Happy Mother's Day!

To all mothers out there today. Don't think you're not doing a good job. You probably are. Don't beat yourself up because the housework's not done. When your kid leaves home are they going to remember that the vacuuming wasn't done last week? Don't fret over the fact you have to work to pay the bills. Didn't fathers used to go away to war and kids never see them? Children survive just fine. We asked The Aucklander's readers to write in last week to win a voucher for some Whoopie pies. Here are the winners. - Denise Montgomery

Fay is 83. Her daughter Shelley Jaffe wrote to say she is "a wonderful wife, grandmother and mother of two daughters whom she has shared her cooking and baking skills with and we look forward to sharing the Whoopie Cakes with her for a Mother's Day treat."
 

Lauren Greig told us: "My mum Mel is amazing! She is the best mum ever! Every time my brother, sister, dad or me are sick she takes care of us no matter how busy she is. She is the most loving mum in the whole wide world because she supports my family and always puts us first. She works so hard to get my family things we need and want and she never ever complains no matter how hard things get. She keeps my family fed and happy and always encourages us to go for gold. My mum is beautiful inside and out I think she deserves the world! My mum is very kind. She would probably be the princess or fairy godmother in fairy tales. She is also strong willed, her perseverance is never ending and her heart is forever giving... Sometimes she is funny telling us jokes that aren't really funny but making us laugh anyway. Mum can almost always look on the sunny side of life even though life's not always easy and sunny for us, that's one of her qualities I admire most."

Terry Manson wrote to tell us about his mum Chris McKenna (left in pink and in the main feature pic with son Terry). "My Mum is 81 and full of surprises. Last week she sang "Caller Herrin" at my birthday dinner, a beautiful old Scottish fishing song I have never heard before. She's a woman who has given and given. It would be nice to surprise her with an unexpected win to honour her."
 

Kate Duggan penned a poem in honour of her mum Sally.
"My Mum is little, muscly, speedy
Marathoner, far from weedy
Literate and erudite
A lover of her wines-at-night
A lover of a decent read
A truly kind and gracious breed
A kitchen-whizz! Her weiner minor
Rules the roost: ain't nothing finer
Martyr, runner, journo, wife
Capable with paring knife
Crumble-maven, creamy-whipper
Finish-lining sprinty-pipper
Green-fingered too, her peppers glow
And lush tomatoes, row on row
She plants and digs, in any weather
Labelling, pruning, truss-and-tether
Most of all though, she's maternal
Pride and love will spring eternal
Hate to sound trite and cliched
But glad she's mine, and wouldn't trade!"

Gillian Devine wrote: "Whoopie for my Mum, Judy McGregor, just like these pies she's beautiful on the outside and sweet on the inside! She's a treat and always sweet. I don't have a current photo of her but take my word for it, she's sweet and beautiful with a gooey inside just like the Whoopie Pies."

* All winners have been sent their voucher for a six-pack of Whoopie Pies redeemable from the new store at 2a Hakanoa St, Grey Lynn.  It's even open on Mother's Day. See www.whoopie.co.nz