany. Then mum lost both her parents
due to illness in Australia. She lost her husband in 1970
at the tender age of 52 due to a massive coronary from working
in very difficult conditions in a rubber factory.
Those were tough times.

That's all for now.

don't remember a thing. She died when i was four.

Then i was put on welfare from age of four as a ward of the state.

No tears please.

Dear Chris,

I'm sorry to hear that.

It just goes to show that everything is relative;
everything has its story; and everyone has obstacles
to overcome. They are our greatest teachers.

Foxy, when you don't have something, you dont really miss it. I was in my teens before i realised just how different my situation was.

It may have been much worse if I was older when I lost my mum.

My daughter, however, is lucky to have the greatest mum one can hope for.

She is kind and gentle and never gets involved in the politics of any workplace or situation, although she has strong standards, opinions and is also interested in current affairs.

I am very lucky to have her given my own shortcomings.