Mum - Maria Rushe

Aren’t you lucky you have a job?

Aren’t you lucky you have your health?

Aren’t you lucky you can work from home?

Aren’t you lucky you don’t have to…fill in …
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Banana bread; I never actually did get around to baking one.

I did eat a slice that someone else baked, but that was the height of my lockdown success. 

Lockdown …
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Last week was a bumpy one.

Not only was it the girls’ first week back at school and my first week back at work, but it was also the week …
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Maria the Mammy…

Nope.Not a hope.Not sending them ANYWHERE NEAR schools.Need to keep them safe.Can’t control things when they’re away from me.Feck the government and their ineptitude.I don’t want them …
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So it’s time to finally get back into our grooves, however wobbly they may be this year, and return to normality and reality with everyone back to School, Childcare, activities …
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Once upon a time, the words “Let’s meet at soft play” instiled a sense of dread in me.

I hated it.

Gasp… yes I just typed that out loud… HATED …
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Now that we finally know that our little darlings will be going back to school, we can start to think about getting ready.

Maybe you are already organised.Maybe you have …
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“We’re going on da train Mammy.”

“Are we really?”

I do enjoy how much of a novelty the concept of a train is for my kids.Mini-Me will probably GET that …
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“We don‘t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Over the past 4 months, playing has changed.

Our kids went from …
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“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” 

I’ve said these words more than a few times over the past few weeks. Mainly, because I found myself absolutely bricking it over …
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I haven’t learned a new language. 

I haven’t made banana bread. 

I haven’t decluttered my house. 

I haven’t painted the house. 

I haven’t organised my life.

I haven’t sorted my …
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Mammy likes rollercoasters. I like theme parks. 

But we’ve all been landed into a theme park that we had not planned to visit, and it seems that we all have …
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Every year, I teach Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’, whether it’s on the course or not.

I love it. And I love passing his wisdom on to my students. …
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We’re all so looking forward to the lockdown being over and to returning to “normal”… but I’ve been wondering how much of this we will eventually miss.

Now, don’t get me wrong. …
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“Mammy, when this is all over…”, Mammy will need to have won the lotto.

I hear this line at least 5 times a day, from both of the girls.

And …
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Tinterweb is currently full of Instahuns and Twitsickles telling us all that we must use ALL of this time to do ALL of the things that we have ALWAYS  wanted …
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WHISPERS ON THE WIND

Two little sisters played on the beachAnd just when their parents had stepped out of reach,Wee Sis asked Big Sis in quiet hushed words,“What’s …
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What a week it’s been eh?

We’ve all found ourselves slowly sliding into chaos. And even for those of us who hoped it’d all pass and gently laughed it off, …
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“Where do you find the time?”

“How can you be bothered?”

“It can’t be worth that much work?”

Here we go again!

Musicals.

I’ve been on stage my whole life, …
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Recently, the Dolly Parton challenge’ circulated Instagram where everyone posted four different images; How they look on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tinder. 

Each showed how their profile picture on …
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“Your Mammy doesn’t work.” or “Your Mammy doesn’t have a real job”.

I remember hearing this a few times as a child and as a teenager.

I remember not thinking …
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I’m brushing my youngest’s hair and we’re chittering away. 

‘You’re my beautiful Baby girl’ I say as I kiss the top of her inexplicably fuzzy head when I’m done.

…
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I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions. You all know that I hate the ‘New Year, New You’ rhetoric. I hate the constant stream of “You need to change” and “You …
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Tis the season for bling and rings and it’s our wedding anniversary so I’m wedding on the brain! 

The Him and I got married on a Wednesday, over Christmas in …
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Before the onslaught of New Year, New You Bullshit starts, let me remind you of a few things…

Yes, January 1st is an obviously good starting point for new beginnings …
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As the season of festive joy and frollicks descends upon us, so too can the stresses and responsibilities of trying to everyone happy. 

So remember, No is a complete sentence. 

…
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Good afternoon!

I do hope that we all woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. It’s time to repost Mammy’s rules for surviving the Christmas party (which unfortunately Mammy …
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I am offended…

Given that everyone is now allowed and encouraged to be offended by absolutely everything, I’ve decided to crack down on the lyrics of other Christmas songs which, …
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It’s the weekend of Toy Shows and trees for many…So I am posting my Christmas Survival Guide for the Mary of the Poppins types…

“Surviving Christmas,” “Christmas Survival Tips …
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When a 6 year old asks a question, sometimes, it makes us think. We begin by explaining it to her in the simplest terms possible, and in doing so, sometimes …
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I’ve written before about my love of a good “to-do” list.

I love them. I make them constantly and nothing pleases me more than drawing an aggressive and satisfied line …
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HOW do you work with teenagers?

I get asked this quite a bit.

My answer?

Very easily actually.

Because ‘teenagers’ are wicked.

They have …
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Don’t.  Just Don’t.

I’ve written about this before but it seems that it’s like non-parents parking in mother and baby spots, or people feeling the need to comment on how …
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What makes you smile Mammy?

“My children’s arms around my neck… spending time with my family… seeing my children’s faces when… hearing my children’s voices…cuddles with my babies…”

Yadda yadda …
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So it’s time to get back in our groove and return normality and reality with everyone back to School, Childcare, activities and work.

I don’t know how you other Mammies …
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“Your Mammy doesn’t work.” or “Your Mammy doesn’t have a real job”

I remember hearing this a few times as a child and as a teenager. I remember not thinking …
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Although it is many moons ago, Mammy remembers getting her Leaving Cert Results.

Mammy was certain that the contents of the little brown envelope were going to change her life. …
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A few summers ago, we went to Redcastle for a day out.

Reminiscing enroute about the famous “big yellow slide” of our childhoods, we knew it was no longer there. …
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Yesterday, we were exploring our beautiful county, as we love to do.

We were on beaches, we found the Boardwalk, we drove off the main roads and over mountains. …
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“We won’t get much longer dressing them in matching outfits” says Me to He as we walked along the promenade in Salou. We were on the last night of our …
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What is Legacy?

It’s a word we usually retain for after someone has departed for the Big City in the Sky, (or wherever you believe we go after this life.)

…
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My journey through the jungle of Mammyhood so far has many things. I am always learning and yet it feels like I never learn!

Regardless of how you become a …
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Exam season is upon us again.

It seems to come around faster and faster each year, doesn’t it?

If your little darlings are about to do their Junior or Leaving …
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Summer!

It’s finally here and in fairness, apart from the odd dodgy day, it’s already shaping up to be a cracker.

And now that Mammy and Daddy are done with …
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Once upon a time, in a damp and draughty classroom, Mammy here remembers putting a question to the loveliful and unfortunate lady charged with the torture of teaching her Mathematicalisms.

…
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Last night, we attended The Ball of Balls in the beautiful Harvey’s Point in Donegal Town.

This innovative and brave event was created by a group of friends, born from …
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“Did you have a nice day at school?” yeah “Any news for me?” No “What did you learn today?” Nuthin “Did you learn anything new today?” Nope. “How are your …
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From Mammy on Mother’s Day

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

I love you each second of every day.

And even when sometimes I grumble and …
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Where do you find the time?”

“How can you be bothered?”

“It can’t be worth that much work?”

Musicals.

I’ve been on stage my whole life, first as an Irish …
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You are now approaching Baby Brain Station

Imagine a train network. (Yeah I know that this is an alien concept to us up here in Donegal, but hey!)

Your brain …
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