My Mum is amazing...

My Mum is amazing...
She turned 68 on Sunday and she rose at her regular time of 7am, dressed and then walked the short distance to the local beach and went swimming. It was only 9 degrees. It is a daily routine in Summer and she generally continues well into April when it eventually gets too cold. As she swam, I went for a walk and met her as she emerged smiling and pink from the cold and the glow of the rising sun.

My Mum is amazing...
She has raised 3 brilliant children (all now in their 40's) and loves them all despite the fact none of them have produced any Grandchildren. She has an oak trunk full of hand knitted goodies ready and waiting for gifting to friends and family with new babies.

My Mum is amazing...
She cooks an incredible traditional Christmas dinner which has been enjoyed across the years by extended family and friends from all corners of the globe. Her Christmas pudding is impossible to stop at one helping.

My Mum is amazing...
She understands the importance of silence without the need for conversation.

My Mum is amazing...
She is an extensive reader. Of course this often makes it a bit tricky to buy her books as gifts, but she always has a book at hand to recommend and a pile more at her bedside waiting to be read.

My Mum is amazing...
She has a wicked sense of fun and likes playing jokes. When she was visiting me in London once, I returned home from work on Halloween night, to find a burning jack-o-lantern in our darkened room and her draped in a sheet, waving her arms, and making ghost noises in the corner. I was in my late 20's at the time, but boy did we laugh!

My Mum is amazing...
Last year Mum was instrumental in helping 2 local elderly ladies escape the constraints of a greedy niece who was intent on locking them into a nursing home and selling their home in their absence. After a rather lengthy and stressful battle, their home is now safe and they have now returned to live in peace in their own space. With the support of Mum and a few local women who visit them daily, they will hopefully stay there for some time to come.

My Mum is amazing...
At 68, she loves a round of golf, cooks a wicked roast dinner, is a tough scrabble opponent and is a cryptic crossword guru. She always greets me with a hug and a smile and enjoys the company of a large group of friends. On Sunday she turned 68 and yet I know she still feels like she's in her 40's. No wonder we are such good friends!

Happy Birthday Mum. I love you, and just in case you didn't know, I think you're amazing.