The birthday cards and the photograph ...

On the mantlepiece, and on top of the sideboard, are my mum's birthday cards -

Amongst the cards are vases of flowers, tulips, roses, hyacinths - 

My mum sits on the settee, looking at the cards and the flowers - 

She's gathered together cards from her previous birthdays -

It's late afternoon - 

I'm 90 she says - yesterday was really good - took me by my breath - all those people - 

Lovely seeing Nan Anne says - 

Nan's 92 and walks like a soldier Dot had said -

The Canon told us he rode a 750 Yamaha - 

If I stay like this I could be 100 my mum says - 

My dad's looking at photograph of himself and his navy chums, all of them just 19 - 

They're standing outside Place House in 1946 - 

He's reading their names - 

Ken Cole - he says - Larry, there, there's me, Len Radice, Moe Brown, Bud Abbot, Charlie Comlay - 

They're all dead, or in homes, I tell Anne - 

Apart from your dad she says - 

17.02

Sunday 3 April 2016

Staunton Road

Havant 

Hampshire