Nan

December 2015

The photo above is of my husbands Nan, at her 100th birthday in 2015. We made her that cake, I love this photo of her with Immy. Immy was at home in Nan's arms. You can't see their faces but you can see the bond.

Friday October 14 2016 is when Nan passed away. Two months shy of her 101st birthday. She was at home, living with my mother-in-law, (MIL) Rhys had made it there in time to hold her hand as she slipped away. She saw Immy and Archie the day she died, recognising them. She even reached for her hair brush before she went to sleep for the last time. 

I grew up without a lot of contact with my grandparents, not entirely their fault. My dad's dad died when my dad was 13, he was the eldest of 7, so pause for a minute to think of my Nan and how strong she must have been to raise 7 kids on her own. 

My mum's mum, Grandma, passed away when I was 5 or 6, I have two or three vivid memories that may be combinations of photos and actual events, my memories are of a sweet story teller who made amazing milkshakes. My Pa died in 1996, when I was 11. Pa didn't like kids. I've been told he would like me now.  

My Nan lived until 2010, but unfortunately we lived in different cities when I was growing up and by the time I could get to Melbourne on my own she had severe dementia. My last conversation with my Nan was magic, we had it about 15 times, each time she discovered with delight that I was marrying a nice boy from the suburb in Brisbane she lived in when she was a young adult, before she moved to Victoria. 

I met Rhys's Nan on October 11th 2002, briefly for a photo at our senior formal. I got to know her in 2005 the year Rhys lived with her while his mother, was in Canada. When I got to know Rhys's Nan, I saw where Rhys came from, they seemed so similar. 

Quiet. 

Cheeky. 

Smart.
Sassy. 

Our first Christmas together as a couple was at Nan's house, just after she turned 90. 

She always made me feel like I was part of the family. I'm glad I knew her for those ten+ years. 

Every memory brings a smile to my face, she was surprisingly sassy. Just like Rhys. Her wit was quicker than his though. Sorry hunny.

I remember the last time I saw her, in September, about a month before she died, we were about to go on holiday to Hawaii followed by a cruise from Honolulu to Sydney, and I told her that I would tell her all about it when I got home. We'd only been home for 3 days before she died, so I never had the chance. But apparently she was watching where our cruise ship was with my MILs husband. Nan always knew what her grandchildren were up to. She always had the latest information, she was a better source of information on comings and goings of the people she loved than Facebook. 

Over the last year I've been surprised at how often her face has popped up on my *on this day* feature on Facebook, she was such a quiet presence at most events. When she wasn't being sassy. I've missed her. There is something calming about talking to someone who has been around for so long. Gives your problems some context. We really could have used her gentle calm and quick witted sass this year. Especially during the last three months. I can still hear her voice.

We're going to visit her grave tomorrow and have dinner with my in laws. 

Miss you Nan. x

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

                     A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)