Ninety years young

My gorgeous mum is 90 years old today.  She doesn't want to be and is clinging on to her 80s with all her might.

As an 18-month old child in 1925, she saw off double pneumonia and whooping cough , which she and her two sisters all caught at the same time.  It resulted in her younger and older sister dying within a few days of one another and it left Mum considerably weaker.

She saw off a poor childhood during the Depression,  often having nothing to eat for a meal except mashed potato.

She saw off the Germans during the Second World War, although ended up marrying one who was a refugee here. He conquered her heart while they worked together on the land (she as a Land Army Girl and he driving tractors).

She saw off a happy 54-year-old marriage, when my Dad bravely fought leukaemia and lost the battle.

She fought (and often lost) against the crippling pain of arthritis and scoliosis which has curved her spine beyond all recognition.

She has even recently fought and survived cracked ribs.

However, time waits for no man and, despite her not wanting to celebrate her ninetieth, because she does not feel old enough, I give you my gorgeous mum at ninety...........