Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society - Mark Twain

My mum is an amazing woman. She loves clothes and at 80 she likes nothing better than a shopping trip with her granddaughters. When it comes to clothes shopping she loves fashion and she shops enthusiastically, she has plenty of stamina and she will happily shop all day. She likes bright cheerful colours, high shoes and matching accessories. She gave up on my fashion sense years ago; she respects my right to wear more sober styles and very little make up but just occasionally she will tell me "you can wear that when you are dead!" 

My mum finds Robbie's approach to fashion rather surprising, but she supports his right to express his individuality and to wear bright colours - but perhaps not all at once! They often chat about clothes and shoes and Robbie likes nothing better than flicking through her collection of catalogues to 'window shop'. Earlier this week he was flicking through her cotton traders catalogue and showing me the many things that he would like when suddenly he emitted a groan of delight. He said "oh yes, they would look great with some bright contrasting boots, I really want them" He thrust the catalogue in front of me to reveal that 'they' were a pair of bright red trousers. I gave him a steady stare trying to work out if he was serious - he was! He looked to my mum for support but she tactfully said there may not be many opportunities to wear red trousers. I told him that it would be a mistake, he would look like Santa on his day off - or a Smurf!! I just hope that he will see sense.

A Busy Christmas

We are both exhausted after the demands and excitement of a family Christmas. Santa was very kind to Robbie, he got several railway DVD's (by some fluke Santa had chosen the ones that I was quite keen to watch) so I predict some early nights cuddled up together watching railway DVD's. He also got some speakers for his ipod and a brand new ipod video. He was speechless - a rare occurrence for Robbie!!! He also had some of his favourite, expensive aftershave so breathing apparatus will be required when using the bathroom after he has applied his aftershave! Even on Christmas day he couldn't resist the call of the computer and he had a ready made excuse, he was setting up his new ipod.

As you can see from the picture above, Robbie was a real party animal! He hasn't touched anything alcoholic over Christmas, not even a wine gum - so why does he look sozzled in most of the Christmas photos?