First she sells an heirloom Zeizz Ikon for about nothing to the used photo gear dealer who just wanted to "help her out" - now I wanted to set up a slide show for the elder's 80th. Mum's made some albums - the B+W's from the 30's and 40's are starting to lose it but I can scan them. But the colour photos from the 1960 until, frankly, the start of the digital era are shades of orange. The next step will be nothing on the paper.

So I ask Mum - "Where are the negatives?" and she says,

"What would I want them for - I've got the pictures"

Yes she trashed the negs in the bin decades ago because they were taking up a bit of cupboard space.

Some things can't be resurrected. Timely reminder to check the shoe box and consider stealing it.