MOTHERING SUNDAY

Today is Mothering Sunday, a religious festival celebrated in Christian churches all over the world - all the mothers are presented with small posies of spring flowers by their children. Mothering Sunday is very commercialised but at least people are encouraged to remember the loving care provided by their mothers. Sadly my own mother died 34 years ago but my 2 lovely daughters always remember me on Mothering Sunday and we generally arrange a family reunion.

This year I enjoyed a family lunch in Watford with my daughter Sarah, Gary her husband, 2 of my grandchildren Emma, 6 and Thomas, 3 and Gary's mother, father and grandmother. We went for a lovely spring walk after lunch in the nearby park where the children climbed on the new play equipment which Gary campaigned for as Chairman of the local Residents' Association. He also persuaded the Council to plant lots of daffodil bulbs which are now in full bloom.

When the sun shines in England and the spring flowers are in bloom there is no finer country to live in. It's a pity that the sun does not shine a bit more often, because it cheers us all up when we are emerging from a long, grey and cold winter.

Last night I stayed with an old friend Valmai in Pirton, near Hitchin in Hertfordshire where I lived for 15 years and represented Pirton and Offley villages on North Hertfordshire District Council. Valmai was born in the Welsh valleys and loves to sing, dance and play the recorder. She was performing in an excellent Music Hall Show with the Pirton Players, a very active amateur dramatic group which puts on excellent shows several times a year.