I am so not my mother's daughter...sometimes

You know those annoying teen bracelets that remind us WWJD? (what would Jesus do?), well many times throughout my day I think, WWGD? (what would Gloria do?)
And it is more rhetorical as I KNOW what she would do...

She would never look down at a pile of cheerios on the floor after breakfast and use her slipper to push them under the chair thinking, "I'll get them after the lunch mess, no reason to sweep twice."

She would never leave piles of stuff on the steps that need to go upstairs - she would take them even if it wasn't her responsibility. I like to leave them right smack in the middle of the step and watch with enthusiasm as everyone tries to walk over or around it.

She would never leave piles of laundry unfolded in the basket. Or leave them so long that one might end up folding them just to clear a basket to run another dirty load.

She would never use the sleeve of her shirt to dust a surface that has become increasingly noticeable.

She would never leave the Halloween pumpkin sitting on the front porch so far passed Halloween that she would had to turn the rotted side inward so not to see it from the road.

She would never omit the chore "make your own bed" for the kids because, well, that would mean you would have to set example for them and make yours. And, well, that is not happening. (actually she was pretty good about letting us trash our rooms and just making us keep the door closed so she didn't have to look at it! And she raised two neat freaks so go figure...)

Actually her perfection has lightened up in past years. Or at least she says, I don't live there anymore. When I come to visit, it still is cleaned with military perfection, fresh flowers out and guest gifts lying on the nightstand.

My favorite story is when we lived in Cincinnati and our neighbor behind us noticed these small lights in our sunroom every night going back and forth. When he asked if my dad was running trains in there at night, it was discovered that my mom had a little secret...she was vacuuming in the dark.

You know I love you mom! But I don't think I'm living up to the standards you've created.

You might need to come back and show me again how to do it...