we miss you Nana GG

Our most dear, lovely Nana passed away early on Saturday.  She was 89 years young.  We are all missing her but so lucky to have known such a kind, wonderful lady.  I am reminded of a quote I saw in the staff room at school... "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."   There have been many tears and also lots of talks about the good times we had with her. She was "GG" to all of her great grand children, and Nana to us bigger kids.

She had only been my Nana for 17 years, she adopted me as one of her grandchildren when B and I started going out in our late teens.  Or maybe I adopted her?  Nana always made me feel so welcome and loved.

She loved to knit for others and made us this wonderful blanket/shawl.  It's from such lovely soft wool and was so stretchy and warm for our winter baby back in 2004.  We used it daily as she told us that it wasn't to be kept for special occasions.  This is the obligatory coming home from the hospital shot.

Whenever we'd go to Christchurch to stay, she'd come up from her home in Geraldine to see us.


A couple of times she even made the long trip up to Auckland to visit.  Once we took her to the Sky Tower and to visit my work (TV3), where she got to meet John Campbell and Carol Hirschfeld.  They both thought Nana was delightful (they told me later).

When the boys were 2 and 3, we went and stayed with her in Geraldine.  I went to a conference and GG, B and the boys had lovely times hanging out and playing together.  She read to them from her old books and sat and watched while they ran around being silly in her garden.  One night we took her out for a pub dinner.  I think GG enjoyed the boys even more than her meal.  She was always smiling.

I feel so fortunate to have known Joan, she really was a special person.  And no I can't write this without crying no matter what that quote says.