Bless Your Little Cotton Socks

About the Book

In this delightful essay collection that reads like a memoir Diane Radford draws the reader into the enchanting world of her parents — her mother Margery, and her long-suffering father Sidney. Margery had a way with words — she was never lost for them. Recalling her mum’s unique turns of phrase, Diane found herself beginning her own sentences with “as Margery would say,” followed by one of her mother’s pithy comments. She never realized how much her mother differed from other mothers until she began to quote her, and listeners responded with either a quizzical stare or a peal of laughter. Diane mistakenly presumed everyone had a mother who would demonstrate the Charleston in the middle of doing dishes — suds flying across the kitchen — or recite poetry on a walk along the shore. Dr. Radford compiled these “Margeryisms,” and her essays recount the adventures of the Radford family and the circumstances in which the Margeryisms were let loose upon the world. At times laugh-out-loud-funny, at times poignant, these essays transport the reader to the times and places when Margery’s saying would stop all other activity in a room. The coastal town of Troon, in Ayrshire, Scotland forms the backdrop for many of the memories. Mrs. Radford had a wanderlust that left her unsettled; hence, she and Sid moved frequently — eight homes in all in Troon. This book in divided into parts according to where they were living at the time. The reader happily joins the Radfords on their peripatetic around Troon and shares in walks on the beach; feeding the birds; golf on the narrowest fairways between banks of yellow broom; and the animal adventures of the Radford family. These reminiscences of her childhood revealed to Diane that she was altogether blessed — not just her cotton socks. The reader will be too.

About the Author

Diane Radford grew up in the Scottish coastal town of Troon, the only child of Margery and Sidney Radford. Troon, a town of long sweeping beaches, 13,000 people and six golf courses, shaped Diane’s upbringing, as much as did her mother’s eccentricities. When Diane was aged four, Margery declared she was “underfoot,” and sent her off to school. An advantage of this early start in education was her entry into University of Glasgow Medical School at the age of sixteen. Diane went on to specialize in breast cancer surgery, and has had a distinguished career in both academic surgery and private practice. She came to the United States in 1985 to pursue her surgical oncology fellowship, arriving with seven suitcases and her golf clubs. She has been listed as one of the “Best Doctors in America” every year since 1996, and is also one of America’s “Top Doctors.” An accomplished speaker, she has presented to both lay and professional audiences, numbering from a hundred to many thousands. She is the author of numerous academic research papers and book chapters, has been quoted in many online media articles and print media, and has appeared on TV discussing breast cancer related topics. She is a staff breast surgical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and resides in Highland Heights with her spouse, their dogs Snickers and Heidi, and Buttercup the tabby. Her essays have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Despite all these many achievements, however, she is and always will be Margery Radford’s little girl.