3rd February 1999

It’s now coming up for two week since the funeral of my Mother. A lot has happened in that two weeks. The realisation that there is now a hole in my life where there wasn’t before. No longer can I pick up the telephone, dial, wait for 3 rings and know that someone will be at the other end. No longer can I laugh and joke with someone who would understand what I meant. No longer will there be a phone call at 8pm on a Thursday after ‘Eastenders’ had finished.........

It’s quite true what they say - you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Not only have I lost a Mother, but also a friend - as have many of you. To those who attended the funeral at Tumble in the wind and the rain, I can only say ‘Thank You’ from the bottom of my heart. I dearly wanted to stop after the service and thank each and every one of you, but sadly that was not possible. To those of you who sent cards - either to Tumble or to my home - again I thank you.
I was bowled over by the kindness and generosity of people during the time of trouble. Those that went to see my Mother in hospital - again, what can I say except express my thanks to you. It made me feel good; and I mean really good, to know that my Mother was so well thought of by so many people. It’s in times of trouble you really know who your friends are.

At the Church - the Postman, the Butcher, the Baker, and many more I didn’t see. What a display of respect for someone who spent her life just being ‘ordinary’.

We shall all miss my Mother, or Sylvia, or Mrs Hobday - she was many names to many people, in our own special ways. I now only have my memories to live with - that radiant smile on her face in hospital when I said ‘Goodbye’, not knowing that it was the last time I would see her.

That’s not true - I do have more of my Mother to live with, I have James and Catherine. Without her there would not be any James nor Catherine. I know they have their memories of their ‘Mamgu’ and that will always remain precious to them.

Once again I thank you for your thoughts, wishes and I’m only sorry it had to be in these circumstances that I write this.