May 1988
One year ago my youngest daughter Sophie moved out of the house, as the last one of the sisters to leave her childhood home. Today she's moving back in. The flat she shared with two others turned out to be much too expensive, and she hardly had any money left when every bill was paid. I really don't mind that she's moving in with us again, but while she's getting organised back into her old room this is what a bit of my home looks like tonight:
She promises me it will all be tidied in no time. Even though she works long hours. The irony of it is that it's all having to go out again in one and a half years, when we'll be moving and downsizing.
To top it all she got hit on the head the other day by the side piece of the bed she was disassembling, so that she had to have three stitches, and now she's feeling groggy and tired. This happened while we were on Easter holiday, and the first thing mamas do is to worry, of course. If you're a mother you'll recognise that nauseating feeling which starts in your stomach and builds up, until you realise that she's probably okay. I say probably - because you're not convinced or reassured until you've seen for yourself.
Sophie at 6 months, July 1991
She thought she was reassuring me by telling me how many times she'd hit her head before during her lifetime - she used to be an incorrigible tomboy - (i.e. "my head can take some blows"), and out came stories that I'd never heard - and which made me so worried I nearly threw up! She managed to say: "And once when I fell right on my head I thought I was dead..." Oh God! Sick, sick!
My daughter Julie who lives in Melbourne rents out her flat in Oslo, so this is something I have to take care of while she's away. Off I went today to the bank, to release the deposit account for the present tenants, and after five days of closed banks, we had a LOT of company in there!
I spent a couple of hours gaping at the mess at home with growing apathy - then off again in the afternoon traffic to the other side of town to meet the new tenant and bring him his contract. He seemed very sweet and polite, but he can hardly take any time off from work, so my only hope now is that he doesn't need to go to the bank to open a deposit account at eight in the morning! I'm referring here to yesterday's blog post...
Summer 1994 with sister and brother-in-law
There are a few times during my life when I've suddenly felt an overwhelming serenity. One of them was late on Christmas night, when everyone - except me of course - was eventually in bed. Pondering about this for a moment I realised: "Yes! They're all here!" My three daughters, my two granddaughters and my husband. For a brief and exquisite night I knew where they all were. Asleep under my roof.
Would I exchange my life for one with only myself to think and worry about? No way - even if I'd be number one.
No comments:
Post a Comment