On not turning into my mother..

When my daughter's mother-in-law met my mother at our daughter's wedding, she announced, by way of introduction,
"I knit, I cook, I sew, and that's me."
My dear mother, with her usual elegant finesse, moved them out of this conversational cul-de-sac, but not by saying how well she herself, did all three. Not simultaneously of course.
My mother, as I have already mentioned, made my clothes when I went off to University. Something you can be sure Princess Anne's mum certainly never did. She also knitted beautifully, and crocheted as well. As did Grandma Leyshon before her.
My best chance of developing these skills myself lay with my Grandmother when I decided to take up knitting in my teens. I wanted a long scarf like Tom Baker's Doctor Who. I would leave my unintentionally holey efforts on a chair in Heol Elli, only to find that either mother or Grandmother had miraculously removed the holes and made it inches longer. That six foot scarf lasted me for years but I'll wager only six inches was knitted by the rookie knitter, herself.
When I met up with Doreen, redoubtable octogenarian Boules player, she was wearing a beautiful hand-knitted jumper. (The only talent I have, is spotting someone who can knit with flair.) Having complemented her, I asked if she would teach me.
"If your mother failed to do so, I don't stand a chance.."
Obviously Boules is enough of a challenge; I would obviously be a Boule too far..
My mother, then in her retirement, took up fine needlework, such as in tapestry and Bargello work.

Absolutely fabulous cushion covers and samplers were produced. I loved the products but had no yearning to join her in in this activity. It took a lot of counting I could see, and accuracy. So that was me disqualified, on both counts.
So I had resigned myself to being a craft clutz, until this weekend, when a friend decided that the moment had come for me to find, finally, my true identity.
Little did I know that this is where my future lay... making pompoms.. with a specially designed pompom maker.   (By a firm called Clover.. if this induces yearnings..)
You see, it's all a question of patience really. Genes will prevail. They might have mutated, however. Just a little.