I was bowled over by the messages of happy birthday hooray for Mum, sent to me on twitter and elsewhere. I am printing them all out and putting them into a little presentation for her, together with this truly wonderful post from @chaletfan.
She will be very touched and amazed, and doesn’t really know just how loved and cherished she is. Which maybe is just as well in the normal daily run of things – it could be like suddenly seeing your feet when peddling along on your bicycle!
Well, here is how she spent her 86th birthday, utterly absorbed with her sketchbook by the river. Still extraordinary. But I do like to think that if we both made a sudden lunge for that last Tunnocks wafer I could still just get to it first.
This brought tears of nostalgia to my eyes… for your mother’s books which have always surrounded me (and which I’ve always adored) to Tunnocks, which I wish surrounded me (and adore also). And that line about feet on bicycle pedals (awareness of): pure genius. Reading that, I was suddenly about 6 years old again, whizzing down a sunshiny tree dappled country lane with my whole life and an open road ahead of me. Where does time go? I may have to eat a lolly to recover!
Thank you, James – a perfect comment, from a friend who truly is still whizzing down that sunshiny tree dappled country lane with the open road ahead…
I hope it’s a tandem and there’s room for me on board too!
XX
There certainly is room! you know… I think Bubble & Squeak should get a tandem. I wonder who would do most of the peddling?:
A tandem for Bubble and Squeak! What an inspired idea! AND a motorcycle with sidecar, AND a New York cab…
We need to be thinking VEHICLES – do you think so too? X
It’s hard to describe how grateful I am to Shirley Hughes. Her books have given me so much comfort over the years – and I didn’t start reading them until I was an adult! Back in 1993 I wrote my M.A, dissertation on images of motherhood in her books, and I was lucky enough to become a Mum myself in 1996. I think her happy, cosy kitchens and warm welcoming images of family life helped confirm me that that was what I wanted in my own life. It gave me great pleasure then to share her books with my four children. I loved the way she exactly understood how terrible it is to get locked in, or lose your favourite toy, or how very brave it is to put your comfort blanket down in order to take a shy girl’s hand. I think that reading those books out helped me become a better mother – they told me that it is valid and important to enter into a child’s world, and that small things happening in small people’s lives are not trivial – they are very important and must be treated as such.
I also admired the beauty and skill of her drawing – from Alfies’ street to stories of selkies or a statue coming to life in an Italian garden, Shirley Hughes is a WONDERFUL illustrator. Looking at this wonderful photo by Clara you can see the gorgeous sketch Shirley is doing and feel privileged to be able to peep over her shoulder and admire it. Her novel ‘Hero on a Bicycle’ showed that her writing is good enough to stand alone, and carries the same warmth and understanding of drama and empathy with children.
I can see that same tenderness and empathy in Clara’s stories – what better family legacy could there be than lovely art and storytelling from both mother and daughter.
Happy Birthday again to Shirley Hughes and thanks for sharing such a lovely photo, Clara. I think I will have to print it out. Maybe one day I will get to do a PhD on Shirley Hughes – what bliss!
Your comment filled me with pride and joy, Anne: the big-hearted appreciation of my Mum’s warmth, talent and empathy, and the eloquent description of the way that she shines light on the smallest things that, as you rightly say, feel so huge. But best of all that you took her evocation of motherhood into your life and made it real.
Gosh, I’m really quite overwhelmed… X
Happy belated birthday to your wonderful mum, her books still make me feel both safe and special. My husband will be pleased to know she is a fellow Tunnocks lover!
Oh thank you Katherine! Safe, special and Tunnocks – what three words could be better…
and I’ve just subscribed to your blog – it’s absolutely LOVELY! Why didn’t I spot it before? X
Ahhh! Happy Birthday to your mum! I love the thought of you sat side by side on a river bank drawing away xx
Thank you so much, dearest Annie! I’m very much looking forward to introducing you both in real life – I know you’ll get on like a house on fire!
Wouldn’t it be nice if our daughters saw us in the same light when WE are 86? X