Day 3

Your Parents

My Dad:

My mum and dad split up when I was ten. We lived at each of their houses for a week or two at a time and so were moving and packing all the time, they only lived down the road from each other but still, it wasn't the greatest way to live while you're at secondary school and doing exams and the like. But it was fine.

My dad is lovely and cuddly, good for advice on grown up things and loves Ada to bits! We don't see him or my step-mum that often as they live 3 hours drive away, but when we do it's nice, although we don't see them very much! Dad lives with Jenny my step-mum and Jenny's daughter has a little boy called Hux who they spend lots of time with - I guess I'm a bit jealous of that really. My dad is the mayor of my home town and knows lots of people, he's kind of a small town celebrity I guess!

The picture shows him being a cool dad when he came to Indietracks Festival to see me sing in the band Silence at Sea in 2008. He's with my sister and her husband.

My Mum:

My mum died just under a year ago after a stem cell treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma. She was really ill in the end and it was all a bit horrible. She died 7 days before Ada was born, the day after Ada was born was the funeral so we couldn't go...it was mad driving to and from the hospital not knowing what was going to happen when, with my mum and the baby!

I've missed my mum so much since Ada arrived as there are so many questions I have and so much advice I need, but what can you do...you just deal with it.

My mum was a teacher and a nurse and a high flying chief executive - while being ill and being treated appalingly by her trustees! While she was off on long term sick she really got into photography and glass bead making, both of which she was really good at, she was also very good at sewing and knitting and cross stictch and inspired me to try all of them (although I can't knit for tofee!). She used to make me and my sisters clothes when we were little (something I MUST do for Ada) and she started life again in her early thirties when she split up from my dad (who is 13 years her senior).

I know lots of people say this about their parents, especially when they have passed away, but my mum really was an inspiration to me and I was/am very proud of her...even though she didn't always follow through on things...she is my hero.

The picture is me and my mum in December 2007, she came to stay for the weekend, I cut her hair short as she was going to have chemo and loose it...I think the short hair really suited her!