Monday 15th July 1985

Monday 15th July 1985..Started off as any other normal weekday morning...

8:00am

Breakfast for David and Georgina, cereals ,toast,tea. a little TV watching.

8:30 am

Off to school. It was my turn to do Swimming observing.

10:30 am

I finished my coffee with the staff after swimming and took the 20 minute walk back home. So much to do that day.

11:00 am

Drank some tea when I got back and sorted out what we needed to do in town. There was a knock at the door. "Who could this be?" I thought. " Don't they know I have too much to do today?"

I looked around and saw my youngest brother standing in the hall way. " Stephen?..." He told me I had better sit down...

"Mum has died ..."

"No, she can't have.." I screamed

My mum had been found dead in the lounge of their house by my dad at 8:30 am

Mum had been unwell for a few days with pneumonia, and died from a heart attack.

All I could think of at the time was how could my mum possibly be dead? I felt like I was a little girl again and had lost my mummy. It was the worst news I had ever had.

Mum was only 58.

Those next few days were full of tears, sadness and confusion.

There was the family to notify.. the death to register..Mum's work to go and see..and the funeral to arrange.

I sat in the back of the funeral car and stared at the Hearse in front as we went up to Wilford Hill.. I can't even remember the service itself. I was in a complete daze.

Mum

My Mum had looked after us well. There were 4 children and Mum and Dad.

Me the eldest, then John 6 years younger than me, then Andrew 7 years younger than me and little Stephen almost 10 years younger than me. We always had holidays that were for two weeks. Mostly we went to Great Yarmouth in a caravan or chalet. Though as a young girl, when it was just me, we went to guest houses! Lovely memories. When it poured with heavy rain Mum kept us home from school as we had a 20 min walk to the bus and she did not want us to get wet! We always had to eat our dinner and if we refused Mum would send us to bed and then reheated it for tea time! There was no escape!

What is important in life..

I think I have learnt some important things from my Mum..Truth,honesty,caring, humour,sympathy and love.

24 years on.. I still 'freeze' when I think of that day and I still miss my Mum...

Photo taken on Mum and dad's wedding day. West Bridgford, Nottingham shire.