DAUGHTERS

I recently read a beautiful article in one of the many magazines I have lying around the house. Apparently, it was based on a contest where mothers and daughters who looked alike were invited to send in their pictures and tell a little story about themselves.

It was most amazing: I could not believe what I was seeing! These women were absolute doubles of one another in most cases. If I had met any of them on a street, I would have sworn I was looking at a pair of twins. Even the age differences weren't remarkable; I would not have been able to tell who was Mom and who was Daughter.

I have two daughters and they look nothing like me! Oh, some people comment that they have my smile, but that's about it. They definitely resemble their father's side of the family: dark hair, olive-toned skin, sturdy hands and feet. I, on the other hand, exhibit my Scandinavian heritage with my light skin, blond hair, and smaller hands and feet.

However, what we do share is a deadly sense of humour! The men in our lives are in deep trouble when the three of us are together and most of the time, these poor males just look at us as if we have lost our collective minds. We also share a sense of purpose that is no match for any man. Once we set our minds on something, we focus on that goal until it is reached. My eldest daughter gave up a low-paying job and spent three years in school, retraining herself. I did the same thing way back when my girls and their brother were still in school. My youngest daughter has worked at several occupations, but she was staunch in all she did and gave every employer the best she had to give. I do the same thing: I am scheduled to work this month at three different places because no one else is willing to work at these places during the summer, but I will go and I will do my best.

My youngest daughter writes and she works every day on her stories. My eldest daughter also aspires to be a writer - both giving everything they have to give to the written word, just like their mother does.

We are all loyal and devoted to our families. We make sure there is a meal on the table every night and we have ample groceries in the cupboard so that we can make these meals. We have lists of chores that we complete on a regular basis so our homes are respectable and the laundry is done. And we also try to make time for fun and play and always look forward to visits to one another. We're due for one - we get together and write and share ideas. And we'll go for lunch and we might even do a little shopping.

So, I guess it doesn't matter whether you look like your mother or not. What matters is the similarities you and your daughter (s) share in other areas. I am proud of my daughters and when I look at them, I cannot describe the love that fills my heart. I don't care who they look like!

Frustration!

I had an experience this morning that almost (remember I said "almost"!) turned me off from shopping at a certain store in my town. We really don't have that many stores here to start with, so this really got my goat.

I had a list (huge list maker am I) and I selected my items department my department. My husband needed calcium supplements; I needed cranberry ones. I needed a couple of birthday cards and the dogs needed food. I picked up some toothpaste and some eyebrow wax strips (I cringe every time I have to pluck) that I hoped wouldn't cause a lot of pain and watery eyes. I picked up a book and got some juices and then I thought I would browse through the women's clothing department in search of a pair of black shorts and a couple of T-shirts. All of a sudden, an employee of the store ran up to me and said I had to leave.

I looked at this woman, thinking that she had totally lost her mind. Why do I have to leave? I am not finished shopping and what do I do with the stuff that is already in my cart? Well, I was told I had to leave it at the front of the store because their tills were down - they were experiencing some kind of internal power failure. All the customers had been rounded up like so many cattle in a herd and were parking their carts at the front of the store and everyone was leaving and shaking their collective heads. An older gentleman was mumbling that he was never coming back, to which his wife replied they had to: They needed the items that were stacked in their cart or they wouldn't be eating for the next week. Kids were bawling because they couldn't take the toys they had picked out. One efficient soul was actually going around and putting her frozen items back in the freezer case!

I left my cart right where it was and I hoped someone would trip over it. That was nasty, I know, and I do realize that a power outage is beyond anyone's control. The employees were telling us that they hoped to rectify the situation soon and we were welcome to come back. I had a couple of other errands to do anyway, so I went and got them done. And I did return to the store a half an hour later, but employees were now in the parking lot and waving people away. No one was being let into the store.

And so it goes: There are some things in life you can control, like your own reaction to circumstances such as these, and there are some things you can't control. I really had to "go with the flow" today. My dogs won't starve and we have enough vitamins for a couple of days. I really didn't need another book and as for the eyebrows, I wear glasses and the eyebrows really aren't that visible.