So, a super cool guy had asked me to a concert. I wasn't quite sure whether it was a DATE (cos I'm like totally an American teenager from the fifties) or if it was just catching up with someone who was great company and thought I was friend material. Either way, I was looking forward to it. Heaps.
Then something very sad happened. On the 25th of July, my sweet Nanna Tessie passed away. She had been battling dementia for quite some time and her tiny little body finally gave up. She was a super cool chick. I named my business and my blog after her. I loved her a lot. One day I'll tell you the story of how she took me to Cairns on the train when I was about eleven. She made me feel special.
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| Me and Nanna circa 2000 |
My birthday is the 27th of July. It was a Friday. I felt odd, having a birthday and being happy when my Nanna had just died. I was at work, and a friend phoned our studio to tell me that a handsome English man had just dropped something off for me. It was a birthday gift from Gavin. An album by the Aussie band Old Man RIver. The card said that me and my sisters were to listen to these happy songs on our way to Bundaberg.
I was blown away by the sweetness and kindness of this man, whom I had only met in real life that one time, but who was so incredibly thoughtful. We did listen to those songs and we did smile.
That weekend was filled with remembering Nanna. Celebrating her and being with my crazy family. We are quite a noisy lot, but I remember finding a quiet moment to tell my mum and dad about this lovely Englishman, who's kindness had made the last few difficult days a little bit easier.
I was little nervous about what would happen when I returned home. I felt like something important was about to happen. I hoped I wasn't wrong...
The continuing stooory, these are the days of you life! As a family of girls we used to find Day's of our Lives one of the funniest comedies on tele. Sorry I digress. This story is nothing like that. I have inside knowledge on how this story goes and it has been an amazing journey for the cast and crew!!! Lots of good times, some a bit ordinary, but always, always there has been a great bond that has joined the leading characters!!!! This episode for me has been very emotional, and I know while we keep Tessie's name out there she is never gone. I can't wait for episode 3 either!
ReplyDeleteOh, You know how much it means for me that you liked this post. Your mummy is very much alive in all of us.. and in Gavin and my origin story. I think she would have loved Gavin... and the little boys, don't you?
ReplyDeleteOh my word, how she would have loved them. I remember that time also, for lots of different reasons, but remember the undercurrent of a twinkle in my sister's eye, that I had never, ever seen before. I remember listening to the CD in the car and connecting it to the profile I had always liked the best from my tas office. What a freakin' guy I thought to myself, just what the doctor ordered for my sister x x x
ReplyDeleteYep, you watched it all unfold from far away, didn't you! Yes, the doctor was right x x x x
DeleteRelish en route and a leetle something for the original, awesome guy (that's you Gags) x x x
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful photo of you and Mum Gilly. You look so young and beautiful.. you always were. I have never seen this photo before and I love it. Like your Mum, I feel very emotional seeing this photo of Mum and you. She made us ALL feel very special. She had the knack. How did she get it so right.. I can't.
ReplyDeleteI have to say one more thing.. Tessie would have absolutley loved all your boys. You know she always loved babies, children and men! Lol, she had enormous respect for men. She taught me that, because she had known that... and I grew up thinking that all men were pretty good. Well NUH.. Mum was very lucky, she married the love of her life.
ReplyDeleteI'm back, I'm so drawn to this photograph. I've been studying it! It's very clear to me Mums dementia had kicked in here. Though I don't think any of us knew it then. She's faking it. Even though she still has a hint of that all-knowing Mona Lisa smile, it's dwindling. She was still trying to put her best foot forward.. with her lippy on. Thanks so much for this Gilly. AND, I think you have married the love of your life too. xo
ReplyDeleteHey Marg, I love this pic too. I hope it's not too emotional;.. or emotional in a good or ok to be triggering way.. you know what I mean. She was so lucky to have married the love of her life. I always felt sad that she spent such a long time alone, after your beautiful dad passed away. But I remember hearing her talk to him, through the wall in her little legacy flat and I remember thinking- wow- she is still in love. Thats why she is still alone.
ReplyDeleteI think that you are right about the dementia at that time too. I so wish that she hadn't been subjected to that. She would have hated it.
Much Love to you Marg x x
Mum did hate it, because she knew, but had no control over it. I wished it could have gone further for her so she could have just gone completely MAD and not given a shit, but she did always know, and she did always give a shit. She was always stretching her brain to remember, right til the end. It drove her dippy! There were a few times when she was so bonkers she didn't care. And oh boy, they were memorable times.. ask your Mum about those. Big Day Out drives to Bargara beach direct from the nursing home for icecreams. Bird noises SO loud coming from the back seat I had to pull over.. laughing so much. Mum stealing the neighbours puppy - a Rotweiller she named Rocky and wouldn't have a bar of us taking him off her.. ah, that was the first sign... lol So that's it Gilly, and thanks again. Loved her dearly..
ReplyDeleteI remember being with mum and nana when we moved her out of her unit and into the place with the beautiful roses. I had come up to visit and hadn't expected to see my beautiful nana ( she was my absolute hero) as her again and was so pleasantly surprised to see so many glimpses of her. This is my favourite. We went back to the unit so nana could say goodbye to everyone there. We were in the driveway talking to a lady that nana really liked, it was all lovely and sweet and supportive and beautiful. Then Mrs so and so from downstairs came and started talking to us, by this stage we were out the front of her garden, the same one that nana used to flick her cigarette butts into from the balcony above and cause this lady so much consternation. Nana exchanged strained pleasantries with this woman, hugged her and as we turned to walk away, looked at me as if to say - watch this and flicked the butt she had just been smoking on this woman's lawn. I didn't look back, just at by nana, my naughty nana, who was th funniest, classiest (despite this story) lady I know.
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