Hello guys and gals,
My Grandmas’ anniversary is today,
March 4th.
Grandma, Mom to 7 & Aunty Kitty to many was a great great lady and she was loved by all. Her garden was always beautiful, her oven always had something on the go and she had a heart so full of love for everyone, it was contagious. She was our red haired queen bee. She saw nobody as different no matter your nationality, race or the colour of your skin. She was a woman way ahead of her time. She was the biggest Inspiration in my life !!!
She especially loved her Grandchildren of which she has 23, I am lucky to be one of the 23.
I remember her like I just saw her yesterday standing waving goodbye in her front porch, I can still hear her singing, swearing at the news casters on the telly for bring bad news into her house and smell her brown bread and her Coco Chanel Perfume. She used to spray it on all the pillows of her house so when people stayed it would smell nice. To this day most of the family are reminded of her when we get a whiff of Coco Chanel. She didn’t have much but what she had she gave away. A fiver here and a Frys chocolate bar there.
Her “House on the Hill” was always full and she never minded, I think she loved it. She had views of all of North Kerry from Tralee to Tarbert. She would sing, dance and tell stories for us all to see and hear. She had the most beautiful singing voice and it has passed down along to all her 7 children and most of the 23 grandchildren. She loved the little ones and it was most unfortunate she never got to meet any of her great grandchildren of which she has many.
She was a beautiful cook, her brown soda bread and buns, and Kerry meat pies in soup were legendary. There was always something in a pot on the oven stewing away to make soup or broth. Always delicious
Her garden gave her angst though as she had a love hate relationship with it.
In particular the Gladiolas she grew gave her a whole lot to give out about, as with the Irish weather being what it is, they nearly never stood up straight for long. She was caught on many occasions on a chair with the hedge strimmer and once or twice was known to have cut the cord with the strimmer. I’m sure I heard once about one of my male cousins having a near decapitation (to be confirmed). 
My friends all loved her, as when we stayed we would bunk in the warm attic room over the kitchen and she would make us the best pancakes which we would then smothered in butter. There is no better thing on earth.!!!
Kittys View
When she passed away I kept most of her cooking equipment, pot and pans, her ladles and the plastic jug she kept the fresh cows’ milk in from her brothers’ farm, formally her fathers. The milk was not to my taste, as it still had the cream on top and it was nearly always warm. (How everyone wants it now it’s trendy). As it happens to this day I don’t drink milk and dairy does not like me much either.
My Blue Eyed man and I use some piece of equipment belonging to her almost every day.
Her love of cooking has most surely passed its way on to me and many others in my family. I am a firm believer in what you put in you get out and it was so true in her case. She always had the best of baking and cooking ingredients and as a result she produced the best of food. I remember her cabbages and carrots she grew in the plot beside the house. It was my first introduction to growing food and have been hooked since.
She sure was a Great woman and I for one idolized her.
Not a day goes by without me or my family mentioning her for some reason or other. Today and everyday there is no reason to be sad about her not being with us but to remember her with joy of how she made us laugh, sing, dance and cook with her in her wonderful home on the hill.
With love always
Your Pansy Eyes