CALM We loved making cakes with Irish Gran. She taught us how to make lots of different ones. But, the smell of cooking was too much for us. We couldn’t help ourselves and always wanted to open the oven door on our fairy cakes or Victoria #sponge too early. Patience, she said, was a virtue. #vss365

COMFORT We loved watching Irish Gran prepare her famous Irish stew. She made stock from the lamb bones and then added the meat. She’d then chop onions, #dice carrots and slice potatoes before adding them to the pot. Then came the special ingredient just for Grandpa: beer #vss365

TEA TIME While Grandpa worked in the garden he didn’t have to look at the time. At 3 o’clock every afternoon he knew Irish Gran would be putting the #kettle on the gas stove. The shrill from the whistle meant it was time for a cuppa …and just a few of his favourite biscuits #vss365

RITUAL Mondays were washing days. Irish Gran only ever used Tide in her new washing machine, loving its fresh smell; saddened that her Mamie could only hand wash using a bar of harsh #soap. Tuesdays were the drying days while Wednesdays were the dreaded ironing days #vss365

COLOUR Irish Gran wouldn’t let Grandpa smoke his pipe in the house. She loved the smell but not the smoke wafting through the house. We’d find Grandpa sitting on the bench by his shed smiling as he’d give us another empty #matchbox for another collection of beads #vss365

EMPATHY Whenever we had any problems as teenagers, Irish Gran always wanted to help. She was never #remote and just seemed to understand our feelings. Grandpa would leave her to it and quietly go into the garden to sort out the veggie patch. He knew when he wasn’t needed #vss365

GUIDE When we were young, every Wednesday after school, Irish Gran walked us to #Brownies at the local church hall. We loved all the activities and the chance to collect loads of badges. Gran sewed each badge to our uniform, until we had earned our own sewing badge. #vss365

MARVEL We loved staying with Irish Gran and Grandpa. Gran always cooked us our favourite food and Grandpa often showed us something scientific. He once made a rainbow with a torch and #prism, and then Gran let us have her glass jewellery to make our own little rainbows #vss365

PRIDE Grandpa told us how Irish Gran always looked after herself. She never ate too much, always dressed smartly and was very careful about looking after her #skin. He chuckled when he told us how he couldn’t help laugh when she slathered on a face mask once a week. #vss365

HEARTY One of Irish Gran’s favourite hymns was ‘Jesus wants me for a #sunbeam’. She loved its cheeriness. She often hummed the tune while cooking, but sang it out loud when sweeping the carpet. Grandpa knew it was time to work in the garden or disappear into the shed #vss365

MOD CONS In the 1970’s Irish Gran was excited to get #brand new things for the house. Having a fridge, freezer, washing machine and telephone made life so much easier. But, the old-fashioned coffee grinder Grandpa bought for her in Delft was still her favourite. #vss365

EAGER Each Easter, Irish Gran made up a treasure hunt. She wrote sets of clues leading from #place to place around the house and garden. The final clue led us to our chocolate eggs. Gran let us start eating them but watched to make sure we didn’t eat them all in one go. #vss365

HOLIDAY Whenever Irish Gran packed to go to their favourite spot by the sea each year, she always took too much, saying “just in case.” Grandpa, with a knowing smile, would put his small suitcase on the back seat of the car, before squeezing Gran’s #luggage into the boot #vss365

NOSTALGIA When Irish Gran read us a story at bedtime, she always asked to read us her favourite story, The #Velveteen Rabbit. She had kept the book since the time her Mammy read it to her. We knew how special it was as we’d see a tear in her eye as she finished the book #vss365

CHEEKY Irish Gran never seemed to be worried about anything and, as we got older, began to realise why. We caught her a couple of times having a tipple while she was getting ready for a dinner party. She would look a bit #guilty, smile and say “Dutch courage, dear.” #vss365

COMFORTING Irish Gran loved to tell us about our Mum as a baby. She told us how her days were filled with bottles of milk, nappies, play and plenty of fresh air. At nap time, she hummed Brahm’s #Lullaby sitting in her rocking chair. Our Mum did exactly the same with us #vss365

BEAUTY Irish Gran loved helping us with our homework. When we were asked to write a poem about the sky, we were happy with the word blue. Gran told us excitedly about azure, cyan and #cerulean, taking us into the garden to look up at all the colours. Best poem ever! 🩵 #vss365

TIME Irish Gran and Grandpa had an old clock with a loud #chime on the sideboard given to them as a wedding present. Without fail, it was Grandpa’s job each morning to wind it up with exactly five turns of the key. The day that Gran died he let the clock stop forever. #vss365

CONFUSED Irish Gran could never #fathom our latest fashions. You could see from her expression that she wasn’t keen on our ripped jeans or crop tops. She always worried that we’d feel a draft so couldn’t understand why we refused to wear a scarf or vest #vss365