Sorry for yesterday’s Radio Silence.
On Wednesday we were in Newcastle when at about 1 o’clock I heard my Grampy had been taken into hospital and was seriously ill. We raced back to Kent and went straight to the hospital where I spent a couple of hours with him, leaving about 10:30. Just before midnight we got a phone call to say he’d passed away.
I was with my family yesterday, making sure my Mum and my Nana were ok and I’m still pretty exhausted emotionally and physically.
He was in his late 80s and I knew he wouldn’t go on forever but a couple of weeks ago I saw him and we were arguing about politics with my Mum and buying birthday cards. He could be a grumpy old git sometimes, but at least I know where I get that from. He also loved gardening and made me & my sister a “secret garden” to play in when we were little. He had a fish pond where we used to feed the fish and we used to go to National Trust properties and always had to look at the hydrangeas as I remember he had a pink one in the garden that he wanted to turn blue.
My Grampy served on the HMS Belfast as a gunner during WWII and helped to sink the Scharnhorst in 1943. For the record, 26th December, the date of the sinking, was also his 21st birthday.
In June I plan to be on the HMS Belfast for the first time for Swing for Skin. I shall probably cry. I asked him what gun he was on, but I can’t remember now which one he said. I thought I’d get chance to ask again before I went.
So sorry for my absence, and sorry that today’s blog doesn’t feature pretty frocks and fancy hair, or even me whinging about something, but I am sad and tired.
Hopefully somewhere near normal service will be resumed next week. This weekend I am going to see Avenue Q, which I’ve wanted to see for years, and on Sunday I’ll be at the Norwich Vintage Fair. Maybe I’ll see you there.
I’m so glad I got a chance to say goodbye and tell him I loved him. I don’t even know if he knew I was there, but I don’t think it really matters. I know I was there.
If you still have your grandparents then give them a call or pay them a visit today.
