My Grandma

On 5 April this year my Grandma, Alice Nicholls died.  It was expected, she was 94 and had dementia as well as various health conditions, but was also a wonderful woman.  I have very fond memories of her from my childhood as well as more recent years.  A lot of my school holidays as a child were spent with her and my Grandad and I was very close to both of them.  I used to go for walks with my Grandad and their Jack Russell, Russ for what seemed liked miles and if Grandma wasn't with us there would normally be tea waiting for us when we got back.
I remember one house they lived in that had swarms of ants in the garden one year.  My Grandma was constantly boiling water to pour on them.
Many a time mum and I would disagree on something and I would end my arguement with I'll phone Grandma, she was always there to listen, although she would tell me if I was wrong which was always easier to accept! 
My grandma had been in the WRAF and had also been a auxillary nurse with children with Down Syndrome.  Growing up, I wanted to be just like her.  I never managed the forces, but have followed her with care work.  When she was in hospital when she had DVT (a good many years ago now) a rumour went round that she was a retired Matron.  It all came about from her watching two nurses making a bed and commented on how she used to do hospital corners differently.  WE only found out the truth when she went to xray and they told her.  From then on we always told the hospital what her job had been before she tried to play on the story!
Cream teas were always on the menu when visiting my Grandparents, and somehow you always found room even after the large dinner you would have had 3/4 hours earlier from them. Bacon Sarnies are also a fond memory from childhood and more recent times.
After my Grandad died in 1998 my Grandma lived alone in Lychpit for many years.  The night before my wedding I spent with her. She insisted on me sleeping in her bed and she took the sofa bed.  If I had wanted I would have had a full cooked breakfast, but settled for a banana as all I could manage. I felt so relaxed that day, and I'm sure a lot of it was Grandma's calming influence.  It was always such a calming place to be and you were always made to feel welcome.  In later years, when she was having problems with her hips I used to go and see her at least once a week to help her with her cleaning.  When finished there was always a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich there waiting for me, I can still smell it now. 
In more recent times she moved in with my parents as her health deterioated.  Her room was still as welcoming as her own house had been, and I still enjoyed spending time chatting with her in there.
The last couple of years as dementia took hold were spent at a lovely residential home that looked after her with all the dignity and respect we wanted for her.  They were with her when she died, and it was peacefully at rest in her sleep.   Even on bad days when dementia made us all into different people, she always knew her Alanna was - her precious one, her great granddaughter that she was GG to.  The night she died she visited Alanna in a dream to say goodbye, Alanna knew before I told her in the morning, they have always been very close.
I was lucky enough to see her a week before she died, and speak to her a couple of days before.  She told me she had been away and was coming home.  She was about half way home, but woul dbe home soon.  She's home now- with my grandad.  We knew the date it would be as it would have been my Grandad's birthday. 
She will be greatly missed by us all, but it was the right time for her.
All our love to a remarkable woman