Memories, like the corners of my matzo...

↑ tovasmom ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 2:55 pm

Clarissa, I'm all for psychobable pushy and the major problem here is that it is not that my mil doesn't get along with my mother, its that my mother hates my mil, for no reason other than the fact that she appears to be really, really jealous of her for no real good reason. My mil tries to be perfectly civil and friendly to her, to which my mother reacts negatively. And my mother is a very difficult person to begin with, which is exacerbated by age and adversity due to and illness. They are both old (late 70s for mom, mid 80s for mil) and forgetful and set in their ways. And it has taken all of my strength over the last few years to keep it all together when mom starts, which B"H I do. I accept her limitations and my obligations. As long as she doesn't pick on my kids, she will still be invited, no matter how tense or difficult it makes it, as I feel it is my obligation.

↑ Raisin

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 2:57 pm

Clarissa, is your name Bertha?

(I used to think that was a really stolid old fashioned name, but I have a friend here called bertha who is a really fantastic person, so I see it differently now.)

↑ Clarissa ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 2:57 pm

tovasmom wrote:

You are so much more mature than I. I need to be more accepting of people for what they are, and generous and patient. Your husband must be so grateful for what you put up with every year, to be a good daughter and DIL.

↑ Clarissa ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 2:59 pm

Tehilla wrote:

she used to sit with her own personal percolator of black coffee with sugar, cigarettes, and the soap opera. oh, and the pantsuits from the 70s. she was a good cook.

Did she call the soap operas her stories? I used to love when old ladies called them that.

↑ Tehilla ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 3:01 pm

just to keep adding to this fascinating discussion, my grandmother's name was Lily Mae. and we called her Mamaw.

every one syllable word became at least two. I do miss the homemade ice cream on summer nights. I'd buy an ice cream maker, but there is something strange to the idea of sitting on my little Brooklyn porch making ice cream. something doesn't mix.

I'm gonna place a non-bet bet that Clarissa's name is Lulu.

↑ tovasmom ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 3:06 pm

Clarissa wrote:

Tehilla wrote:

she used to sit with her own personal percolator of black coffee with sugar, cigarettes, and the soap opera. oh, and the pantsuits from the 70s. she was a good cook.

Did she call the soap operas her stories? I used to love when old ladies called them that.

My mil still calls it her story. And she's been watching this particular soap since it was on radio, millions of years ago, I forget which one -- Young and the Restless, maybe? Another World???? who knows?

↑ Clarissa ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 3:55 pm

Tehilla wrote:

A grandma named Lily Mae, aka Mamaw who made ice cream? That is my American dream. I was once visiting some strangers (this ancient couple) in the middle of nowhere and they brought out a tub of the best homemade peach ice cream I've ever had. When I was leaving they gave me a couple of peacock feathers from the peacocks in their yard, and to this day I have them in a vase in my bedroom, to remind me of the peachiest peach ice cream ever.

You can bet that if my name was as cute as Lulu, my name here would be Lulu. I wish.

↑ Clarissa ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 3:59 pm

tovasmom wrote:

Clarissa wrote:

Tehilla wrote:

she used to sit with her own personal percolator of black coffee with sugar, cigarettes, and the soap opera. oh, and the pantsuits from the 70s. she was a good cook.

Did she call the soap operas her stories? I used to love when old ladies called them that.

My grandma called hers her story, but she said it in a heavy Hungarian accent in an apartment that always smelled of chicken or pogacsa instead of coffee and cigarettes.

↑ Clarissa ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 4:00 pm

newmom wrote:

Do I need to invest in a Dyson to vacuum the thighs, or will my eureka work?

If only it were that simple, somebody, preferably me, would be very wealthy.

↑ Ruchel ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 4:16 pm

grin wrote:

Clarissa wrote:

Time to vacuum up the matzo crumbs. At least my floor will look good. Maybe I'll run the vacuum over my thighs and see if it makes a difference.

that's the most original diet plan I've ever heard.

don't laugh... there is a rebbetzin who was told this, as a joke, and she tried and told her husband it didn't work... and he repeated to his students and the whole city knew.

↑ Ruchel

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 4:19 pm

Clarissa wrote:

Raisin wrote:

Clarissa, is your name Bertha?

No!!! Apologies to all Berthas or Bertha-lovers out there. It's a fine name.

I find bur-tuh atrocious... but the European ber-tah isn't that ugly at all. My Bobov great aunt was a Berta (Beila).

Seraph ↓

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 4:53 pm

3 things.
My grandmother died on wednesday, chol hamoed pesach. Her funeral was a few hours ago.
My grandfather died 8 years ago on the second day of pesach.

clarissa, is your name gertrude or gretchen?

↑ Clarissa

Mon, Apr 28 2008, 4:58 pm

Okay, my real name is "Amother." I didn't want to admit it here, because it has such negative connotations.

I'm sorry about your grandmother, Breslov. Was that her husband, who also died on Pesach, eight years ago?

tovasmom, keep us informed. Sorry about the wait.