Reader's Digest New Zealand Oct/Nov Issue

home. While sorting through a mountain of family photos and keepsakes, we laughed at the things Mum had kept, which included Dad’s beloved harmonica. He hadn’t played it for many years. One of my earliest childhood memories was of Dad, in the twilight hours after milking, sitting on the back steps of the verandah, a bottle of beer on the concrete path, playing whatever tune came to mind while we kids played outside. Looking back now, it was probably a ploy to get us out of Mum’s hair while she was cooking. With Mum on the piano and a lot of singing in the house, we grew up surrounded by music. When we arrived at the nursing home with the harmonica, Dad was pleased to see it. A few days later, I popped in for a visit. While chatting with Mum, out of nowhere came a familiar sound from down the hallway. Mum’s eyes lit up – Dad was playing his harmonica again! The author’s parents, Dennis (known as Bo) and Joyce, on their wedding day in May 1959 READERSDIGEST.CO.NZ 1