One of the most important men in the entire world to me.
I went to see my Gran yesterday, gotta love that woman, she knows more swear words than a soldier and uses them on a regular basis. Had a really good time out in the town and at Tesco. She is as nutty as a fruit cake but sharp as anything, we're terrible when we get together as we are always up to mischief.
Yesterday though she gave me a box of old WW2 lace cards that Grandad had kept to give to me one day. She also took me into his old 'den' which is really a study but we called it the den as it was full of little treasures and things he had collected over the years. She had been clearing some of the old books out when she found a photo he had framed himself. It was of me and my Grandad sat on the sofa back when I was about 5 years old. I was wearing a flat cap identical to his and laughing as I cuddled up to him, and the way he is looking at me. I guess that's what Parents and Grandparents talk about when they say that their love for their children or grandchildren is pure.
He'd written on the photo frame 'My Poppet' which was his nickname for me.
Gods I miss him so much.
Sometimes it's hard to think I lost my Grandad over a year ago now, he died just before Christmas 2007 but we didn't get to bury him until January 2008 because of it being the 'festive period.' He wasn't always an affectionate man, he could be bloody rude, obnoxious, hurtful and miserable at times but never to me. I was his first born Granddaughter and we doted on each other so very much.
He faught in the war, was a Drill Sargeant and trust me if you ever met him you would know why! Later in life he developed a passion for metal detecting & gardening (two things I'm useless at) and was banned from metal detecting at Sissinghurst gardens after he found three old bombs. =D
I really wish that he'd been around to see me get my degree or know that I was becoming a teacher. I know how proud he would be to think his little Poppet was growing up.
Basil Nelson, you make me so very very proud to call you Grandad.