let's call them step flowers

 Nancy, my almost perfect step daughter, sent this glorious bouquet and my house smells lovely as a result. I was not a great step mother, but I lucked out and am grateful to have experienced the growth and development of Bill's four children. And of course the six grands are a delight. Happy Mother's Day to the REAL mamas out there. Good job!

Mother's Day 2025

 Nancy is always so wonderful about sending me flowers ~ we bonded many, many years ago. Being a step mother is way easier (usually) than the real thing and yet there were some challenges along the way. Ahem. I had such a great time observing the Blogmaid raise Cass (previously known as RR) and today I salute her and all the REAL mothers everywhere. Good job!

we are both purring

 You've never seen Ginger's spacious backyard with hot tub and orange trees ~ we had breakfast out there yesterday morning before the airplane returned me to an annoyed Annabelle. She eventually forgave me and we are once again in front of the fireplace with the Sunday paper to look forward to. A good SF walk this afternoon will do the trick. Happy Mother's Day to all!

not a fan

 Step daughter Nancy sent me this beautiful bouquet for Mother's Day. Women without children don't get too excited about this Hallmark Holiday, but I do appreciate the gesture and the flowers. To see Facebook or Instagram this weekend, which I avoided this year, one wonders if there are no bad mothers anywhere.

Mother's Day 2020

Beautiful flowers from my step Nancy. I hope REAL mothers will be
safe today, probably zooming with children and grands. Today it is
grey and I am content in front of the fireplace with Annabelle roaming
about and another jigsaw on the dining room table. The too thin
Sunday paper is next to me here on the sofa and I will skip over the
many troubling articles on financial and health problems. I do like
that the film critic now reveiws Netflix and Amazon Prime movies
and specials now that movie theaters are closed.

mothers and flowers

Not one unhappy child on Facebook as we see all the old pictures and
glowing memories. (I bet the therapists were busy yesterday.) But Doug
reminds me that our dinner was a Mother's Day celebration and I did
want to acknowledge the beautiful bouquet from my step Nancy who
is so good to us. And the Blogmaid had a happy day with George and
the most wonderful RR and I love this photo.

with benefits

I like being a step mother. These Mother's Day flowers are from Nancy.
I do want to wish a happy day to all the REAL mothers out there.
What a difficult job you have, but with (mostly) good results.

flowers to mothers

I'm not a real one of these, but dear Nancy always sends me a bouquet.
Here is an old Spanish proverb to enhance your Mother's Day:

                An ounce of mother is worth a ton of priest

mother's day 2014

Thanks to Nancy for these glorious flowers, such a fine and loving step dot.
I am one lucky not-official mother. And I have to work today - the closing
of Georgia O'Keefe and many customers unhappy that we are out of so
much merchandise. Yesterday was indeed rough, but today maybe folks will
stay outdoors, it is absolutely gorgeous weather here in Frisco. Go play at
the beach, everyone!

yellow step roses

Nancy sent me these glorious roses for Mother's Day. As most of you know,
I'm one of those strange women who did not want children. I have never for
one moment regretted that decision, but it took a bit of courage back in the day
to tell people that, so I'd usually say, "but I have four step children," and that
would suffice. Having step children is the best of both worlds ~ a personal
investment in the future, lots of family drama, celebrations galore, and none
of the daily work and stress of the actual raising of children. I always knew
that motherhood is the most difficult job in the world and I do salute all
mothers everyday, but especially today, their day. Good job!

mother's day 2011

Flowers from my wonderful step daughter, Nancy. My best
wishes to all of you who celebrate today and even though
I never wanted children, I have benefited from the four
steps. I have also learned along the way that the hardest
job in the entire world is, hands down, raising kids.
Congrats to all of you1

roses to all mothers everywhere

My wonderful step dot, Nancy, sent me these glorious roses
again this year for Mother's Day. She and her two daughters
will be here in two weeks, the same time as the Impressionists
hit the deYoung. "Don't make any plans," she said, "we just
want to hang out." So be it. Husbando and I are eagerly
awaiting their arrival and wishing (as always) that we had just
one more bathroom. (Special Mother's Day greetings to my
esteemed reader and mother of RR, the blogmaid.)

happy mother's day

My sweet step dot (Nancy) sent me roses again. I will take a moment
to remember my own less-than-perfect mother and realize that she had
a tough job and did the best she could. Think of all the therapists (some
of them mine) who make a decent living because of our parents. On
that charming note I'll prepare for the Legion where it's Free Day and
we will be busy indeed.

to thine own self be true

I have not a maternal bone in my body, really. I never wanted children
and was wise enough to realize this at a young age. Yes, it's odd and
probably "unnatural", but given the choice of holding a baby or a book,
I'd take the latter any day of the week. So how come I get these glorious
roses for Mother's Day? Because I lucked out with step children and
three of the four have called and the girl child sent these beauties.

Real mothers work so hard! I love hearing about RR's daily growth and
development from the Blogmaid. There is so much love and humor ~
it's better than most TV programs and I look forward to my daily email
filled with the joys and fears of parenting. We laugh about my weekly
babysitting on Wednesday night, which has not happened yet because
of logistics, of course.

On an amusing note. I had an eye doctor once who thought I'd love to
hear about his grandchildren. I'm paying for THIS, I thought? So as
gently as possible I informed him that although I might look like a
person who is interested in his grand kids, I wasn't. He retired shortly
thereafter. See, and you thought I was a nicer person than I am....

This book by Michael Gruber is fabulous! The Book of Air & Shadows.