Wolfie the Wonder Horse!

Wolfie the Wonder Horse!
Wolfie, 24/02/08

Monday, 16 January 2012

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal

My Granny Dunblane passed away on Thursday morning, she was 94 years old. I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days, about my Granny, growing up with her and my times spent with her. I have a lifetime of wonderful memories. She was an incredible Granny, everything you imagine a Granny should be. She was a fantastic knitter, knitted jumpers, dolls,if you had a hole in your socks, by the next morning it would be darned. She would bake, the cake tins were always full, I can picture her chocolate cake now and I can almost taste it, that was always my favourite. My sister and I would bake with her, licking the mixing bowls and spoons once the cake was in the oven. She made me a Hedgehog cake for my Birthday, I had been desperate for one I had seen in a magazine. I cried when we cut it to eat it, as I wanted to keep it. The table was always set, complete with table cloth and silver for every meal. Her home made soup and mince and tatties. She used to put oatmeal through the mashed turnip, something which I do now. I remember Christmases spent at Granny's with all the family, the food we had. She would always watch Countdown. She always kept a hanky up the sleeve of her cardigan, I used to always wonder why she didn't just put it in her pocket. I do that now,put hankies up my sleeves, I didn't realise I did until the other day. She would always sing and hold our hands and cuddle us. At bedtime, we had a special song that we would sing, Granny, my sister and I. We sang it every night we stayed there. My sister and I are very different, we always have been,but my Granny encouraged us both to be ourselves, whether it be reading or making mud pies. If we couldn't find something, she would make it. I have a scar on my forehead where I was running from my sister and tripped and hit my head off the corner of my Granny's coffee table. There was a lot of blood, Granny wrapped my head and covered it in tea towels. She woke me every few hours during the night to speak to me and to change the tea towels, thinking back, she was probably awake all night. My sister got told off for chasing me, but all 3 of us knew that I had most likely been tormenting my sister before hand. I was supposed to get a skin graft on my forehead to cover the scar, but as they wanted to take the skin from my bottom, I never wanted it (my sister having the ammunition to call me bum face for the rest of my life was too much!). People have always asked where I got the scar and I've always been conscious of it. Now though, as I touch it, I'm glad it's there as it's another memory that can't fade. Granny wouldn't think twice about letting us turn her larder cupboard into a shop and she would be there as our first customer. What I remember most though is when staying at Granny's house is how safe and loved she made us feel. It really was unconditional. She enjoyed walking and we went on many walks through Dunblane. We used to pass a horse in a field and we would stop so that I could pat the horse. She would tell me about her father, my great grandfather, who loved horses and would never pass a horse anywhere without stopping to give it a mint or a pandrop. She spoke with such affection about him, that I was proud to be related to this man that I had never met, but obviously loved horses as much as I did. I know there are things that I have forgotten, stories that she told us. I am trying to remember everything. I am thinking of all my family right now. Everyone is very sad and hurting, but I am sure that the lifetime of wonderful memories Granny has left each one of us will help. Goodnight Granny, I understand that it's time for you to leave us now. I love you.

3 comments:

clairesgarden said...

thats lovely, you made me cry, bless our grans.

The Curates Egg said...

You made me cry too, I had forgotten so much of this. We never really got the chance to say thank you but I think she knew. xxx

jc said...

So sorry to hear this. It's been a while since I dropped into your blog