Off Topic, Feel Free To Ignore.

Today, dear reader, is a day of mourning for me, and this off topic post is a small token of homage to someone very special, so please feel free to ignore this if you wish.

The death yesterday of my beloved Auntie Phyl (or Fid, as she was affectionately known) has touched my whole family, and left us all in a state of... if not shock, then at least profound sorrow and sadness.

I say not shock, because Fid was 94. Not a spring chicken by any standards. But even as recently as Christmas, she was in high spirits and enjoying the company of the myriad people in the house that day.

Fid was one of four sisters and two brothers, and when I was born 37 years ago, they were all at least in their fifties. You see, their mother had adopted my mother, so none of these wonderful people were actually related by blood to me. Not that you'd ever have known it.

My Uncle Ro, Aunties Gwen, Grace and Rona, were all much loved; my uncle Ken, who passed two years ago was idolised by me, and is sorely missed.

And my dear Fid (pictured below, last Christmas) will be likewise missed, although to wish her more time with us would be selfish, as it is clear that she wanted to be with her siblings once more. She was the last of them to leave us, and she will have been as sorely missed by them over the last few years, as she will by us in the coming years.

I have a million joyous memories of Fid: playing football with her in the back garden she shared with her brothers and sisters as a very small boy; her once weekly visit to our house in Bournemouth, when I used to run all the way home from school because I knew there was rice pudding in the oven; her stories of life working in the Post Office; staying over at their big house in Parkstone; her 'crafty fag' when nobody was around: yes, Fid, we knew! ;o).

But most of all, her total lack of judgment of me or any of my family. Whatever we did, whether it was good, or bad, or indifferent, she would offer nothing but support or encouragement.

And when it was good, she was the proudest of all.

Bless you Fid, and safe journey. x

Matt