10/05/2025
🌸 My Mum — the best there is 🌸
Mums are special, and mine is no exception — in fact, I think she’s the best there is.
Growing up, Mum was my superhero. She worked full-time as a legal secretary to supplement Dad’s Police income, but we never once felt like we were missing out on "Mum time." Somehow, the housework was always done before my sister and I even opened our eyes. As we walked to school, Mum would hop on her bike and pedal through all kinds of weather (and remember, this was England!) to get to work — she hadn’t passed her driving test back then.
After a full day in the office, she'd take over from Grandma, cook dinner from scratch, fold washing, help with homework, and still find time to sit and chat. She taught us how to knit and sew (she made most of our clothes), made sure we got to Brownies and dancing lessons, and always made us feel completely safe and loved. She was steady, dependable, and never made a fuss. The term ‘helicopter parent’ didn’t exist in the 60s and 70s — thank goodness — and we had so much freedom, always knowing Mum was right there in the background, holding everything together.
She wasn’t a fancy cook, but our meals were wholesome and delicious. She often spoke of the beautiful vegetables Grandad grew in his little garden, and I think those stories stuck. By the time I had a place of my own — first a student flat with a little planter box I'd made in evening woodwork class, then a glorious quarter-acre in Invercargill — I was growing food. Real food. Spray-free, nutrient-rich, grown in well-nourished soil. And through all of it, Mum has been my biggest cheerleader.
She might not have had the gardening gene herself, but she passed on something far more powerful — her unwavering love, support, and belief in me. I’m so grateful. Happy Mother's Day Mum, I love you.
