Family and fun

When we were having our family, and visitng my parents,
I remember clearly, Dad taking out the calendar to check
if, even though they were retired, the week was free.
I also remember and just as clearly, my mother saying
"It's so good to see you come, and good to see you
leave!" (We lived about 4 hours away and didn't visit
all the time.)

Until we retired and the children all moved away to
have their own families, I always kinda resented my
mother's words. I mean, gee, here we were visiting,
bringing our kids for them to see, I even did most
of the cooking.

Now, the apple has turned - so to speak. We are
retired, we are busy with our lives, maybe even
with more things planned than when we had to work
each day. Oh, yes, we have to check the calendar.
We have a lot going on, and I now know exactly
what my mother meant.

Yes, it's absolutely wonderful to see the kids and
their kids. It's almost fun and a bit painful to see
their kids doing the same annoying things our own
kids did at that age. But, it is also good, to have
our life back, the funriture back in the right places,
the refrigerator no longer full of blue carbonated
drinks and different kinds of juices.

And, yes, it's great to have someone else do the cooking
but when you have to tell the cook where to find
everything, the skillets, the pans, the mixer, it's
almost easier to do it yourself.

Oh, I can hardly wait for them to come again. They left
for their home yesterday. And I know, after they come
again, I'll be just as glad to see them go home.

Sorry Mother! Now I understand.

Allison

www.AllisonKnight.com
"The Haunting of Hastings Hall" a Gothic short
available from Red Rose Publishing, March 2010