The Rural Voice, 2001-05, Page 49Home Decorating
Remembering lessons from Mom
By Patti Robertson and wash our own dirty dishes. These
June 30, 2000. 7:30 a.m. I received measures not only kept our home in
the telephone call that all within my
age group dreads and yet knows will
come ... it's our turn.
The call from my Mom's boss was
frantic! Mom had not come into work,
her car was in the laneway and she
wasn't answering the door! And so
began the last day of my mom's life
here on earth. At 78 years young Mom
was still working full time. She'd arise
at 3:30 a.m., 5 to 6 days,of every week
to get her day started and be out the
door by 5 a.m. She was a real going
concern and we lovingly referred to
her often as "Beep Beep, the Road
Runner". Mom lived life fast -paced,
steady, reliable and definitely in
control.
As Mother's Day approaches I have
decided to share memories of Mom
and of course there is always a story to
tell when one discusses decorating and
their mom in the same sentence. Most
of us have defined their decorating
styles either in relation to, or in
opposition to, our "Mom's Style!"
My Mom gave little thought to
"Interior Design". She was always
somewhat amazed that I made my
living working with people and the
interiors of their homes. She'd say to
me "Now, I'm not saying you're not
good ... I mean look what you've done
for me! But I'm amazed you make a
living doing this!" or "Patti, stop
fussing. It's just me who lives here."
or "Gawd Girl, you've got the place
looking like the Taj Mahal!" Mom of
course was raised in the depression by
a very noble and proud family and
these were the standards she passed
along to my brothers and me.
Mom raised my brothers Mike and
Dan and me to do an honest day's
work, to understand there are no free
lunches, to mind your manners and
pull your fair share of the load; to pay
your bills and your own way in
general; to share and share alike,
respect other people's property and
thereby afford yourself respectability;
to act properly in public and DO NOT
be a cry baby or "you'll get something
to cry about!"
Mom raised each of us to
understand we probably would never
have a maid and therefore we were
expected to pick up ourselves, make
our beds each morning upon rising,
respectable order but literally we were
providing ourselves with courtesy,
dignity, and one's own luxury of a
clean healthy home environment.
Mom was not concerned in the least
with collecting fine porcelain
ornaments, or great works of art, nor
whether her
cutlery or
tableservice was
all co-ordinated or
whether the
bedlinens all
matched the decor
of the room —
certainly designer
labels were an out
and out "waste of
time and money".
She was,
however,
extremely
concerned about
the quality and
quantity of food
she served both family and friends.
Being fed by Mom was like being at a
restaurant. She'd always start with a
huge salad where we got to choose
from many toppings and dressings.
Then we'd move onto the main course
again with several entree selections
and an array of vegetables to mix and
match.
Mom loved dessert, and so of
course the goodies really came forth at
this point. Mom always had plenty of
food for whoever dropped by and I've
often seen our family nucleus of 10
swell to almost double, and there
would still be plenty for all.
If company was coming, of course
all the beds had to be stripped and all
remade with crisp, fresh linens, the
house cleaned from top to bottom,
clean towels set out at everyone's
disposal, etc. And if you were invited
to someone else's home you always
went shopping for a hostess gift, took
along some food to help out and were
given the lecture one more time about
manners.
Mom's ultimate specialty was in
the laundry department. This woman
was an A++. Only two years ago she
told my oldest, Heidi, and me she'd
had enough of us and we could darn
well learn the skill as well as her —
she was sick and tired of us, and my
brothers, and their wives, and the kids
at work getting her to help with a
"beyond repair white" but each time
she got the item to sparkle like new!
I'm sorry to admit none of us took
Mom up on her offer to learn how and
she took that secret with her.
Mom and I were definitely of
different generations. I do have
matching bedlinens, co-ordinated to
my room's decor. I have wonderfully
accessorized rooms, great furnishings
and enough of the trappings that go
along with the average lifestyle of
today — but truly what good is any of
this finery if we do not understand
decency and respectability for
ourselves, our possessions and those of
others. So the lesson and duties of
making one's own bed, keeping your
home and property neat and tidy,
picking up after oneself, keeping your
clothing and household gadgets ship-
shape are the deeds that give meaning
and a sense of balance and purpose on
our lives within our home. All these
lessons have served me well and have
been passed down to my daughters and
other young ladies who have graced
my life. What joy I receive when
nightly I climb into my properly -made
bed. After all, I put in a full day's
work and this is a luxury I reward
myself with, along with the weekly
cleaning of my home, getting to touch
and rearrange all the finery I've
collected and thereby celebrating the
"good things" that have come into my
life. I celebrate my good fortune by
taking care of my possessions.
My Mom received no awards for
her homemaking skills which in my
estimation were most noble and
noteworthy, but she did leave a great
legacy as to how "things should be
done" and the propriety with which
she led her life is to be admired and
copied.
May Mother's Day give you a great
sense of peace, with the knowledge
that all these mundane tasks we and
our family tackle day in and out are
creating a great, healthy foundation for
our younger generation. There's
reward in perforriting the duties that
truly make a difference in our daily
lives!
Have a great "Mom's Day!"0
Patti Robertson operates Classic
Interiors in Winghatn.
MAY 2001 45