The last 6 months have been the saddest and most difficult of our lives because our lovely mum died on June 22nd this year after a lung infection exacerbated her weakened condition from the pancreatic cancer which had been diagnosed 2 years earlier. I’m sorry we didn’t let you know earlier, I guess we presumed that somehow everybody would find out. It was only today when I was looking through dad’s Christmas cards that I realised you did not know. The task of letting you know is just too hard for my heartbroken dad, and yet having said that, he is doing remarkably well. We are so proud of him; even though the loneliness and sadness of his life without mum is immense, he has managed to create an independent and creative life for himself. This has been our first Christmas without mum, and we did what she would have expected us to do – laughed lots, ate and drank even more – and toasted her constantly. We also toasted ourselves – for the way we are looking after each other; we use the very great love we have for mum and each other to make sure that we get through our grief together. I hope the New Year is happy and healthy – for us all.