| What could be better than flowers and a brunch | | | | For my wife though, who loves the outdoors, |
| in your honor on Mother's Day? | | | | almost anything we can do that involves hills, |
| Children and spouses have been doing it for many | | | | muddy shoes, and the complaints of small children |
| decades. Sending the flowers, calling long distance | | | | asking "how much further?" is fine for her. No |
| (the biggest day for phone calls of the year) and | | | | extra expense, no flowers, just a bit of dedicated |
| booking over-priced brunches to celebrate mom | | | | time sharing the outdoors with the family. We'll |
| or spouse for all she does. And yet, somehow it | | | | head to Crissy Field and fly kites, or into the Marin |
| always rings a bit hollow, like we're | | | | Headlands to walk along the cliffs, or into Golden |
| pre-programmed to do one or all three things on | | | | Gate Park to walk the Labyrinth. There are |
| cue. We're like Pavlovian dogs hearing the | | | | hundreds of places to go that will entertain the |
| "incoming message" bell to prod our actions. In an | | | | kids while satisfying her need to get some time |
| over-stressed, over-scheduled world, Mother's | | | | outdoors. |
| Day has become a "to-do list" holiday. We order | | | | We're not afraid to break out of the conventions |
| the flowers, pick up mom, eat, thank, kiss, drive | | | | of the traditional Mother's Day. On the plus side, |
| home, and check it off the list. | | | | that means that not getting a reservation doesn't |
| But it doesn't have to be that way. I'm lucky | | | | mean I don't treasure her as a mom or partner. |
| enough to share my house and kids with a | | | | Not buying flowers doesn't mean I forgot the |
| woman who speaks her mind. She's never | | | | simplest of symbols. I can literally wait until right |
| content with the status quo. She lets me know | | | | up to Mother's Day morning when we are setting |
| that a $9.99 bouquet of Roses from the | | | | the tray of burnt toast and orange juice in front |
| Safeway doesn't actually say much more than, | | | | of her in bed to give her what she wants most, a |
| "Yes, I was at the grocery store and thought of | | | | little time with the family doing something she |
| you while in the produce section." It's not that | | | | particularly loves. |
| she's ungrateful for little thoughts like that; she | | | | My advice on Mom's day: forget the card and the |
| doesn't even treat mom's day that seriously, but | | | | lines at restaurants. Do everything from scratch |
| like most women, she knows when she's being | | | | this year. Have the kids make their own cards |
| put on. | | | | and make breakfast at home, followed by |
| So, like many modern families, we spend more | | | | something mom likes to do, whether it's a |
| prep time for Hallmark holidays thinking about | | | | museum, flower show, ball game, or afternoon at |
| what the honoree really would enjoy rather than | | | | home in front of an old movie. |
| what we are told we should do. In some cases, | | | | And that goes for Dad's day as well. But |
| this is a brunch in a fancy hotel at the top of | | | | remember, mom, if you're thinking of golf, you |
| California Street where we can fritter away our | | | | need to know one thing: Mother's Day is the best |
| children's education fund in an over-eating frenzy | | | | day in the year to get any tee time you want, |
| accompanied to the sound of a harp. My mom | | | | but just try to schedule a golf outing on Father's |
| likes that, but she doesn't get to San Francisco | | | | Day. |
| that often. | | | | |