It is my mother’s birthday today. This time last year, Dad was still able – just – to take my brother and I out for tea and raise his glass in a toast, although he barely ate a thing.
I shall mark the occasion with a story.
The day before my Mum died, she took her school choir to a rehearsal of the Combined Schools Choir. At the rehearsal, there was some suggestion that during the public performance certain children should not sing.
In the days after she died, a little boy – and I wish I knew which little boy it was – sent us a card and in the card he described the choir’s bus trip back to school when my outraged mother told them not to worry that everyone would sing.
The little boy wrote: ‘…and Mrs Crisp told us, “Stick to your guns kids”‘.
And a few days after that, we went to the Combined Schools Choir performance and everybody sang.
adelaide from adelaide 
thank you for sharing that with us, tc.
I hope you will sing today
Cool woman.
Take care.
That story adds another drop of depth to my enjoyment of your novel.
Vale, Mrs Crisp.
Thinking of you today.
As Suse said we will are thinking of you Mrs Crisp and of all the kids that sang , I suspect, especially for you and in your memory.
Oh, for more leaders like TC’s mum.
Your mum sounded like a great woman to know! Obviously she rocked.
Thanks for finding me btw – you fellow AD resident.
Chins up. Take care.
Excellent story. Did you know she was Patrick White and Kylie Minogue’s astrological twin? She sounds about halfway between those two and yes I know that’s a long spectrum, but I can think of certain things they have in common with each other and (apparently) your mum.
Your mother was a champion.
This wrenches my heart.
may every one have such a gutsy mum. thank you for sharing
What a woman.
What a beautiful line he recalled from her. Stick to your guns kids. Just wonderful.
And while I quietly send my sympathy to you for your mother’s birthday anniversary may I also say that that is, I think, a magnificent last story about your mother.