I have so many special memories growing up with Grandma, and I will enjoy them for a lifetime.
She took me and Pip to ballets, something I still really enjoy and started dancing because of. I will always think of her when i’m listening to the nutcracker and classical music, and especially when playing Rumikubs.
Walking into their dining room always smelt like fresh bread with classical music playing and a sing song hello being shouted down the hallway as a grandpa shuffled along to wave a welcome. I loved
cosy books in the story chair. We would read Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland and the Secret Garden, as well as the Magic Far Away Tree and adventures with the Famous Five and Secret Seven. There would always be teddies laid waiting on the bed when we came to stay.
At swallow barn I remember helping to wash up stood on a stool with the cold water rushing into washing up bowls, one to wash and one to rinse! After going down to the vegetable patch and crushing the butterfly eggs on the cabbage leaves and raspberry picking in the bushes we would wash them in the kitchen sink whilst washing the birds.
At save the children we spent lots of time sitting at the till or sorting through clothes in the back, always an exciting rummage and a fantastic find, with lots of friends and choux buns and a puppy called gussy.
In Derbyshire I loved cafe trips to carsington drinking tea by the lake.
I have always loved waking up at Swallow Barn on christmas morning, pass the parcel and a dying fly
treasure hunts all round the house (an easter tradition too, when Grandma would get out the wooly chicks!)
lights everywhere and the family together, memories i’ll cherish forever.
Also in the festive period we would go for trips to the panto at buxton each year, where Grandpa’s birthday always raised a cheer, when he would be a vicar, a lord a sir and a doctor. Grandma would always ensure there were walks in Buxton park before or after.
Swallow barn also meant walking up Robin Hoods stride with its fantastic views and climbs and cave holes to pop out of.
For holidays we would go exploring along the coast at Sandsend and RobinHoods bay, catching crabs in rock pools and having delicious ice creams along the way. I will always savour memories of bird watching in the lounge of the langdales and feeding the ducks in the pond outside, as well as walking long to the co-op for a teacake and a cup of tea.
More recently me and Grandma have had lots of facetimes, phone calls and chats and giggles, always full of nonsense. She started to go a bit soppy this year and would always end them with telling me how proud she was, to keep working hard and saying lots of love. I am really glad that she gave me this encouragement. Grandma was kind, caring, thoughtful, supportive, honest, funny, strong minded and creative, and I hope that we can make her proud by following in her footsteps, looking after people and bringing everybody together.
I will miss her very very much and am so lucky to have had such a special Grandma and friend.
Rosheenoh
24th February 2022
