You'd never believe what Mum said this morning. It was the craziest thing! I mean, she's done plenty of far out stuff, but this is the ultimate.

"Kids,'" she said, "I've made a decision!"

It was like one of those movies, when the picture stops. I had my spoon halfway to my mouth, my sister was holding two pieces of toast, and Dad was reaching for his cup of tea. We all stopped and waited. What was this big decision Mum had made?

"I've put myself forward as a representative for the local elections," she said, "I may not be elected of course, but I thought it was worth a try.'"

"Which Party?" asked Dad.

"The Cleans." said Mum.

"But they're just a minor Party," said Dad, "They haven't got a chance of winning. Why don't you go for one of the larger ones?"

"Because I feel sorry for the small Party. I think the Clean Party needs support."

That was our Mum. She always looked after the under-dog. That was why we nearly always had some down-and-outer at our door. "Waifs and strays". Dad called them, "The wandering population." But he never objected. He was really on Mum's side because he had a kind heart too.

And Mum did a lot of other things to show how kind she was.

She had fifty one hens, all brown and stupid. Every morning she collected the eggs and delivered them round the town. That was part of her income. And she painted pictures. Landscapes, flowers, more landscapes, more flowers. Piles of landscapes and flowers, and she sold quite a few.

Spinning. She had some perendale sheep, which she got the wool off and knitted. She also dyed the wool, using mosses from the hills. Guess who had to scrape the mosses off the rocks? It took me all day to gather the horrible stuff.

She knitted the wool into jerseys and sold them. She also knitted the wool into scarves, and squares for blankets, and hats. She made some of the wool into clouds for moss-pictures.

She also did gardening, and sold Christmas Lilies. And she went to church, and did a lot of extra things there.