Thursday, September 08, 2011

Fran's Anniversary 9th September

Hard to believe that tomorrow another year will have passed and it is now 7 years since we lost Frances Ann.  I always do find September really hard and this week I have felt quite emotional.  I think it's always worse at work because I am trying to listen to people's worries and woes, yet at times I would just like to have a wee greet myself! 

I have a memory box (I say a memory box, it's actually a Barratts shoe box!) with loads of pictures, cards and letters from Fran.  There are pictures dating back to when she was really young and although the pictures are really good, the spelling is quite funny lol.  I think there was a 'hossy' (horse), golden egel (eagle) and I was apparently the 'best sister in the wirild'.  The latter pictures are really good and she had great artistic flair.  Then there are the letters.  Some of these are written to me when I was in hospital, most of these finish with p.s I fed the fish.  Some are just random - there is a cute one where she is telling me she has left my breakfast out for me because I wasn't feeling well.   Some are written when I was at uni and she was still at home - she was in her teens.  There was a couple of things that just made me laugh out loud tonight:

"I made dinner tonight.  Mum was mad at me because I told her I didn't know what to do with tatties.  She gave me a row and went out but I still didn't know what to do."    I remember this incident - mum was horrified that she had got to this age and didn't know how to boil a tattie.  There was another time when mum had phoned home from work and Fran answered but mum thought it was me.  She started telling her to put on the meatballs for dinner ....Fran just said "mum, you obviously think it's Jacqueline so I will just hand the phone to her."

Another quote was "Granda came up to the house today.  He said my room was a total mess.  It must be really bad if Granda can even see it."  My Granda had macular degeneration and was practically blind at this point!!  Fran was one of the messiest people I know.  She used to get a row of the nurses in hospital all the time because her hospital room was such a tip.  I was the complete opposite and when we shared a room seemed to spend most of my time tidying her half!

The other amusing thing was the number of names she signed letters off with.  These included 'banana milkshake', Batman (formally known as Fran), Queen Fran and in another letter she was telling me that at a church youth event she had to wear a name badge, so she changed her name to Zara Lane for the day. 

I am glad I have all these wee memories and it's nice to have letters and cards to help bring these back.  Always in my heart xxx

8 comments:

Kelly said...

Beautiful memories. Everytime you write about Frances Ann your words are filled with love. She sounds such a special sister and the memories are magical.

xxx

Anonymous said...

A wonderful post about Fran- I was there the day she changed her name at the youth event and your post has reminded me of it, as well as all the other fantastic times I had with Frances Ann...never a dull moment! I miss her. Much love Caroline

Anne said...

Lovely memories Jacqueline. Thank you for sharing them with us. We know this is a very difficult time for you all and you are in our thoughts.Love Anne and John and Ross xx

CB said...

Brilliant stuff :) Lots of great memories, and you reminded me of a fair few - one of which was that Fran always used to claim anything which had her name in it. France became FRANce, and when I went to California she declared that she also owned San FRANsico. Loved it :D

Oh, and do you remember the little 'head down' shuffle dance we used to do? And then we all did it one time in the small room, much to the bemusment and bewilderment of Therine when she came in... xxx

Jac said...

Hahahaha Corey - love it! Yes, I still do the shuffle dance - mostly in places where it would be inappropriate to dance so it is like I am totally restraining myself lol.

Post Pals said...

I am thinking of you all today. What wonderful memories to have x

Tori said...

Lovely!! Sorry it has taken me so long to read this!! xx

Anonymous said...

made me laugh outloud with those memories! fran had hilarious and wacky sense of humour - something u def do share, even if u r the tidy one! sending big hugs and lots of love! Steph x