My mother

Mother's Day soon and I'm putting this up now in case I don't get a chance later. We don't officially recognise it in our family because, as with Father's Day, every day should be Mother's day.

My sisters and I are extremely fortunate to still have both parents alive and relatively well in their early 80s and we all live close by. We even go out together sometimes and it's just like the old days, we're all just older!

My mother never had an official career although I suspect she regrets that a little. She started off as a nurse at Groote Schuur way back but got married pretty young and moved to Jo'burg and that was the end of that. She would have made an excellent career nurse and it's a pity she didn't have the opportunity. However, children called and we were privileged to always have her at home. We would have hated it if she wasn't. She made sure that we always had delicious meals, hot chocolate at bedtime, lovely clothes to wear (she made them all herself), trips to the beach at Miller's Point, rollerskating at Muizenberg Pavilion, playing at Zandvlei. There was never a harsh word or anything to cause distress. Life for us as children was a smooth ride with only the happiest memories. There has never been a time when she hasn't been around when we got home, except for the times when she had operations or emergency treatment. She's had more than her fair share of those and if it weren't for a triple bypass, she would have shuffled off this mortal coil long ago. However, my father said it wasn't time for her to go yet, so she stayed and has continued to live a full, active life as a pillar of the community, loving wife and mother.

She maintains that she never had much brain, which of course is nonsense. She just didn't choose to use it in ways which would draw attention to herself. Her motto would probably be "What can I do to help that person?"

We are about to go on a trip to Spain for a family wedding, followed by a week in Paris. I will be accompanying Mom and Dad, while the rest of the family will be travelling with the small children. I consider it a rare privilege to be able to enjoy quality time with them as we all tick as many items off our bucket lists as possible.

Thanks, Mom!