Irene Mary Martin

Irene Mary Martin was my adopted Nan. We met when my Dad, George Browning had pigs on a friends
farm. He brought me a pony which was Chestnut with a cream main and tail. The friends, John and Gwen
had geese and chickens of their own so I'd go into the run and feed them. There were alsorts of
flowers growing in there so I would pick them.

One day as I was picking the flowers I noticed this sweet little old lady walking her dogs down the
lane. I ran over to her and gave her the flowers she smiled and said "Awwwww how sweet of you!" from
then on we became good friends.

We shared so many special times together and talked about life in great depth as I grew older.
There were times that we'd sit down with a nice cup of tea and she'd give me sponge fingers, I loved
them. She had two little dogs, Pip, a Yorkshire Terrier and Teasle, a grey Pekenese. I'd spend hours
walking around her beautiful garden and would also walk with her and her dogs.

I remember her telling me that her first memories of me was this little girl bent over picking the
flowers in the hen run, my knickers showing which made her laugh.

One time I had sad news to tell her which was when my Gran and Grandpop died. She hugged me while I
cried. As time went by she'd give me advice about boyfriends and when the relationship ended she'd
just say "Never mind Sweetheart you'll get over him and one day you'll find Mr Right! She was always
right because I would get over him and find a new boyfriend lol. About a year after my Grandparents
died, I wrote her a letter telling her how much I missed not having Grandparents. Everyone at school
all seemed to have one and I missed that. So I thought, right I'm going to ask her if she would be
my Nan. Well I waited for her letter to arrive and eagerly read it. In it she was sayin how she
loved these hot days but the heat made her feel lazy lol. She spoke about her Nephew and other
things but when I got to the end of the letter, she'd wrote, All my love Nan. WOW!!!!! I was jumping
all around with happiness!!!!! My Mum and Dad asked why I was so happy so I showed them the letter.
They were as pleased as I was.

When I got engaged she was over the moon and wanted to know all about him and when it ended a year
later she gave me a hug and said "Well clearly he wasn't your Mr Right Sweetheart. Don't worry he'll
turn up when the times right!"

Then I met Peter in October 1987, I knew I was in love with him after 5 days. He was just so
different from the others. I told Nan and she wanted to meet him as I told her he was a real
gentleman with good manners, who loved me from first sight. Everyone liked him especially my Nan.
Pete adored her to.

Pete asked me to marry him 2 weeks after meeting each other but we didn't officially get engaged
til Christmas day that same year. Nan told us both to have a long engagement even though we so
wanted to marry the following July but we listened. Although we did decide to have a baby. When I
told Nan I was pregnant in January 1989, she was so pleased for us. We showed her the scan pictures
which amazed her. As the pregnancy went along I had a few problems with High Blood Pressure so had
to rest of the Baby and myself could die. On the 19th of October 1989 we had a Son, Martin. Nan was
relieved we were both okay. Martin was a very sicky Baby, who didn't sleep well and I realised I was
suffering from Post Natal Depression. I wrote letters to her keeping her updated.

She wrote me a letter in May 1990, telling me she'd moved into a care home and I said to her that
we'd come to see her on her Birthday in June. We sent her a big Bouquet of the brightest flowers to
be delivered that morning and we were all going to see her a bit later. When we arrived her face lit
up. I was shocked as she looked so thin and so frail. I asked her if she'd like to hold Martin who
was then 6 months old. "Of Cause I want to hold my GREAT-GRANDSON!" she beamed. She struggled with
him alittle but she was so proud!! We explained that he was named Martin after her surname and also
my Dad. She said "Well he's a wonderful little chap and she felt honoured he had her name." The time
flew by so quickly and before we knew it it was her Tea time so we gave her big hugs and I told her
I loved her very much. She told me that I had made her life extra special and that she'd loved me
very much. Also to see me and Pete so happy was the best thing she could have wished for me.

We didn't get chance to go see Nan again as Martin had been in hospital with stomache problems. He
had an intolerance to gluten so he was put onto Soya milk. Even though we wrote letters to each
other to keep in touch.

Then one Friday I was round my middle Sister,Linda's helping Mum to baby-sit and Mum looked at me
as she read the Advertiser. Claire! .. she said I think you'd better read this love!! Puzzled I took
the paper and started to read ... In loving memory of IRENE MARY MARTIN, who died peacefully at the
age of 81years on the 19th of October 1990. It felt like a ton of bricks had hit me ... Martin's 1st
Birthday she had died!!! I remembered that that day everything that could have gone wronge did go
wronge!! No one else in her family had known of me except for her Nephew but he'd died the year
before so that's why I never had the chance to pay my last respects. I had to look at it this way
... Martin should feel honoured that she died on his Birthday as he must have really meant the world
to her. As time went by I became more excepting that Nan had gone but I knew her spirit lived on and
that's what gets me through.

In June 1992, I went with Pete,his uncle Johnny and his Cousin Cheryl to a Spirtual Church where a
Medium was conducting an evening. I was feeling scepticle and very nervous. He made his way around
and he looked at me and the others and this is what he said:
"Your related arnt you? We all said "No not yet.
"I can see a young girl of about 15/16 years old sewing something, do you know who this is? I said
no.
He said "It'll come to you later."
" Your doing something very creative at the moment arnt you? I knodded yes. he said "Well I've been
told to tell you it'll be alright on the day!" I said thank you to him and he moved along.

I knew what he was on about when he said, your doing something very creative at the moment and that
it'll be alright on the day. Peter and I was planning our Wedding in July.

Then it clicked as I got into the car, the young girl who he saw sewing something was my Nan. Years
ago she gave me a purse,a handbag as it is known now and she told me that she had stitched it by
hand herself. I was gobsmacked because no-one, not even Pete had known about that. After that I felt
so much at ease because I know in my heart that even if Nan's not here in body, she definately is
here in spirit lol. Thank you for that Nan xxxxxxxx.

I loved her to bits, she was such a wonderful lady who I repected so much and she made a huge
difference in my life!!

"GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU OUR BELOVED IRENE, TIL WE MEET AGAIN!" @}->-->--