It was very early this morning, still dark outside, when I heard the pitter patter of rain on the roof.
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled ever so quietly. And then for a moment, there was stillness. I lay in bed with my eyes open and wondered about that. I wondered if, four thousand long miles away, my mum had opened heaven’s gates and stepped inside.
And she had.
She wasn’t my real mum, but she might as well have been. Her other daughter-in-law affectionately calls her Joanie, but she was always mum to me.
She made the best breakfasts…of bacon, and eggs, and tomatoes and mushrooms. She had a special plate that was just for me. And she always told me I ate like a bird.
It was her who came to stay each time I had a baby. She would knit them hats that were far too big, and bounce them affectionately on her knee.
When our four sons were young, it was always to her big house, in the sunny south of England that we would go for our summer holidays. We would pack up the car with our six bikes hanging off the roof and drive, like the Clampetts, for two weeks of fun at Grandma’s. And even though she scolded us when we tramped the red sand of the beach in on our shoes, she loved us being there. And even though it sometimes rained, we always remember the sunny days.
She would walk with us down the little stony path, through the woods to our favorite Elberry Cove, where we would sit on the pebbly beach and eat our crisps and salmon butties. Once we clambered together in a blow up boat and rowed around in the shallow waters. I remember her laughing in her floppy hat.
Sometimes, we would go out walking together at night. She loved big houses and when it was dark, you could see in peoples’ windows.
She was full of energy and life, and was often found to be doing her ironing and dusting at one o’clock in the morning. Even when she retired, she cleaned houses in her spare time, and even though she didn’t have much money, we always found a few pounds tucked away in the envelope whenever she wrote to us.
She could paint with two hands, and loved to water color. She could magically grow any plant from the tiniest shoot or seed; and outside her kitchen window, there was always a row of flower pots standing proudly on the little stone wall, spilling over with fuchsias, or sweet peas, or carnations. She talked to them every day, and always knew what they needed.
She loved to go for rides in the countryside, and was always the first to notice and name the yellows and purples of the wild flowers that danced in the Devon hedgerows. One day, she wrote about them in my diary.
And I think about time, and life, and how fast this one, precious gift passes us by.
And how we must snatch it, and hold on to each moment, and cherish the memories of summer days, and floppy hats, and wildflowers that dance in the hedgerows.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Mary Oliver
That’s lovely Glenys. Somes up . Everything about mum copyright exactly the same about our kids going down to mums and she loved Elberry.
Graham
Thanks Graham.It wasn’t hard to write about her. Sad day. Happy Memories.
She loved you and your boys very much and your family gave her much pleasure over the years. She would be very proud of the success you have both made of your lives and she would have loved reading this tribute. Xxx
Thank you Pam xxx
I’m so glad I got to meet her.
Oh so am I Natalie!
Lovely and touching tribute, Glenys. Such a sad day for David, you and the boys but what wonderful memories you can carry forward. I have always told my children that nobody ever really dies – as long as we carry them around in our hearts and memories they do live forever. Thinking of you all.
Mel.
How lovely Melvyn..that touched my heart.Thank you so much for that.
That was beautiful Glenys.x
Thank you Sue. Hugs to you xxx
What a beautiful tribute to your mum. May you find peace and comfort in all the wonderful memories. She obviously loved you very much. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Betsy.
I felt as though I had a glimpse of her….with you when you speak to the children at church or look into your grandchild’s eyes….thank you for that…..
What a lovely thing to say Nichea. Thank you!
Beautiful, Glenys, and what lovely old photos. She was such a character. I remember how she always used to tell me I had beautiful hair! Grandma will always have a special place in your hearts xx
Oh yes Pauline, she was a character for sure. I had forgotten that she said that about your hair!
Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Bless you Suzy!
Loved it. Thanks for inviting us in so we could experience what you experienced knowing this special person in your life who loved flowers and floppy hats.
Thank you so much Anne.
How lovely Glenys. I felt very emotional reading that. It sounds as though David’s mum lived life to the full and had a happy life. Xx
Oh she really did Marion! Without her, we never would have had those lovely holidays in Devon, and all the memories that go with it.