Listography - 5 things you've learnt from your parents

I'm joining in again on the Listography, that Kate over at Kate takes 5 does. Here are 5 lessons that my children should learn from things I may have learnt from my parents.

1. Mixing drinks is not a good idea - lesson learnt by watching my mother and my godmother drinking together on summer evenings. To be honest anyone who can drink baileys in the same glass as having red wine in, does in my book need their head reading (but they were both mad!). The morning after one of many nights like this is when my father would spout "Never mix drinks, never mix the barley and the grape!" (lesson I am still to learn) 
2. Chairs have four legs - yes, this is what was spouted constantly in our house when either me or my brother would balance back on the dining room chairs and nearly fall off. Luckily neither of us did and luckily the girls have started to do this yet!
3. Cooking is fun and you don't always need a recipe - this I learnt from my dad who when we were young and he was made redundant. He then used to watch ready steady cook and then make something from the kitchen cupboards. Many times what he had made was inedible but it has helped him as now he cooks for himself quite happily. I too love the cooking method of chucking everything in but my kids seem to be have more discerning tastes than I had and refuse to eat it. Both myself and my brother had to eat many a concotion!
4. Being ill doesn't have to make you unhappy - for most of my life my mum had rheumatoid arthritis quite badly in her hands and feet. Although she used to be in pain, it would never stop her from doing things with us and she used to take the pee out of herself by saying she was waddling again. Even when the cancer struck her humour kept up and even right at the end she was still her sarcastic self!
5. Be yourself - this I think is the most important lesson both my parents taught me. You must be your own person. This is probably where my independece comes from!

I hope that my children learn many things from me and Neb but that they also learn from their enviroment, friends and other members of their family!

BNM