The one consistent was the energy that she would bring and would be happy to sit and play games and have a natter for hours. She would fill you in on all the family gossip, who had said what and what everybody was up to. Going into the most extreme detail with the odd shout to grandad to confirm the detail “bob, did she call on monday or tuesday?”
Another source of nans information came from her involvement with the neighbourhood watch (which basically meant that she liked to watch her neighbours through her windows, came to her own conclusions about what they were doing and then passed on this information onto whoever was sat next to her on the couch).
All in all it was very informative and very entertaining, plus she always bought/had with her a big bag of coconut cakes and a slab of bread pudding so it was never a hardship to sit and listen.
The only downside to visiting them for too long was the fact that nan was a bit of a feeder and the longer you sat there, the greater the calories you got. Even in a quick 30 minute visit you were bombarded with sandwiches, crisps, cakes, biscuits followed by jelly and icecream with possibly the odd sweet thrown in for good measure.
This made it all the more funnier as it was guaranteed on the next time you visited, the first thing that nan mentioned was the fact that you had got a bit fat and gained weight!
This in my mind was one of nan's greatest characteristics, that no matter who you were, she would always tell you what was on her mind and what she exactly thought of you.
Nan and Grandad were highly regarded in their community and were always being visitFrom an early age it was clear that nan would be ever present and an important person in my life.
We were lucky to see nan and grandad at least once a week, whether they would come to spend the day with us at the weekend, sitting in the garden playing games or from one of countless day trips out to various farms, parks, zoos, gardens or museums.
ed by their neighbours, bringing gifts and food and nan would love nothing more than being constantly told how beautiful her house and their garden was and how clean and well maintained it was.
On the flip side to this was, if one of their neighbors did not send a christmas card, then they would be quickly struck from favour and they had to make it up to her.
Nan also liked to take a visit down memory lane and alway kept a photo album or two in the drawer under her chair with others close by in a cupboard.
She was extremely proud of her weight watchers achievement back in 1973 when she lost almost half her body weight and loved to show the before and after photos, along with the newspaper clipping.
Even though we had seen most of the photos many times over she loved to look at them and remember the stories that each picture inspired.
This usually culminated with nan crying in fits of laughter that was infectious to everyone else in the room.
Words can't describe the loss that I feel with her passing.
At least she and grandad are together again which brings a little comfort.
I Love you Nan, Always and forever in my thoughts and in my heart.
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