May 1st, 2001

This is May Day, and the weather is more like January, very cold, raw and wet. 

There are demonstrations and riots all over the country and abroad. I don't suppose half of them know what it's all about. Hope it doesn't get too ugly. Hope none of my family run into any trouble in London today. 

My sister Mary was here last week. It was nice to see her. She is a lot better now. She misses Delia a lot, as all our families do. The children are all back at school. Another bank holiday on Monday. 

Patrick and Sarah have bought a new house. They have spent two years getting their present home just right. It is a beautiful, big house and now they are leaving it. I have no inclination at all to leave here. 

One move was enough in my lifetime. The day we moved here we had six children under eight. I stood in the back garden with Mary in my arms, three weeks old, Sean and Myles, three and two, standing by me waiting for the pram to be unloaded. I have always been happy here. We had some great times and some sad times. That is life. I hope the family will look back at this home with gladness. Of course Martin and Anne were born here. It is wonderful to have a big family. I am so very proud of all of you. 

Now I have to brave the elements and fetch Isabel from school.

April 19th, 2001

Still Easter week. The weather is ridiculous.

Went to see Agnes. I got frozen stiff waiting for buses, then I thawed out for a few hours. Waiting for the bus, coming home it poured snow and hail showers, aided by a very cold wind. I was glad I went. Agnes was alone and glad of company and a cup of tea. I don't know how she keeps so cheerful. She never moans. She has a lot of good friends. She was always a good friend. 'Throw your bread upon the waters'.

Young Joseph is in a show at Lewisham Theatre. We'll go tomorrow night. Going to Mary's tonight while they go to Lorenzo's club. I've been eating at their house nearly every evening. I'll have to start getting a bit more independent and start cooking again. 

Today we'd be forty seven years married. I wish Myles was here and going for a pint with the lads. 

Anne and her family are on their way home now. I hope it won't be too stressful for them. Anne has to go to work on Monday. The children and Jacobo will have another week to rest up. 

I hope the weather improves. I've got all the plants ready for sowing. The sun is shining beautifully in through the back window, and the clouds piling up behind it. 

April 18th, 2001, Easter Week

Easter Sunday was a lovely day. 

Myles came for me and I went to lunch at their house. Rosie kept us amused. She is all over the place, on her knees or bottom. Came home loaded with chocolates. 

Anne, Jacobo and the children are in Spain for the Easter holiday. They are having a great time, renewing old acquaintances, and the children meeting their friends. They are driving, it takes two days, taking it easy. They will start home tomorrow and probably arrive on Saturday. Safe journey to them. Their Easter eggs and chocolates will be waiting for them, a nice end to their holiday. Martin and Giuliana came on Monday, also Myles and family, Michael, and Mary's family. I cooked lunch. A big chicken casserole in the oven with stuffing balls and potato wedges. I haven't cooked a lunch in years. It was like old times. Mary and Lorenzo couldn't stay, they had to go out. Before Anne goes back to live in Spain, we will all have to get together here in the old homestead. Something to remember. We'll have a buffet. 

Today is my brother Eddie's birthday, also the 85th anniversary of the Easter Rising in Dublin. Eddie was an Irishman. 

Tomorrow, we will be forty seven years married.

March 25th, 2001

Mother's Day. What a lovely day we all had, all the family came except Martin. He phoned and will come next week. He's just got back from Brazil, and is busy getting sorted out. Sean came on the Saturday and stayed over until Sunday. I had lots of presents, flowers, chocolates and cards. It is great to have a big family. I went out with Myles and his family to lunch. We went to a Mexican restaurant called The Frontier Post. It was nice. We left there at about 3 o'clock and came home. Later on, Michael, Patrick and Mary came with presents. Patrick brought champagne. I was exhausted and glad to go to bed at 9 o'clock.

Wednesday 28th March, 2001

It is still raining, cold and miserable. 
I stopped for a little while as I took took Isabel to school, and made up for it and poured as I went to fetch Thomas from nursery school in Catford. Thomas doesn't mind the weather. He loves to come home by bus. Michael and wee Zoe takes him home on Mondays. He likes playing with Zoe and then Jacobo takes him home by car when he goes to pick up the children. Anne is at home the last few days, with a nasty cough and sore throat.

I have just been speaking to my sister Mary on the phone. We spoke a bit about our childhood in Ireland and that set me thinking. There were so few old people around. Of course we thought they were all old. Nobody wore anything bright or light. They all wore long black clothes and boots. They worked hard with few amenities. The wives didn't enjoy any money of their own. They were worn out before their time. I only remember seeing my grandmother once. She wore a black, straw bonnet. It was the headgear of the time. I thought she was about 110. She was probably in her late sixties, not a cuddly Grandma and she smelled of mothballs. Funny what one remembers. The oldest woman I remember was Granny Grehan, next door. She was a lovely granny. We thought she was so old, but she was probably younger than I am now.

When my sister Mary was nursing at Lambeth Hospital in the fifties, there were few old people in the wards. One morning they were having breakfast, when this young woman came rushing in to say she had a SEVENTY year old woman in her ward. Nobody would believe it and they all went to have a look at her. Times have changed. Now the wards are full of old people, mostly women. I have a 93 year old neighbour who does all of her own shopping and housework, and she looks great and goes to visit her son in Devon. 

March 22nd, 2001

Today is Michael's birthday. Between this and Christmas, there will be two or three birthdays each month, great excitement. Whatever else I die of, it won't be from boredom. 

The weather is still horrible, today it is cloudy, dark and miserable. It hasn't rained yet but it will. 

St Patrick's Day on Saturday last. I was at Bridie and Pats'. It was quiet and peaceful, I will start going a bit more. I'm a home bird. 

Yesterday was my mother's anniversary, seventy two years, nearly all my lifetime. Yesterday Jacobo had a bit of an accident with the car, but thank God he and Olivia are fine, the car is not so healthy. Olivia is playing the piano. 

I should be planting some spring flowers but the garden is in such a state. I will have to plant in pots this year instead of in the ground. The cemetery grounds are still inches deep in mud and water, so I can't do anything there either. I hope we will get a dry summer and we'll be able to get the stone put down in the autumn for Delia. 

Martin is back from Brazil, and Sean from Dublin, so perhaps we will see them all on the weekend. It's lovely when the family come.

March 9th, 2001

Today is the second Friday in Lent.

I have been to the Holy Hour at the church, an oasis of peace and quiet. One could just sit and contemplate life and what it's all about. Then the children came out to play at the Good Shepherd School next door, and it was lovely to hear their shouts of joy and freedom. I remembered when I supervised the children on that playground for a few years. I really loved it. I was always asking Sister Mary if I could take the children out on Durham Hill to play. They ran wild for half an hour. The other women hated it. My grandchildren tell me that they don't play there anymore. 

The weather is still horrible. 

We had a couple of lovely days last week and we almost believed that the spring was on the way, but sadly not so. Foot and mouth disease is spreading. It is a bad time for farmers. We had just begun to eat beef again after the BSE scare. Now the meat that gets to the shops has shot up in price. I think we would be better off without it. We must count our blessings when we see the terrible disasters in other countries, and the suffering of all these poor people who had more than enough to bear. 

February 2nd, 2001

The weather is still horrible. Yesterday started off with fog and frost, then of course it rained all afternoon. 

This morning it rained as the children went out to school, and now it is 3:30 and clouding over again to catch them coming home. It is almost dark already. 

Today is Candlemas Day. People carry lighted candles in the church. I must light one here in the room for Delia. I'm waiting for the children to come home. Olivia is playing the piano. 

February 3rd 

Today is the feast day of St. Blaise. I went to Mass and had a blessing of the throat. I went to see Mrs Heneghan for a couple of hours. We had sandwiches and crumpets for tea. Agnes loves when someone visits. It gets very lonely on her own. Television is a boon for people like Agnes. She watches all the day time stuff.

Sunday, February 4th 

Still pelting rain. 

I wanted to go to the cemetery this morning to visit the folks but it is not possible. The ground is in a bad state of mud and water. I feel sad not being able to visit Delia. Mary and I went to see a headstone for her little plot. It can't be erected for several months yet. I'm going to Myles and Jacqui for dinner today. Being accompanied by Ana and Jacobo. It will be a nice day. Anne, Mary and Olivia will have a nice day on their own.