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. 

January 27th, 2001

 It is a beautiful day. No rain, sun shining and not too cold. Anne has taken the four children to the London Dungeon for a treat for Mary's birthday. She is brave. I hope it isn't too crowded. 

Myles was here this morning with young Joseph. It was nice to see him. Michael also came around with little Zoe, who had a birthday on Tuesday so we are all going round to their house tomorrow for Zoe's tea party. 

Martin will be coming tomorrow for the day, then on next Sunday he will be off again to Brazil for six weeks, to get the new English school up and running. 

Anne just phoned from London. She left Nicky and girls at the London dungeon. It was too scary for Jacobo. I didn't think anything would scare Jacobo. So they are doing a bit of sight seeing. 

Myles is building a shed today. I think he hopes Michael will give him a hand. 

I will go and visit Mrs Heneghan in a little while. She is on her own this weekend. I must get back for Mass. Poor Agnes. She doesn't deserve the life she has. I visit when I can. She has a lot of friends, she is a good person. 

January 21st, 2001

 This has been the longest, wettest and most miserable winter that I can remember. 

From November to January, it rained steadily. Then there were two weeks of frost. It snowed a little last week and now it is raining again. Everywhere is knee deep in mud. The children haven't been in the garden or gone to the park for weeks. The cemetery grounds have not been in such a state for twenty years. Weather forecast says more frost on the way.

People walking along the road and out shopping, all look miserable. Perhaps we will have a lovely hot summer and everybody will complain about the heat. 

January 22nd, 2001

It is pelting rain again today. I just got soaked picking Isabel up from school. Lord I hate rain. I don't mind frost or snow or cold, at least you can wrap up warm and go out.

January 23rd, 2001

This is a nice mild morning, no rain yet. It is just hanging around up there waiting for me to go out. The sun has peeped out of the clouds over Keith's house. Sorry, it was an illusion. I think it is affecting people's health. The children are miserable. They complain of headaches. They can't go out to play. January 23rd, and wee Zoe's birthday. She is two today and has been telling us about it for weeks. She is a lovely, intelligent girl. All today's little ones seem so much more aware. They walk and talk much earlier. 

I'm just watching Olivia. She is sitting on the couch, looking at a book and telling herself a story. She can amuse herself for hours and she's only eighteen months. 

It will be Mary's birthday on Thursday. She will be 12 years old, going on eighteen. Pop stars have a lot to answer for. When I was 12 years old, I was a very naive child. I think the facts of life bypassed my generation of children. Nobody told us how we came to be and we didn't question it. 

Still 23rd Jan. Afternoon and pelting pitchforks, also a high wind. Thinking about going out was nearly as bad as being out in it. I'm fed up with getting wet. By the end of this winter, we will all be sprouting a fungus. The children have just got in before me. They got a lift. I hope Mary doesn't get wet, while walking from the bus. Thank God Anne has the car. She would not be happy, cycling in this weather. Michael cycles all the time.

January 8th, 2001

Mary and Anne are back at work today. 

They spent most of their Christmas break sorting out Delia's flat. Various members of her family started the job but soon tired of it. Michael and Sean spent a day earlier on, sorting out her papers. There were letters and cards from people she met on various journeys abroad. 

There were drawers and cupboards full of photographs and postcards and all the things the children gave her over the years. She never threw a thing out. I have so many of her papers and things here that I haven't even had a chance to look at yet. 

On Saturday, Mary and Anne sorted out all her clothes and other suitable things and took them to Oxfam. They also saw to the return of her various appliances to social services. The flat had to be handed over on Monday 8th so on Sunday night, Anne and Mary spent the whole evening cleaning out any rubbish that was left and cleaning and tidying the flat. 

All that was left were some big pieces of furniture for the council to dispose of to the homeless or whoever.  

Today the flat was formally handed over so perhaps now I shall be able to sleep. 

I have hardly slept for the last month. 

January 5th, 2001

 Today is January 5th. We have survived Christmas and the New Year. With four children at the house and lots of visiting children, it has been a busy and noisy time. We all went to Patrick and Sarah's house for Christmas Day, eleven adults, eleven children. 

Patrick and Sarah were very hospitable. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner with two turkeys and a big piece of beef, with all the trimmings. Delia was with us last year and enjoyed her day. She loved going out to dinner. Everybody came to us until our house became too small or the extended family became too big and Patrick and Sarah bought a big house.

Tonight is the eve of the feast of the Kings. All Spanish children have a visit from the Kings and presents in their shoes, so its early to bed. 

Jan 6th 

Yes, the Kings came. They even found my wellingtons and put a chocolate bar in each. I went to visit Bridie and Pat today. It was a nice easy journey with no holdups. It was lovely and peaceful with just the three of us. Quite often, Mary's and Bernadette's children are there, so its hectic. It's nice to be home again.

Christmas Eve, 2000

 In the last two months we had a wedding, a funeral and a Christening in our family. 

On November 11th, my grandson Michael married his Jennie. It was a lovely, joyful day. Jennie's parents made a lovely reception for all our families and friends. Martin provided the music. All the children were there and had a great time. 

On December 6th, we celebrated Delia's life and life's work in her burial mass and funeral. All members of her family were there. Thank God she lived to see the family she brought up do well in life and marry and bring up families of their own, who now are bringing up families of their own. All thanks to Delia's hard work and dedication. May God bless her and grant her the light of Heaven. 

On December 10th, we were at the Christening of our wee Rosie, Myles' and Jacquie's lovely little daughter. It was a joyous occasion with families and friends. There were about six babies christened. It was not the stoic and solemn ceremony as of old. The children were making lots of noise and having a good old time. We were all much more relaxed. 

Tomorrow is Christmas Day. It will be a noisy morning. And my birthday. 

December 6th, 2000

 Today was Delia's funeral. We let her go with love and dignity. 

She was taken to the church of Our Lady, Help of Christians in Mottingham, her parish. Our parish priest, Fr Kavanagh, came and did the service on Tuesday evening. Her request to spend a night in the church. All our families came in the evening. Fr John Kavanagh recited the Rosary. He said Delia had a great devotion to the Rosary. There were a lot of Delia's friends there. Members of her family did readings and the congregation sang hymns. 

On Wednesday morning, Dec. 6th, her funeral mass was said. Her own parish priest performed the service. The family all took some little part. Anne's two daughters served Mass. Four of the lads did readings. Eamonn Farrell read the psalm. John Kenny gave a talk on her life. John managed to get hold of an organist. The church organist was away. We sang all Delia's favourite hymns. There were some of Delia's plants at the altar. Her coffin was covered with a piece of her embroidery, as was a side table with her photograph and some personal things. All the men of our families carried her coffin in turn.

She was buried in Hither Green cemetery, not far from Myles and Kevin. Her next neighbour is Fr Fagan from Catford. He used to be Bridie Greham's parish priest. 

The cemetery was knee deep in mud. It rained steadily for weeks past. At least the rain kept off while we prayed at the graveside. Mary and I picked the place. She is between two nice trees. In the summer it will be nice. 

Mary Dallison arranged refreshments in the church hall for those who weren't coming to the cemetery. Everybody else came back to my house. I hadn't seen some of them for years. 

Our hall was like a Muslim temple. Everybody took off their shoes. They were covered in mud. I hardly recognised some of the lads and their friends. They all wore suits and ties. Delia would be impressed. Delia's parish priest came back to our house after and had some refreshments and Anne packed him a carton of food for his evening meal. Mary and I went on Sunday morning to see him and give him a personal gift, as we also did for John Kavanagh. Mary and Anne went to Marks and Spencer's early on Wednesday morning and got all the food, chicken and salads, fresh bread, pastries, etc. All the family helped with the wine and drinks. All the children came when school was over. I feel very sad.

Nora