February 2

Mum and me This year my mother and I would have clocked up 200 years. She was born in 1891,Iin 1926. Quite an achievement, There are many other examples of her busy earlier life.It was after her father died and her mother Fanny could not cope with looking after six youngsters, including the baby Mabel Mum took charge, with her eldest brother, Walter. She made a perfect job of it, even managing to become a bookmaker for many years in Cardiff, at first in a Cardif butcher shop and later at the Avana cake company and Western Mail. Dad's sudden death in 1942 at 16 changed her lifr; she became so seriously ill that Dorothy gave up her job to look after her. It turned out to be a lifetime task but Dorothy and her husband George did it so well Mum recovered and lived so long. Her health was mostly good but when I started to lose my mobility about eight years ago she was much fitter than I. Even at very old age she came to Bert and Jean, Dorothy and George and Rosemary and me regularly.She used to get up and down the steps outside their flat much better in all wrather and came for the day and on holiday regularly having her firs trip in a plane when over ninety. She was wonderful with all the family children and children generally. i remember her as always being cheerful When she finally became ill a few weeks before she died she was angry as she was still enjoying life so much.