Those Games

She loved life and wine....

I am sorry but this is going to be quite a self indulgent post. I was listening to the radio on the way back from a meeting today and it played the moment we heard that London was going to host the Olympics. It was one of those moments where I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was with my mother and cooking her lunch. We were drinking wine (as always) and watching the excitement unfurl on the television. It never occurred to me at that moment that she would not be here to share the actual Olympics with me. She would have loved them.

She was an armchair sport fanatic and in her younger days a very accomplished tennis player. She could remember the 1948 Olympics. The next few weeks would have seen her in absolute heaven and drinking just a few bottles of wine.

I also remember the day because the following day I was in the same place but instead of celebrating I was desperately trying to get a message to my sister to let her know that my nephew was ok. He worked in London and he couldn't get through to her and had only just managed to get a message to me before all the systems went down. It was the day of the 7/7 bombings. A friend missed being in the wrong place because he was late for the first time ever in his life. I know we were lucky that day.

It was an extreme of emotions. Elation one day and despair the next. The roller coaster of life.

Below is a song that she loved. It has very happy memories for both of us. It reminds me of sitting in The Square in Winchester, drinking coffee and watching the world go by. She loved it there. Also the words are quite poignant and reflect how much we miss her particularly at this time of year as she shared a birthday with my daughter so I am off to toast a glass of something bubbly to both her and those games.

Normal service will be resumed in the next post and please forgive me this indulgence.