The 'M' Word: Part 2
I recently had a look at my blog stats and noticed that the second most popular post since the start of Collage of Life is 'The 'M' Word'. It is a post I created whilst driving on the long stretches of country road in the English Lake District in 2010. I played a game with my family. They were to think of all the 'M' words associated with the word Mother. The game was quite revealing. The original post is below.
I have my own 'M' word. It is the one that shall not be named and one that women all over the world can relate too. Since that game in 2010, it is has never left my mind and obviously has peaked curiosity with the number of visits to my blog to find out what it is all about. To my 'M' word list, I have added two more words... MM = memory madness.
Here is why...
Scene: Think tranquility of a Spa room. Think pedicure and soothing warm waters swirling around your feet. Think peace, quiet, calm...this is where Mrs. H was hiding for an hour in the Christmas rush.
Action: Mrs. H phone rings.....
Mrs. H thinks...where is phone? With assistance of beautician she finds it. She was sitting on it.
Mr. H calls to say he is running late and needs to change his dental appointment, can I handle? Secretly Mrs. H wonders why Mr. H does not have the dentist on his phone list...but agrees to handle the matter.
Mrs. H stares off into distance in wonder ... It's coming, it's coming... it's not. She forgot the name of the family dentist . Shock horror.. .the family dentist...of two years!
Mrs. H madly scrolls thru phone contact list again and again for name recognition. Finds dentist, oops, wrong one, his practice is in New Zealand (must make note to remove from list). Mrs. H can feel a wave of heat emanating from the foot bath..at least she things that it what it is.
Mrs. H worries.. what is happening to her memory?? Desperate measures are required.
Mrs. H calls home and asks son to go to kitchen, look at list above phone, and ask what she wrote next to the word 'Dentist'. Son passes on name and phone number and she quickly enters it into her phone contact list. Phew...smart woman, she anticipated that this may happen. Mission accomplished...almost.
Mrs. H is mindful and realises that she is unable to make the call after all and texts the number to Mr. H suggesting he call and add it to his contact list. She wonders if her memory madness syndrome is contagious.
Mrs. H also wonders...if this 'MM' ever happens to you?
Have you experienced the 'M' word? If so, I would love to banter...you can write to me at jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com , as clearly, I need too. I have been researching the 'M' word and would be happy to share books, links etc.. we can talk 'M' words together. :)
The 'M' Word.. post of 2010 and the most popular post to date (scroll to bottom of page) are at the bottom of this post...........
The 'M' Word
Last week while driving thru the English Lake District, I got to thinking.... as you do when you are driving for hours on end. My thoughts started with muffin, muffin top to be exact. I thought if I wasn't careful what once was mini and has moved past regular would soon be large. I know some of you out there will know exactly what I am referring too. This thought of course then rolled onto the most dreaded 'M' word of all....menopause. It is to early in the morning to continue along this train of thought but then I thought of mother and foolishly blurted out to all that we should play the 'M' game.
Everyone was to list all the 'M' words they associate with mother.
Are you ready?
From 10 year old son: maid, mental, mischievous and mistress (?..yes, I know)
From 16 year old daughter: mayhem, money, mischievouss, misleading, moving, madness
From 19 year old Miss Tine: silence...she is no fool.
My 20 year old son will read this post and be thankful that he was missing in action on this one.
From Mr. H: magical, marvelous, merchant, moonlit, majestic
My questions:
Are son and daughter mischievous and mother is totally mystified?
Are they on to me and know that deep down mother is indeed most mischievous?
What does Miss Tine really think?
Was Mr H thinking of said mother or the view of the majestic countryside?
Last one from me...
MATRIARCH
Most popular post to date :
understand why your stats went up, nice posting !
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne, I'm in my early 40s, but I fear I'm already showing The Symptons of the dreaded M word! (Fatigue, feeling sulky and cross without knowing why, having insane cravings for pink Champagne... or perhaps that's just called being a woman?) I also often wonder if my partner is suffering from MAN-o-pause, since he's been talking about buying a Corvette (?), or a boat, and retiring in the Florida Keys. Even though we live in Melbourne. But back to the topic... I have some more lovely M-for-Mother words for you...
ReplyDeleteMétier
Magnolia Grandiflora (the grand matriarch/aristocrat of flowers; all family gardens should have one)
Modulus of Elasticity ( the ratio of the applied stress to the change in shape of an elastic body)
Mercedes (best if it's a vintage - and given on one's 50th birthday)
and
Mautitius - a great place to escape the madness of family life and rekindle your marriage!
A Magnum of champagne to you, and a Happy Mew Year, Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteJanelle..I like you way of thinking, all of it, especially, Magnolia Grandiflora....just love everything the word embraces.
ReplyDeleteAnni and Becky...thank you! Same to you. :) Mew...:)
How about:
ReplyDeletemellow
marvelous
magnificent
madame
mad-apple (my personal fav)!
madonna
I fear I could go on all day.
and as for memory madness...something I have struggled with all my life...I just compensate with notes, lists and a perfectly-constructed blank look!
Having a 'mad-apple' moment..love it Jacqueline. I am going to add that one to my repertoire! Funny how well we can construct that perfectly blank look. A wise woman indeed. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my ... this happens to me almost daily. Last week I was writing a comment on a blog about our hair stylist.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a funny comment about the hipster hair salon I go to in Chicago (they play rude music and serve a beer with your $20 haircut ... the best haircuts I have ever had.) Then I wrote I love my stylist ...and couldn't remember her name. I called her Michelle.
Her name is Alexis (I have it in my calendar.)
Love to you ... Susan, Mary, Helen, Karen ... I mean, darling!
Fondly,
Glenda
ps. Today, I really do remember your name.
Glenda...I so.. know that feeling!
ReplyDeleteI love that you reposted that, because I did not see it the first time around. Great post! And of course we can all relate to the memory madness.
ReplyDeleteOh Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteI will surely send you an email for MM is killing me. In fact it is getting so bad my husband wants me to see a doctor, he thinks it is something worse than hormones.
A few weeks ago I was wracking my brain for a word...so I went to ask for some help from my husband. I asked, what do you call those yellow, wooden writing utensils, with a pink eraser on the end? Incredulous he looked at me, almost as if I had sprouted horns, then he got up, put his hand on my arm and said, Hon, that is a pencil.
I sometimes scare myself at these strange lapses!
I hope you are easing into the New Year, I am struggling to get rid of a horrible cold that has caused the entire family to retreat to bed.
Take care my dear, they say it gets better. I sure hope so, at the rate I am going there won't be ny memories left.
Xo eluzabeth
I feel more and more forgetful every day. Could I be approaching M?
ReplyDeleteOh heavens. Happens more and more these days!
ReplyDeleteOne anthropological study discovered mankind as we know it relied upon the grandmother/crone.
ReplyDeleteShe could look after babies while their parents hunted/gathered.
I adore M.
ADORE.
XO T
Oh Jeanne, "M" must be my muddle...ah, er...middle name! My best friend now is post-it notes!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post.. How brave you were to have the 'm' game. I would hate to think what my kids would have said.
ReplyDeleteReally nice post! I vote for Matriarch! (Er, in the South that's sometimes spelled with a Q, as in Queen!) The Little Lady rules!
ReplyDeleteDear Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteAs I am loads older than you, I have been through the 'M' word and have come out the other side unscathed. It's fine, apart from the MEMORY thing. I now forget something on a daily basis but, the best thing to do if you can't think of something is to really try to remember it. I think it keeps your brain active !! I can usually summon the forgotton piece of information eventually and feel pretty good when I do !! XXXX
Well hello Jeanne, I have just found your blog after a recommendation from Laura of Happyhomemakeruk, who I met yesterday in London for coffee and a chat (we gass-bagged for two and a half hours)! She mentioned your Australian connection and thought I would love your blog...which I do...I'm now off to explore...but not before I mentioned a few 'M' words....today I'm Menopausal, Mildly irritated, Medicated (just Aspro), Missing home...but will Masterfully hide all of that as I Manage, Mollify and Manoeuvre My way through the day!
ReplyDeleteRobx
So happy to see that I am not along one this one! Welcome to new friends and thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. So nice to share. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteFirst, we women are held with the responsibility of remembering every thing for ourselves, our family and in my case lots at work. I have dates to remember, dozens of passwords, conference calls, etc. So, when I forget things...I try to be gentle on myself.
Now the other "M" has kicked in full gear and I sweat and perspire, then freeze at night and sometimes during the day.
You are not alone!
: )
<3
Hello I'm in my late 50ties.
ReplyDeleteMenopause is over!
Marvelous!
♥ Franka