Mum - Nana Knits and Thespian Aspirations

My mum has always wanted to be an actress. For a brief time she was a member of an amateur dramatics society and loved standing in for absent members and doing read throughs.

My dad never really liked her joining. For as long as I can remember they have had a very intense relationship that takes priority over everything. Dad did not like her being away from him and had no aspirations himself of a thespian nature.

Mum gave up her chance to be on the stage to be back on the sofa with dad watching the soaps.

In the last year, she has found a little outlet for her desire to perform.

Mum likes to enter competitions.

If ever there is a competition that requires a video entry, mum is totally up for it. Either myself or sister, Wendy, will do the filming, editing and submitting (she does her best with technology but most of it is beyond her) and she relishes the opportunity to act out whatever is required of her. She has also helped out with some video product reviewing which she loved.

Unfortunately, the opportunities were getting fewer and further between but I pointed out to her that we could make a video just for our own entertainment. I suggested that she write a poem and perform it. She was delightfully keen and this is what she came up with.

So that is my mum and her poem about knitting.

Mum only started her knitting relatively recently after having broken her wrist when she misjudged cocking her leg over a barrier to take a short cut and fell. A metal plate used to bind the shattered bones left her with less flexibility than she had before the accident and knitting was a perfect exercise to strengthen the joint and improve movement. She only likes making small garments. All the grandchildren have hats and mitts aplenty but the youngest three are the major recipients of what we affectionately call Nana Knits. She is a prolific knitter!

The way my mum throws herself into projects with obsessive fervour does make me wonder. If she had pursued her dream to act, would she now be landing starring roles on stage and screen and collecting Oscars on her mantlepiece? We'll never know but my children's woolly collection would no doubt be much sparser and less colourful!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MUM XXX