The red hat

This is one of my favourite photos of Mum taken back in August 2011.

One of the comments I noted was by @sox who said "she is beautiful and the colours of sky, hat and jersey lift her to great health and friendly openness. A beautiful photo. I was in Chinwag fushion and they had tee shirts on which said something like "bloody good food, made with love" which is what I would say same about this, totally enhanced by love. You can see softness and warmth which would maybe not show for another photographer. Keep her on your wall!".

How true your words are Sox. And I do keep her on my wall :-)

Mum's hat is focus of this blip. It was a favourite with all of us. It epitomised her style and was distinctly her. I remember in the days following her death as we attended to a few things, picking it up and gently placing it back where she kept it in her wardrobe.

It's now with my sister Jennie and this week the red hat has been tripping in New York. Dad knew the hat would be off on a trip to the US and he thought that was great. Mum would have liked it too. She enjoyed an adventure and her hat sure has had one, in and out of the NY subways and seeing so many sights.

It was worn everyday Jennie and Nick were in NY as the weather was cold. It's been photographed in Time Square and at the memorial for the Twin Towers.

It's been to Harlem, seen the Frick Collection (a magnificent house full of paintings and sculptures Mum would have loved), Madison Ave shops (she could have done some real damage to her credit card), Central Park etc, etc.

In a week I'm missing Mum particularly deeply, seeing her hat on adventures has brought a smile to my face. I can picture a wee smile on Mum's face too.

She would approve and be chuffed to know Jennie enjoys wearing it. Who would have thought the adventures of the red hat could bring such comfort?

I'm fine. I was only checked out for a few hours and then home again yesterday. Today I've worked half a day from home. Tomorrow I will be back on my bike and off to work. It was the heavy dose of sedation that lingered.