As children we thought we were hard done by! In our house there were no sweets, no chocolates, no ice cream or biscuits. These were treats to be enjoyed on special occasions – when Aunt Kit, Auntie Doris, or our grandparents or other important guests arrived. And so if Mum announced on a sunny Sunday that we were due a visit from one of these dignitaries it meant that when we heard the ringing jingle of the ice cream van in the street, rather than the usual rebuttal of our pleas: we would be allowed to rush out and buy a huge block of Neapolitan ice cream! Thus Mum taught us an important lesson – to appreciate the good things in life, and not to take them for granted. She taught us this lesson and many others. She had few rules in the house, but these were absolute – do as you are told, say your pleases and thank you-s, no rudeness, no talking back, no swearing, no telling lies. We quickly learned the difference between right and wrong. It was only when I was older I realised that she was giving us a great start in life, a moral compass to live by. She always had our best interests at heart, even if at the time we thought she was being hard on us! I remember meal times very well indeed – us kids all looking through the hatch from the dining room into the kitchen, straining our necks like chicks in the nest awaiting our food! Our plates were always laid out in the same place on the kitchen surface. As she dished up the food, we would immediately spot if our plate hadn’t had its fair share of mashed potato or baked beans, and we would make our case for more, please! Dad always got served first and once, when I complained that he always got the nicest cut of meat, Mum said “Your father is the breadwinner and so he gets first choice” She always supported Dad and made sure he was well looked after. With a seemingly unending supply of Mum's homemade blackberry and apple jam in the cupboards, and Mother's Pride bread and Blue Band butter, we never went hungry! We always had plenty of food on the table, clean clothes on our backs and a very comfortable and secure home: and that was all down to Mum - and of course Dad too. Mum and Dad always worked very hard, and they sacrificed so much to ensure we were well provided for. You don’t appreciate it when you are young. I only hope that we managed to let Mum know that we were grateful – and we are grateful - later on in her life. The funny thing is that whilst she was very strict about good behaviour, she was very relaxed in other ways. I learned many years later in life that my friends thought we had quite a Bohemian lifestyle! Ours was the Party House. Every Christmas it was usually around our house that family and friends gathered for a good old knees up: playing records old and new on the hi-fi system that Dad built himself. And everyone dancing away ‘til the small hours. And Summer barbecues were an all day event! We always had a swimming pool of some description and so the house was on hot summer days very popular! Ours was a happy house, full of noise, music and laughter. Camping was always a big feauture in our lives and it still is. In those days it was a fantastic adventure, loading the car sky high with all the gear - much of it piled on our laps as we sat in the back! Whether it was down to the New Forest, or to the annual Firs Farm bank holiday gathering: or further afield to France and Spain: we always had a great time. And again, it was only when I was older, planning and organising my own family camping holidays, that I realised the tremendous amount of time and effort that goes into these escapades. When I think of mum now it is difficult to picture her without a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Telling her stories, chatting endlessly, fussing about and buzzing around: a ball of energy and enthusiasm. She will be missed by us all, and whilst time may dull the unbelievable hurt of losing her, we will never forget her. Mum – we love you.