My family were liberal with a small 'l' but passionately doers. I wanted to be a doer.

I'm not a cribber, or someone who criticises. People who criticise are not doers. I'm a doer.

The family is the focal point of our existence. And up until Jane and Lucy's death, there were always 16 of us together for Christmas.

At my age the only problem is with remembering names. When I call everyone darling, it has damn all to do with passionately adoring them, but I know I'm safe calling them that. Although, of course, I adore them too.

I don't come from a family of slackers, but I do come from a family of doers.

We used to indulge hopelessly as a family at Christmas. When the children were little, I dressed up as Father Christmas. They knew it was a gag, but they loved it. I remember stealing into their bedrooms at 1 A.M. and filling the stockings up at the end of the bed.