Film Industry Widow part II

I talk so much about my Dad these days that I am paranoid that most people are quietly paging Dr Freud on the side. So it's time to fill in anyone who happens to be reading this on the driving force behind Daddy: My Mum.

First off, a few pointers:

• This is the lady who took me to a Nursery and stayed for the duration [to validate said Nursery's insurance] aged two (far too early in those days) because I was bored and under-stimulated at home
• This is the lady who withdrew me from an elitist Private School aged 7 after the headmistress saw fit to slap me around the back of the legs (and maintains to this day that it wasn't my fault that I left)
• This is the lady who demanded that I apologise to my primary school teacher for calling him by a name that disrespected his position (The name I called:Mr Crispy - his name was Mr Crisp)
• This is the lady that collected me from a police station (me aged 12) and grounded me for a month instead of beating the living shit out of me for letting her down, when I was hanging out with "The Wrong Crowd".
  
• This is the woman who was intelligent enough to drop me at the door of the pub that I chose to illegally drink in aged 14//15 and insist that she picked me up at the same door at 11pm, so that she knew that I was safe as I could be - she at least knew where I was - how many parents of Teenage girls can say that?
  
• This is the woman who allowed me to have a boyfriend, accepted him into our home and our family, but refused to waive rules about hallway creeping. A great lesson in respect and boundaries for a 15 year old.
  
• This is the lady who saved my life (aged17/18) by collecting me at 3am in the middle of a city, having moved out of home, several years before, finding me to be barefoot and barely dressed, and asking no questions that would make me flee her presence, and appearing calm took me home to comfort of the bed I have always known in my parents' house
• A year later, this lady attended my [hideous and obviously ill advised] Wedding to a man I didn't know; knowing that unless she allowed me to make this horrible mistake with her support, I would have made it with no support in the world.
• This is the lady that told me that if I did not get on the plane to my future life in Australia, then she would drag me airside herself, even though it killed her to wave myself, Himself and her only Grandchildren off.
• This is the woman who doesn't expect thanks, does not claim or think that she did everything well, does not claim to be close to perfect, but in actual fact was more of a Mother than anyone could ever hope or dream of being or having.
• This is the woman who shaped me
• This is the woman who made me feel like Daddy wasn't gone too long...even when he was.
• This is the woman who put her personal needs second whilst Babysis and I flourished

There is so much more to say...so much more to marvel at. But she is modest and would hate me to publish it all in a public forum.
As a mother, I really do marvel at her presence of mind when dealing with the Devil Child that was me.

The love I recieve from Mama is the love that I have learned. This love I pass on to my own children. The love that I am proud and honoured to know.

A strong and able woman raised me. She was selfless and proud. A modern woman with old fashioned values. A strong woman who did not back down to a teenager's angst, did not pander to a child's baby blues (browns actually), but loved unconditionally and completely. I always knew that I was never alone, even in my darkest hours.

Mama, You are a legend....and a lady.