My Darling Edna || 1925- 2016 ||

It was around this time last year that I was in great turmoil

(I use this term loosely) about what on earth to call my new blog.The creative journey can be a laborsome and torturous one which always comes to fruition in the end but takes much commitment.

Finally I called my friend Adele with a light bulb moment.

I exclaimed;

"I am going to call the blog Darling Edna after Granny Edna!

It will be like a letter I constantly update and communicate with her through the "words" section, and produce simple recipes with her in mind. I want to be resourceful like she was."Four weeks later, after Rebekah designed my logo, I launched Darling Edna.

The only way I can describe Granny is that she was a constant presence.

As mentioned here in my grief post, I have very few memories of my daddy, especially of ever uttering  the actual word "Daddy" during my childhood.

But "Granny" is a very familiar sound when it comes from my lips.

She stepped up to the mark to help us after daddy passed away, and even though she dealt with her own grief losing Granda a mere eight months after Dad, she stood steadfast in our lives.

We had a holidaying caravan when Dad was alive

and Mum learned how to tow it herself and brought Granny with us to Portballintrae for many Summers after he died.

She cooked breakfast fries with the windows open in the caravan

and the smoke alarm often blaring when her crispy eggs smoked the pan!Her favourite thing to do was quietly people watch at Portstewart promenade eating ice cream on a park bench.

A reminder from my early days, that the simple pleasures are often enough in this life.

I'm not intending on this to be a lengthy tribute but rather a little nod to the great woman that inspired my blog and my writing from the get go.

She always had a book in her hand,

and it was only when her dementia set in that passing the time memorising hymns and poems took over this mind activity.

If I get to 90 years old with three children ,

ten grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren who are animated and speak lovingly about the caring, giving, selfless soul that I was, I will pass away happy.

Thank you my Darling Edna for the love,

guidance and beauty you brought to my life and to this blog.Aly