Dearest Sheila, I have so many thoughts and memories of you, having known you since I was 16 yrs old.  One of my first is of you perched on your cashiers chair at one end of the counter at Barclays with your good pal Stan Chester the First Cashier at the other.

How you loved your holidays and in particular those to Malta.  Always to the same room at the same hotel where you made many friends over the years, not only with other guests but many of the staff too, but then you did go twice a year for 3 weeks at a time!  I always thought how feisty and brave you were to go on holiday abroad on your own.  I was surprised but also proud of you when you renewed your passport not long after your 90th birthday.  Unfortunately, the holiday you booked for last spring was cancelled due to the pandemic and you never did get to use the passport.

We enjoyed many little trips out over the years to Chatsworth and you also loved to go to Dobbies and Wards garden centres and to the Toby Carvery for lunch.  You were always so grateful to be taken out in a car and would sit there with your sunglasses on enjoying a change of scenery.  I will never be able to drink a J2O without thinking of you because you always used to ask for an orange E45! but of course I knew what you meant and it always made me laugh.

We both loved my mum's Christmas cake and I don't remember when or how it started but for many years and right up to when we lost her she would make you a small one.  Again you were always so grateful and you would phone her and have a chat and always bought her chocolates for her birthday.

You would invite me round for "morning tea" but I would often still be there well into the afternoon because we always had lots to talk about. You always provided tea, and sympathy on occasion, as well as huge pieces of cake, biscuits and chocolates. I never went home empty handed, you would always insist I took biscuits or sweets home for Neil.  We would swap magazines, you loved all the glossies and especially Hello magazines with all the pictures.  You especially loved those with any pictures of Princess Diana, the Queen and in strange contrast Joan Collins, or our Joanie as we used to call her.

How I will miss my visits to see you in your little cottage and our phone calls.

Goodnight and God bless my special little friend.  Lots of love Liz.xxxxxx