Bye bye Daggy

On Thursday 5th March, I received a phone call to tell me that my dear Daggy had died, earlier that morning. I cried. It wasn't a surprise that she had passed away, I knew that she'd been ill and struggling to shift a chest infection. But it was a shock none the less.

I'd just returned from a 2 night residential with a bunch of youth workers and it took me a while to get my brain back into home, kids, family life that evening.

When Grandad died, back in August 2013,  it took me a while to gather my thoughts enough to write anything and I've found it to be the same this time too.

Daggy (my sister and I struggled to say Granny and Grandpa as toddlers, so the names Daggy and Bompa just stuck, much to the amusement of my cousins!) had been in a specialist home for a while, but had suffered a nasty fall leading to broken hip just before Christmas. Whenever we used to visit she would be especially pleased to see the children and would enjoy the way they interacted with other residents and staff. Matilda once joined in with a circle catching game, to their great delight!

As younger children, my sister and I used to stay quite often at Daggy and Bompa's home, as they lived just round the corner from both our home and our primary school. I remember when my parents went to Rouen for an anniversary and Daggy made us ham and ketchup sandwiches - one of her many interesting food combinations! I'd often pop in on my way to or from church, sometimes timing it well and getting a cup of tea, other times interrupting Daggy watching Wimbledon or snooker and less hospitable!

I have fond memories of the double bed in the spare room where my sister and I would sleep; of games of Beetle of an evening or Gin Rummy; of the biscuit tin usually containing shortbread; of a cupboard in the kitchen which had a tin of buttons and a box of colouring pens, the like of which we wouldn't be allowed at home!

Her driving was hilarious - in a white Mini and a white Micra. I never quite knew whether she loved driving or hated it!

Daggy had strong values and strong opinions - faith wise she was pleased when I started going to church but less impressed with the modern style of the church I chose! Her traditional views were firmly held, some of them focused on tradition but underneath it all was a firm faith too. Her fascination and interest in Andy's journey to ordination was something she enjoyed discussing and it is fitting he was able to take her funeral, with elements of the 1662 graveside service as she requested! 

Daggy leaves behind 4 wonderful daughters, 8 grandchildren (Justin and Sarah Phillips, Alice and Eleanor Hodson, Amy and Elizabeth Crosthwaite, Angus and Isla Parton) , 9 great grandchildren (Kaelyn, Emily, Bailey, Matilda, Isaac, Freddie, Thomas, Owen and Max) and many happy memories I will treasure. Rest in peace and rise in glory. X