My other wonderful nan

Since I posted on my mother's mum, I think it only fair to share a story of my father's mum, who is also an amazingly beautiful woman, 89 years young.  I think their longevity bodes well for the female members of the family.  We sometimes forget what women of their generation went through with the war, and without any benefits to help them out economically, how difficult it was to raise a family.

My nan had a tough childhood.  By thirteen she had lost both her parents, her father, who broke his back, and her mother who died of cancer.  Her very old grandmother decided to take in the four orphans, in spite of the fact that many people told her not to.  Her grandmother ensured the siblings were not separated, because in those days, no one was interested in taking girls in.  Many people offered to adopt and help out, but only where the two boys were concerned.  They all lived (the five of them) in a one bedroom cottage in Top End, Pytchley.

My nan has many wonderful tales which she relates to us when we go and visit.  Like the time that she placed a wind up toy in her sister's hair, that wound round and round until it became tangled to the root and had to be cut free with scissors.  Or the fact that she could only play just outside the window where her grandmother could see her.  A few years later the war would change their lives forever, it disrupted their innocence and forced them to grow up quicker than they should have.

Three of the siblings helped with the war effort.  My great uncle fought in the army, my nan and her sister joined the Women's Royal Air Force on the barrage baloons.  My nan worked in London and Southampton, raising the baloons in an attempt to protect our country from enemy planes.  In a twist of fate, one day some tanks drove past where my nan was working.  It was my great uncle's regiment, and she saw him for the first time in a while, waving at her before he went to war.  That summer my great uncle's tank was blown up in Caen, France.  He died so young, aged 22.  Such a bittersweet memory, to have been able to see her brother's face for the last time.

Shortly thereafter my nan's grandmother passed away.  It was the end of an era, and still a young lady herself at 20 years old, she had lost her parents, her brother and her dear grandmother.  I think this tough life drew her even closer to her remaining brother and sister.  Unfortunately I am sure it is a similar story to many of their generation.  I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to live life as her during her early years, but  it certainly has made her the beautiful lady she is today.  She is a kind and very strong woman.  Both my nan's have taught me to be proud of my roots and have shaped the person  I am. With strong morals, loving, family oriented, and selfless, they are everything I aspire to be.

My nan

My nan is the most amazing soul, 91 years old!! She has been telling us for years that a gypsy told her she would live to be 100, and I think that keeps her going.  My nan suffers from Alzheimers.  I think we always knew she had memory issues, and was very unconventional in her child caring style.  For example, the time when we stayed with her for two weeks, my twin and I were eight, and my older sisters thirteen and fourteen.  She used to let us out on a school night until midnight, then we tucked into fish fingers and chips on our return.  I also remember the time she cut our fringes with carpet scissors, unfortunately the zig zag fringe never took off.  I think my mum nearly had a heart attack when she saw us.  Her two dolls, whose hair she lovingly plaited and styled asymetrically as to be the mirror image of the other.  Our long satin locks ruined!!

The main comfort I receive from my nan's illness is the fact that it has transformed her into a child.  She has no inhibitions at all, going for a widdle with the door wide open, passing wind like anyones business.   She is having the time of her life.  She does not seem to have a care in the world.  She loves trifle, and she will say she is not hungry because she does not want to finish her greens, but there is always room for trifle.  When she sees her favourite treat, her eyes illuminate, with the widest smile on her face.  She is very happy.  Trifle makes her happy.

The most curious thing about alzheimers, is that while it erases recent memory, it does not erase long term memory.  My nan still tells us about so and so who took her bingo winnings from her in 1964, or the time her uncle shot her in the head (by accident of course) when she was a young girl.  She lived to tell the tale.  The most magical thing is the way my nan tells the story of her one and only true love, my Grandad, who I never got to meet.  He was the most marvellous man, who lived for his family and was a pillar of the community.  The love letters they exchanged during the war are a family treasure.  I think her alzheimers sometimes makes her forget he is gone and some days she relives those loving moments with my grandad, like he was still here.  

The most important thing that I have learned from my nan is to be happy...always.  Embrace life and enjoy it through the eyes of a child.  Nan, I love you with all my heart and soul, you are an amazing woman and God truly blessed us by allowing us to be part of your family.

The green green grass of home.

A friend posted a picture on Facebook today.  It brought me an immense sensation of nostalgia, so much so that I could feel and smell my England.  The windows wound down on my car on a rare hot summer day, the sun on my face, the narrow windy roads.  Bluebells and swallows, the grass recently mown, the beautiful colours of gold and green of the English countryside.  All these things enveloped me in a warm embrace.  It really made me miss my home.  

I remembered my days as a child in the countryside, a jam sandwich and bottle of juice in hand and off I went for the whole day with my sisters and friends, exploring fields, barns and spinneys, and getting into all sorts of mischief.   Now I am here, in Chile.  

It is turning cold in Santiago now and it rained all weekend.  Yes I still have the mountains, and the Virgin aglow on top of San Cristobal hill.  She looks down on me and protects me during these darker days, giving me a sense of comfort, but England will always be my home.  And when I want to go back, with one glance of a photo, I can.  With my eyes wide shut, I am back there again, in pastures old, my green green grass of home.

Monogamous Condor

I have recently learned a rather tragic fact, which sounds like it has been taken straight from a Shakespeare tale.  You see the male Condor will only ever have one partner, and if she dies, he will soar around in circles, heartbroken, until he runs out of oxygen, and falls from the skies to his death.  The female on the other hand has no qualms about finding another mate if the male partner dies first  - well what do you think about that?

Mother

Her pure white skin like virgin snow,
Her hair so dark like winter's night,
Her heart, warm and enveloping like summer's breeze,
Her beauty divine that doth man behold.

Her radiance, illuminating like the light of the moon,
Her love, eternal, like time stood still,
Her soul, incandescent like hummingbird's glow,
Her aroma of orchid and magnolia tree.

Her image, in the layers of my memory imprinted,
My love for her stronger with every heartbeat,
This amazing woman that doth grace God's earth,
My mother, all that I want, wish, and hope to be.

A blessing for our new house.

Sunday arrived and we were making the last minute preparations for the inauguration of our new house.  This is a tradition here in Chile, to ask for blessings and luck for our new home as the roof of the house is constructed.  We were also taking care of the maintenance of the grounds, as the work never stops in Laguna Verde.  All our trees and plants need care, the animals need bathing and feeding.  As I was watering the avocado trees, Olimpia, my mother in law shrieked with delight - hurry, hurry, Makita has given birth.

I raced to the stable to witness the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.  There lay on the ground a pure white foal, a new baby for Makita, a sign of blessing of new beginnings for Mauricio and I.  Our new house, where I want to build many happy memories and pour all my love into this blessed place.  Our new life living together, in our home, Hummingbird House.  Small but perfect, and a haven for all our wonderful animals, and in particular, my favourite, the magical hummingbird.  As I swept away the dust in MY house to make room for the barbeque and our guests, and my mother in law joked that I needed to learn how to make my house spotless, I felt truly happy for the first time in Chile, surrounded by the people and animals I love so much.  The only thing missing is my own family, who in time I hope will share this wonderful experience and spiritual place with me.

Season Confusion

It is the beginning of May.  I love this time of year.  The birds are chirping, the lawnmowers are out in force after the April showers.  The mornings are mild and it gets lighter with every evening, but this is in England, and I am in in Chile.  I am in the southern hemisphere and everything is upside down and inside out.

I don't hear so many birds this time of year in Santiago.  There was a huge torrential downpour the other day and I got soaked.  The sprinklers have stopped watering the grass in the evening and I don't hear the lawnmowers anymore.  My brain is trying to adjust and adapt to the changes. Could you think of autumn colours and dark crisp mornings in May?  The leaves have turned orange and have scattered on the floor. ..but this is May?!  Instead of looking forward to our one week of British summer that may happen in June, July or August, and where the top news story is of a heat wave reaching a mighty 30 degrees, I have the propsect of a long cold winter.

With the six month summer behind me, I am flickering in and out of my seasonal affective disorder state...but wait...in England there are no Andes mountains, majestically visible from every neighbourhood in the city.  This time of year they are absolutely stunning with their snow capped peaks.  I first truly fell in love with Chile having being starstruck by their presence while crossing the street.  It was our first encounter and I was well and truly captivated.  Nature's beauty is awe inspiring here.  From deserts to lakes, mountains and seas, Chile has it all.  It is time to embrace it and be well and truly thankful to be living this moment, right here, right now.