How I spent my first Mother’s Day away from my children
I’m in Tartu alone for a few weeks before my family joins me, so this was my first Mother’s Day apart from my kids in 13 years. It was pleasant, but surreal. I’ll bet you’re DYING to know how I spent it, and you are in luck, my friends, because I kept a photo journal.
First, I went to a free “Emale Rõõmuks” [“For Mother’s Joy”] concert here, in Tartu Univerity’s beautiful auditorium. I watched other people’s children singing and dancing adorably. I also started sobbing (probably inexplicably to everyone around me) when the children’s choir sang the well known tear jerker “Miki Merehädas” [”Mickey Mouse in Trouble at Sea”], because my grandparents used to play the record and it reminds me of my mom and grandmother. Also, the children singing reminded me of my kids. It was a perfect storm (no pun intended). I include a link to the original song here so that you can fully appreciate how odd it would seem if someone started crying during it as if very emotionally moved:
See? That squeaky Esto-Mickey Mouse voice really tugs at the heartstrings. In my defense, though, I have inhereted my father’s tendancy to cry at any decently sung choral music, espeically choral music sung by Estonian children. It’s not my fault. It’s genetic.
Anyway. After the concert, I took myself out to a local Italian restaurant for a nice glass of wine.
I also ordered a pizza. Then, I took the pizza for a nice walk along the river
And showed it the lovely view off the bridge.
Then, I ate it, thus ending our brief but intense relationship.
Happy Mother’s Day, my people. Stay out of trouble at sea. xoxo