My colourful memento..

Christmas was never going to be easy for us as a family this year and although I loved it for my children and all the tradition and joy, there was a cloud of sadness hanging over all of us, longing for that bright, loud presence that is normally in the room.   It felt very quiet, very calm without him and we gently just got on with the day.  There were lots of moments, tears over the brussel sprouts, the washing up bowl. 

All around the country, we as a family felt that dull ache of sadness that he wasn't there any more and we were all a little bit glad when it was over.

But the highlight was the present that my mother handed to me in the middle of it all, surrounded by over excited children, a sea of wrapping paper, after a few too many glasses of champagne. 

It came with a health warning, she told me. 


Be prepared. 

And thankfully I was as I unwrapped her unexpected but totally wonderful gift.

This scarf, made up of pieces of all his old cashmere sweaters for which he was renowned.  He was always a dapper dresser, wearing bright coloured sweaters, cords and socks. 

She had one made for each of us - a brilliant and unique keepsake of a very colourful man.