My uncle George, my male role model, was a wind up merchant (everyone would agree) & the biggest tease going, but he had the best heart & cared so much for me.
It was him that taught me how to play cards, when I was little. Sunday afternoons comprised of tea & biscuits (he loved the fig rolls) & a game of Gin rummy or knock out whist with Uncle Georgie!
He taught me how to garden as a child and we used to grow my favourite fruits & veg in our big back garden each year- millions of strawberries & raspberries..Enough to eat, make jam with & still give away by the bucket load!
As an adult he taught me how to rear chickens, for several years I incubated the eggs for him, hatched the chicks & looked after them until they were old enough for life on his little allotment. Then he gave fresh eggs away to everyone & I used them in all of my baking …. His faves of my baked goods were my lemon drizzle cake, chocolate cake & bacon & egg pie.
I remember how excited he was to take me to the folk club ….. but apparently I “never shut up” & talked all night, all the way through the acts - which you’re not allowed to do ….Oops! &of course the few times we went to his favourite pub, the Burton house, for a drink… He knew everyone in there & proudly introduced me to them all!
In recent years when I’ve been so poorly hed come round a few times a week, whistling as he walked, to check on the garden & pop in my bedroom for a quick chat to see how I was.
When I asked him how he was doing himself his reply was always “Comsi Comsa… not good, not bad!” I remember one day when I was really poorly he told me "you take everything life throws at you & laugh in the face of adversity”… he wasn’t wrong!
This changed to email check ins whilst I was away in Barcelona, & although he was a very private fella he was a very generous one, who’d always help as much as he could. “it’s nice to be nice” he’d say!
Keep whistling, teasing everyone, & enjoy your favourite pints of Guinness -draught of course
Mel Hartshorn
17/02/2024
