Guest Post - My Mum!

I told you that today I would be inviting a very special person to my blog. Well, to celebrate Mother's Day, here she is - my mum, Joy.

 

It has been rather hard to pin her down for this interview, and I think that after reading this you will know why!

Welcome to my blog, Mum. I hope you won’t mind telling my readers how old you will be this year.

 I never think about my age. I’ve just worked it out - I’m 81 years, 5 months and 7 days. I don’t really believe it, I only feel 79.

 I imagine that you have had a very quiet year, slowing down a little, now that you are in your ninth decade: knitting, a bit of pottering round the house or a snooze in front of the TV - does that sound familiar?

None of the above, I’m afraid - I’ve no time for them! I’m too busy pursuing my various dramatic, cultural, artistic and agricultural activities; reading books for my book club; studying plays for my play study group and going to NADFAS lectures. The Archway Theatre also takes up a lot of my time.

You mention the Archway Theatre. Am I right in presuming that you are taking more of a back seat now after 58 years of membership?

Well, I act and direct. I have a very large part in the May production and I shall be directing a play in December. I’m also in charge of the theatre wardrobe, hiring out costumes ever Sunday morning; I’m a member of the Archway Council of Management and the Repertory and Membership Committees.

 It’s nice to have a local theatre to go to now that you are at an age where you probably don’t like to travel too far.

 I usually travel to London two or three times a week. This year, so far, I’ve seen nineteen plays, four musicals, one ballet, one opera, four films, four concerts and three art exhibitions. I’m a ‘Theatre Angel’ so I’ve also attended several first night after-show parties.

 I must say, your garden looks spectacular in the spring and summer. How many gardeners do you employ to help you keep it like this?

 Aren’t you forgetting how spectacular it looks in the autumn and Winter too? I’m afraid there’s only one, unpaid, gardener - me. As you've seen, it’s quite a large garden so I spend a lot of time composting, digging, planting, weeding, pruning, dead heading and mowing to keep it looking like it does.

As you know, my new writing career has started to take off but a little bird tells me that you’ve had a bit of writing success in the past.

 It was only one prize winning story and one published poem and, of course, ‘Diana’s Poems’ soon to be published I hope.

You're very modest, Mum. I think I know where I got my writing ability from. Can you tell us a bit more about these Diana poems?

 When I was at Drama School, I discovered that my best friend was three years older than me and I never let her forget it. Years later, I started to write a really rude poem in her birthday card each year describing her great age and deteriorating looks, always linked to her activities during that year. Sadly, she died a few years ago so the ‘Diana Poems’ came to an end - but hopefully her family and friends will enjoy reading them in the book.

 I expect you’re ready for a sit down with the crossword and a Horlicks now that you’ve answered all these questions?

 Well, I’m just off to learn some more lines, and find four drama extracts for my pupil’s lesson tomorrow. Looking round the room, I’ve just noticed all the pottery and ceramic items I made in the past and various items left over from when I used to collect and sell antiques. What a busy girl I must have been in those days!