Preserving ones inheritance.

Families should stick together - I’ve always believed that.

Look after your own. When father passed over to wherever that is, we took mother in after a bowel operation left her rather incommoded. We didn’t expect her to last long.

How little we knew how tough these old Lancashire cotton mill girls could be.

She wouldn’t give up. Not on your Nelly! For fifteen more years she sat watching her telly, until she was 109 and had a stack of identical Xmas cards from the Queen and made it into the top ten oldest women in Britain.

Of course there were benefits for us too. We get a free TV license because she’s over 75. I say ‘get’ in the present tense because… well why does anyone have to know she’s passed over? Having her embalmed in her favorite wheelchair and carrying on as normal seemed such a great idea. The very thought of paying £145 for a TV licence brings on a huge RA flare. And I certainly wasn’t going to scatter her ashes with father’s on top of Ben Nevis. Not with my RA. That reminds me, his ashes are still in the urn in her wardrobe and some of our roses need a bit of phosphate.

Mother still seems to enjoy watching Corrie and Emmerdale but of course doesn’t answer the questions on the quiz shows like she used to. She loves Ann Robinson and I’m sure I still hear that insane cackle of hers - Mothers I mean, not Ann Robinsons although I expect she can cackle with the best of them, especially the ones on the broomsticks, which she'd probably resemble if she hadn't had so many facelifts.

We still take her shopping,- mother that is, not Ann Robinson to meet her friends and move her head backwards and forwards manually so they think she’s nodding at them. They all comment on how well she looks and say such nice things. I’m sure mother can hear them. Our electricity bill has gone down hugely too as we have to keep her reasonably cool to stop any gases building up. Wouldn’t want her exploding - we’d never hear the end of it. Our food bill is also less now she doesn’t indulge in all those cream cakes, pastries and chocolate she knew would be the death of her. And it’s so nice to have a proper staircase again instead of that funicular railway that groaned it’s way up and down at snail speed every day. I could never understand why they couldn’t make them quicker. I suppose it’s so they don’t fly off at the top and land in a heap on the landing or even better, in the bath.

All in all, we like to think she’s still having a damn good life or rather death and wonder why more people don’t preserve their loved ones in this way.

[Hidden]

What a wonderful if not slightly batty blog xx

[sylvi]

It made me smile at 6am this morning and boy do i need a laugh.xx

[Lillibet]

This is a wonderful start to a Monday morning!

Many thanks - and love to Mother x

[LavendarLady]

Brilliant blog. We looked after my father for 20 years after my mother died and he came to live with us and I still miss him every day. He died 5 years ago but up until the last 18 months of his life (following a massive heart attack), he joined in everything, came on holiday with us, did my ironing, looked after the animals whilst we were at work and started off the dinner for me each evening.

I still can't believe he is gone and I am not going to come home and find him sitting in his chair! Our cat which he loved so much, missed him terribly, she used to curl up on his shoulder for both to have their afternoon sleep.

Fortunately, until his heart attack my father was fit and healthy although i did worry about him anyway. He died aged 91 1/2 . We used to tease him that he would live until 100 to get his telegram but he didn't think so and didn't want to as he thought he would become a burden. Miss you loads dad.

Hope your mum continues to go from strength to strength and doesn't crumble to dust when someone opens the door!

LavendarLady x

[Hidden]

Damn, I wish I had thought of this!

I knew that there was a better ending for my Nanna than cremation - but that decision was made when I was out of the UK working so I didn't get the choice She would be great company now that I'm stuck indoors so often - and having had RA herself she could just give me 'one of her looks' when I felt sorry for myself!

She lived on her own til the grand old age of 96 - refusing to go in the ambulance whenever she fell (out of bed/ out of her wheelchair} and insisting that they phone Cece and put the kettle on:-}

Madame Tussauds could be missing a trick here - I have photos that they could work from and an available armchair for her to take up residence in - I even have her voice on tape! ......Cece wanders off muttering....

Hmmmm

C x

[LavendarLady]

Cece, I do worry about you! LavendarLady x

[julieporter]

Loved this blog

Really made me smile

Thanks

Julie