Exdh's Nan used to tell him when he was small and fiddling with his Willy (like all small boys do) that if he carried on the bird that lived in the cupboard in the living room would fly out and peck it off 😳
She also used to say that well known marketing phrase, you know the one 'L'Oréal, cause you're entitled to it'. I don't miss much from my divorce but I do miss her!
My dads mum was hilarious. Had a very, down to earth, uniquely Irish turn of phrase. On encountering Cliveden for the first time on a special day out she took it all in then remarked it was a 'fine pile of bricks'
When she had to go into a care home we realised she also had a very....refreshing approach to DIY logic. The curtains were nailed onto the wall for one thing. On reflection we realised that her dementia may well have started a few years before any of us had twigged, she was already in the habit of acting in strange and delightful ways so we just didn't notice when her usual self started tipping over into dementia habits.
She used to drive round town in a motorbike and sidecar. The sidecar was for her handbag 😂
No baby she encountered was safe from her approach and a firm squeeze of the foot and little leg jiggle. Many a startled new parent would suddenly find this tiny, 4ft something Irish lady grabbing their infants foot and giving it a good squeeze accompanied by a robust yell of 'the little dote how are ya?' Memorably on one occasion the new parents happened to be Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullen. They were very nice about it to be fair.
I was very very relieved that my second baby was born in time that he got the ceremonial foot squeeze in her care home. She had no idea who any of us were, who this baby was to her or any of that, but the old instincts were strong and he received her foot blessing before she died a couple of months later at 98 ❤️