Those of you who are regular readers will know I have twin daughters, Baby Bear and Little Chick. They are almost 22 and the apples of my eye.

The ladies of the family, BB, LC, Mum and Sister

Baby Bear is 12 minutes older (which she never fails to remind her sister of) however was supposed to be the second born until she jumped over Little Chick during labour and literally couldn’t wait to get out.

Newborns

Due to damage with the placenta, no-one has ever been able to tell us if they were fraternal or identical twins. All I do know is that they are mirror twins.

My favourite baby photograph

For those of you who never heard of this phenomenon, it means that whilst they may look the same, everything is opposite.

BB is Left handed, LC right. Their hair parts on opposite sides. When they gained and lost teeth it was always the same tooth but on opposite sides.

School days

The biggest difference is that BB is work oriented, has a few close friends, doesn’t really like partying and isn’t keen on alcohol. She is very opinionated and quite solitary.

LC is education oriented. Has LOTS of friends, Loves to party and could drink a sailor under the table. She is very open and willing to adapt and listen to others opinions and is super gregarious.

The result is perfect. They bounce off each other but also bicker due to their differences.

However, on Tuesday 16th October we all got together to celebrate something super special.

Little Chick went to the University of Winchester in September 2015 to study Psychology. BB stayed at home to pursue a career in accountancy and this was the first time they had ever been apart.

First arrival

Whilst her first year was spent doing the freshers experience and having a jolly good time, the second year was not so good. She struggled a lot and her end of year results weren’t as good as she (and we) hoped.

However she went into the 3rd year with a fresh perspective and knuckled right down. She choose to do the topic of Risk Taking for her dissertation but after several weeks was just not getting along with it well.

This was were the hubby had a brainwave. In a conversation with her, he told her to choose a topic that she absolutely loved as she would put her heart and soul into it.

She spoke to me and told me she was changing her dissertation. She was going to write a dissertation based on Harry Potter and how to measure personality and self categorisation.

I went mental.

Harry Potter?!?!?!?!

I know she is a mad Potterhead but a dissertation on it? I thought they had both lost the plot.

However, in this instance I am happy to admit I was wrong. She wrote her whole dissertation based on whether using psychometric based testing, you could accurately predict the Hogwarts House that random people would be sorted into.

Well, blow me down with a feather!

So it was on a lovely October day that we travelled down to Winchester to see her graduate. The cap and gown were ordered and she had a beautiful hunter green dress she was planning on wearing.

We arrived a little early and had surprised her with a sterling silver Harry Potter charm bracelet with a Letter to Hogwarts charm as a congratulatory present. Of course she put it on straight away.

Present time

Knew she would love it

)

We travelled along to the Guildhall in Winchester to get her robe and cap. I literally started crying as I watched her get fitted for the correct size.

Ready for Gown and Cap

Yes, I was in tears

Here we go….

The finishing touches

Ready for the Ceremony

Such a proud moment

Then we met Mum, Hubby and BB to go into Winchester Cathedral where the ceremony was to take place. The Dean of the University, Alan Titchmarsh (gardener extraordinaire) was to hand out the degrees.

Winchester Cathedral

Degree. Done!

With her good friend (and ex-housemate) Larry

So proud

I literally was fit to bursting as I heard her name being called out and watched as she went up to get her congratulatory chat with Mr Titchmarsh.

Heading for dinner

After all the degrees had been handed out, he gave a speech.

It was wonderful and moved me to tears again.

Just such a happy moment

Afterwards we went to Loch Fyne for dinner. We really pushed the Boat out (no pun intended) and had everything from Salmon Pate, Oysters, Lobsters and more.

Dinner time

Decisions, Decisions

Vile. Just Vile!

For my main I bucked the trend and had a steak and it was outstanding.

My choice

Both BB and LC had full lobsters and enjoyed sucking all the meat out.

As we had pre-booked as a friend of Loch Fyne, we got a free glass of Champagne each which was outstanding.

The whole bill came to just under £200 with cocktails, appetisers, starters and mains and the service was out of this world.

Well… it would be rude not to?

Sadly it was all too soon that we had to say goodbye to LC. We made the 2.5 hour journey home, filled with seafood and steak.

Oh didn’t I mention why she was still in Winchester?!?!

Well, she has gone back to do her Masters Degree in Forensic Psychology

Until then,

SPSG xxx