Ma Booknerd

It’s been a really tough 12 months for Ma Booknerd.

Our stepdad - who’d been with our mum since Goatee and I were children, and was a huge presence in our lives - died a year ago this week; which was, naturally, a lot for her to deal with and adjust to.

But I’ve been hugely impressed by the way in which she’s stayed strong, kept going and made plans for the future. The biggest of which has been her decision to sell her house and buy a retirement flat nearby; bizarrely enough, on the site of the primary school which Goatee and I attended, back in the mists of time!

This process has been soul-destroyingly protracted, complicated and energy-sapping and, after months of snags, seemed to have finally fallen through completely just a couple of weeks ago. Then, at the very last possible minute, it all suddenly went through and she’s finally due to move on Monday. A huge relief, but also a whole new source of stress!

I’ve been down to Sussex to visit her for a few days, to help out with all the admin tasks involved, and Goatee will take over, relay-style, in a couple of days to get ‘hands-on’ with the move itself.

Ma and I took some time out from the various ‘to do’ lists today and went for a stroll along the seafront and an al fresco lunch before I said farewell to ‘the old homestead’ and headed back north.

Here’s to the ever-stylish Ma Booknerd, and to health and happiness in her new home!

Today’s tune is a toss-up between the Kate Bush instrumental ‘One Last Look Around The House Before We Go...’ https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZF5Eo29bBMA or Bob Mould’s ‘Moving Trucks’ https://youtube.com/watch?v=zlegQdel2Mg I’m sure Ma B is a big fan of both!