To do full justice to my Nan in a few minutes will clearly be impossible, and inadequate. We all have our own memories of my Nan. Mine are a drop in that ocean. Nan’s 94th birthday would be a week tomorrow. And we truly expected her to celebrate that with us. I believe that Nan lived for so long, because of , first Nan being Nan, but also the care and love my mum and my Auntie June gave her. Without that daily care, love, devotion, seeing to her every need and treating her like a queen – that she clearly was, I believe my nans life would have been shorter. Unfortunately, despite all of that care and love from Mum, June, Sandro and the rest of the family Nan didn’t make it to her birthday Nan, in her earlier years was quite a matriarch, and with my mum, she still was. My granddad was the head of the house outside, but inside it was my Nan who ruled the home. Some might say with an iron fist, albeit in a soft glove. My uncle Sandro will tell you tales of her calling him down from trees and her skill with a needle. Whilst my mum will tell you how adept she was at treating my mum like a child (even though she had turned 60)– Luci you need to cut your hair, Luci your skirt is too short etc The key things I remember about were her mischievousness, teasing and of course her smile. But we shouldn’t forget her finger and her eyes – which she could use to make you run – both from her and to her. Everybody she came into contact with loved her smile, her accepting and uncomplaining nature. In her pink fluffy dressing gown the nurses often said she looked like a little teddy bear and wanted to take her home. That mischievous side definitely came to the fore when it came to taking her tablets, she was as my mum would say a ‘little madam. She would hide them in her hanky, in her mouth, down the side of the chair, wrap them in tissue and throw them away, or point blank refuse them. And as for sweet things, they also had to be hidden away. When she was in Italy with its famous gelato, we would catch her at the freezer spooning it straight from the tub into her mouth. The problem was, that when she was caught doing these things she would look at you with a ‘little girl look’ that she had perfected, and you could only smile back. Even until 3 weeks before my Nan’s death she was still teasing. For example one day were in the kitchen and the children in the front room with my Nan. There was a lot of noise and screaming and laughing, we went into calm the children down ready to tell them off and ask them to be quiet - my Nan was an old lady after all. Of course the instigator was my Nan, teasing them with her stick, throwing little bits of tissue, or even dolls at them. Every year when we visited Italy she would say ‘I’m Home now’. Another testament to how my nan was loved was that in the August of her 90th birthday her sister-in law Marie & neice Rosanna organised a party for her. Over 70 people attended from different regions in Italy. Nan spent most of the night holding her youngest brother Gigi’s hand and didn’t want to leave even at 1 am in the morning. The great thing about my Nan living so long was the stories that she would tell us about the Mussolini years, the Silk worms, the wine making, Sant Anaise and Che Fata. My mum, Sandro and June can tell you all about these in much greater detail. The legacy that my Nan leaves is not just her many descendants, but a true example of how to be a good person. There was not an ounce of malice in her. So many of us will say I wish I visited more, I wish I had done more for her, but if we can take the messages she taught us, learn from her qualities and incorporate those into our lives then that would be something to truly honour her and keep her with us always. So Nan, now you have finally reached the top of that ladder, I hope you are with Granddad, Renzo, Michelle and the rest of your family and friends. Have that glass or two of vino rosso, eat your sweets and gelato and throw those tablets away. Finally, this is a short poem that I chose, because even though my mum, auntie june and uncle Sandro saw her every day, she still get to say goodbye. Look for me in Rainbows Time for me to go now, I won't say goodbye; Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky. In the morning sunrise when all the world is new, Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you. Time for me to leave you, I won't say goodbye; Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky. In the evening sunset, when all the world is through, Just look for me and love me, and I'll be close to you. It won't be forever, the day will come and then My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again. Time for us to part now, we won't say goodbye; Look for me in rainbows, shining in the sky. Every waking moment, and all your whole life through Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you. Just wish me to be near you, And I'll be there with you. Music and lyrics: Conn Bernard (1990). Vicki Brown