First thoughts of the day

This shot is dedicated to my mum.., well, our mum. my brother's and mine. She left this world nine years ago today and she was my first thought in the morning and last thing at night for many many mornings after that. And still is sometimes. Bb and I had gone to Sao Paulo to live and just 7 weeks later I got a voice message on my mb to phone home immediately. I'll never forget my wee brother's voice in that message. I knew immediately it was bad news. We had just come out the cinema and no-one apart from the school I was working for and family had my mb number. Mum was in hospital when we left you see, but we'd been assured by the consultant that she'd be ok and we should leave, and that she was on the mend. I remember clearly the last time I visited her in hospital and as I was leaving we pulled the screens around her bed for a wee bit of privacy. As Scots, at least in our family, we didn't normally talk about love or anything like that. But I told her I loved her that day and hugged her before I left. And then it was the phone call and the long flights back, knowing what we were coming back to. Or rather not coming back to. I remember there was a lot of Scottish hospitality when we came back: neighbours and friends just turning up at the door to offer condolences and share their memories. That was so important, especially because when I got back to Brasil no-one had met my mum and so it was difficult to talk about her. What kept me going was making sure my dad was ok. I remember he told us he'd lost his partner in life. And that was nine years ago. Tomorrow, as chance would have it, Bb and I are flying to Brazil. Today, though, my wee brother bought roses and lilies in her memory. Here's to you mum from all of us.