When I look in the mirror and see my work-from-home unstyled hair and creased sun dress, I have a renewed appreciation of the effort Mum made to stay groomed and fashionable, despite being on the farm.

As a six, seven and ten year old, I have vivid memories of playing with her costume jewellery, eye-shadows, and false eyelashes. Her dressing table was a trove of trinkets and delights – an oak dresser with a stained mirror, linen doileys, and a riot of cosmetics and adornments. I didn’t really understand what they all did, but they had the scent of Avon and the promise of being grown up.

Talk about playing different roles… wife, lover, mother, cook, farm hand, pilot, best friend, committee president, shire councillor, pioneer and occasionally, Vicomtesse. A full and present life underpinned by the ever-present and capacious hand bag.