Today I have a funny little tale told to me this morning by my mother. Anyone who knows my mother will know already that, although she is a sprightly, healthy old lady with all her marbles, she is also nearly blind. But Mum is feisty and doesn’t let a little thing like having only thirty percent vision in her one good eye stop her from going about her daily life as she used to before the onset of wet macular degeneration. She catches buses by herself; and she crosses busy roads by herself, trusting that drivers will see the white stick at the end of her outstretched arm – she uses it like a conductor’s wand!

A couple of days ago, when Mum had been invited to lunch at my youngest brother’s house, she insisted that she didn’t need a lift and would enjoy to walk the half-mile to Robert’s in the sunshine. Half-way up the hill Mum noticed a very smart looking lady walking down the hill towards her; the lady wore crisp white trousers and a bright red and blue top; she also wore sunglasses and she had gorgeous blonde hair which shone like gold in the sunshine. As the lady approached Mum took a breather and called out (as you do)…

– “It’s so much easier coming down the hill than going up!”

The smart blonde lady stopped to pass the time of day.

– “I’ll say,” she said and they both laughed.

After some minutes had passed the blonde lady said she thought Mum seemed familiar.

– “What’s your name?” she asked.

– “Betty,” Mum replied, “and who are you?”

– “Maria,” she said with a smile, “No wonder I thought you were familiar!”

– “Oh Maria!” – the penny had dropped – “I didn’t recognise you as a blonde, and with those sunglasses – you know I can’t see,” Mum giggled.

– “It’s my new wig… no, I couldn’t see you either… I’m as blind as a bat!” said Maria, barely able to speak for laughing.

My mother and Maria have been good friends for twenty years! Apparently, they howled with laughter for at least five minutes.