THREE GENERATIONS UNDER ONE ROOF

Lottie and Caroline then and now, with Kevin and Matilda

- FRANCESCA WOODSTOCK

As I stepped in the front door, the smell of lasagne filled the air. 'Hope you're hungry, my mum, Caroline, 72, said. Even at 40 years old, there was nothing like Mum's home-cooked dinners.

Ever since I was a child, Mum was always there with a nice cup of tea if I ever felt down. Growing up in Guildford, Surrey, it was just the two of us and I knew that no matter what happened in life, Mum's door would always be open.

I spent a lot of my 20s travelling around the world, but I always called home to let Mum know how I was doing. In 2017, I moved back to the UK with my partner Kevin and, shocked by property prices, we decided to buy a narrowboat. I was working in web development, which enabled me to work from my laptop anywhere in the world - even on a boat!

MAKING PLANS 

Mum would come and visit us, spending a few days travelling from one place to the next, making cups of tea along the way. It was great fun!