Confessions of a serial mower - mum "set free"

We lost mum two years ago today; it seems like last week. It feels worse than it did last year.

I have found the Service of Thanksgiving Sheet we had, and have copied below a couple of the passages from it.

On the front we had printed “Lift up your heart and share it with me, God wanted me now, he set me free” (anon). She had suffered greatly and this quote seemed appropriate.

My niece, H was 14 when mum died and she wrote the following about her beloved Grandma..
They adored each other – mum looked after her a lot when my sister in law returned to work. They spent hours together in the farm kitchen, before H was old enough to go to school and then after school.
H is now in the midst of her exams – she wants to study law - and I know grandma would be very proud of her just now.

Thoughts of Grandma Chickens

On this page I write the things I remember – things that I shall never forget.
Buns, crispy cakes, jam tarts, sausage rolls, Yorkshire puddings the size of your fist.
Oh there are too many cakes to list. All of these were cooked on the Aga by you and a little help from me.
Every time I walked into the kitchen a new smell was to be smelt, a rumbling in my stomach felt.
You taught me to knit; bears and bags. Although I could never knit as fast as you however hard I tried. When I got in a muddle it was on you which I relied.
When I was little I used to come and play with Monty and Winston in the hay. (cats)
After, we would sit on the lawn eating cucumber sandwiches and crisps, watching the fish, their tails would swish.
On a Sunday in the summer, Granddad, you and I would take the car to the fuchsia festival to take a long look at the flowers. They came in all shapes, sizes and colours; you knew most of their names.
All my memories are happy, none sad and to have these memories I am glad.
Now you live in heaven but you are still here.
I think of you when I bake cakes and tarts, although they shall never be as good as yours I fear.
These things that I was taught by you I shall never forget, they will be passed on to my children and theirs. And when they ask me who taught me such skills I shall reply in only five words – A very special Grandma Chickens. With love H xx

The photo is of H sitting in the fireplace here at Christmas last year. She is rather gorgeous and we all love her dearly. I see lots of me in her, and lots of grandma chickens in us both.