My sister Jann beautifully mentions Mum's favourite passage "The Road To The Home Of A Friend'.

Mum had to take care of the household much of the time as Dad was most often away with his work. She was very clever and hard working but her creative life took a marvelous turn when she went and did a local adult evening course on carpentry.

Nothing could stop her! The house we had in Alamo Oaks was transformed!

Being an area where adobe clay abounds, Mum decided to build a wooden (of course) sidewalk like you see in the Western movies. We scavenged the wood and nails from building sites - mum would approach any builder and ask for the scraps - and us kids would race around and clean up the site.

They must have had a grudging respect for her, because even though she usually got a "What do want this time, Lady?" we did pretty well out of these bits and pieces, considering they were but scraps.

Mum made many Planter Boxes as well, perfectly suited to the size of scraps! Being a keen gardener (a few good stories there) Mum also created a wonderful Fern House, mostly from lath strips. Inside was cool and dark and cluttered with an almost jungle feel to the place.

When that was completed up came the Deck. That was truely a huge job and it was really well done. One of the nicest things I saw my Dad ever ever do for Mum was to sneak off and buy her an Redwood Table and Bench Setting. I remember this day so clearly! He sent her off to Town for something and she took us with her.

We (me and 3 sisters) all piled in the car and off we went. As we drove through Alamo Oaks to the main Road a truck passed us. On the back was this beautiful outdoor setting. We could see she was dying in her heart for it. That area had some very lovely homes and wealthy Families of which we were not, and she never suspected the load was for her!

When we got back from Town some time later of course Dad had set it all out for her on the Deck. The gesture was noted by young me, I was maybe 11 or 12, as being ever so touching on many levels.

Mum also designed these lovely signs which she placed around her garden. On each sign was something poetic that was carved by her - yes CARVED letters. Ours and Mums' favourite was "The Road". When we left the States she took this and one more sign to keep in her Garden where ever we lived in the world. Our friends only had to see THE SIGN, as it later became known - to know which house in the street was ours!

Mum could always design things for herself, whether it was clothing (boy could she sew!) the wood stuff or even later renovating houses using her own (very cool) ideas. She was also a bag of fun to work with too, everyone liked to pitch in and help when she a had a project going. Maybe the good food and beer had something to do with it : ) - she always threw a party after work, such a good idea!

Mum passed away some 10 years ago and it has taken a long time to heal up enough to share some stories. More to come, including PHOTOS.

Joyce Mogis