The person who was mum

Mum was gorgeous in every respect. She had a heart of gold - nothing was too much trouble. I remember leaving school at 3.00 p.m (when I was 8 or 9). She was standing at the school gate with about 15 heavy winter coats bundled over her arms. It had been raining heavily all afternoon, it was dark and dismal. The morning had been bright and sunny and we had all gone off to school without our overcoats. Mum decided she would meet my sisters/brother and I at the school gate with our coats, that is not only ours, but coats for the children of about half a dozen other families living in our street. She had knocked on all their doors saying she would take any coats. It was a long walk from home to school. It must have been a dreadful journey trying to walk with a very heavy bundle in her arms, trying to keep them dry under an umbrella. Nobody else had ventured out. She distributed all the coats and we all walked home, drier and warmer in one big happy, chatty, group due to mum's love and generosity.

Going even further back, mum came from a very, large, loving family and a Christian home. Her mum and dad were the epitome of love. Mum often told us this story. When she and dad were newly married they had gone for a drink in one of the local pubs. One of mum's old neighbours saw her there and remarked that it wasn't a place he thought he would ever have seen her. This greatly upset and worried mum. The following day when she saw her mum she mentioned that .... had seen her in the pub and the remark he had made. What a sensible lady gran was. She asked mum who she had been with, 'Alan of course' mum said. 'Did you do anybody any harm or were you and Alan drunk? 'No' said mum well then said gran, you were out with your husband, having a quiet drink, you have nothing to be ashamed of'. If only I had such wisdom ....

Candy Apples

As children we loved Halloween. Mum made candy apples. We used to crowd round the stove as she melted the butter and sugar, ready with the newly bought apples and lolly pop sticks. She kept a small saucer of water on the bench to drop some hot toffee into, to see when it was ready... we couldn't wait!! Some of the candy apples were dipped in coconut - they were delicious. We always had a family party playing all the 'old fashioned' games. Dunking for apples, apple on a string with hands behind back to see if you could bite it. Apple tarts, sweets, ice cream and a host of other delicacies to eat. We were NOT allowed to go collecting round the neighbourhood for Halloween, although many other children came to our door chanting:-

"Halloween's coming on and the goose is getting fat, will you please put a penny in the old man's hat, if you haven't got a penny a halfpenny will do, if you haven't got a halfpenny, God bless you and your old man too" Sweets and money were kept for such Halloweeners.

We remember it well, mum's apple tarts and savoury pies were the best, she baked them regularly. Good old fashioned homemade broth was also a regular.