In my bid to connect with old friends and new in this special year, I was really pleased to be able to catch up with this lovely lady today! Known affectionately as ‘Mumsie’ to many, we first met when I was about 14 or 15 years old when a group of us used to knock for our friend. My memories of her and her husband ‘Grumps’ (RIP) always remind me of summer, hanging out at the front of their house while our friend tinkered with his motorbike.
I know that good memories are always viewed through rose-tinted glasses, but I do really believe that mucking around with the gang back then was one of my happiest and carefree times (before we all had jobs and responsibilities!). We had a tradition of meeting up on New Year’s Day evening in a particular pub – something that we did for probably 20 years – and Mumsie always came along.
Believe it or not she was 80 years old last year! She’s probably the most friendliest person I have ever met; she’s interested and enthusiastic about many things and there’s never a shortage of conversation. As a volunteer at a local boys secondary school for more years than you can count (she is still a Governor), she has positively affected so many lives. She showed me photos from the boys she regularly keeps in touch with, in particular a wedding she was invited to recently where the ‘boy’ is now aged 40!
This was the first time we have met up since before COVID and I was pleased to see that she was as sprightly and chatty as ever, and hadn’t changed a bit. I came away with a warm feeling from a couple of hours well spent in great company ♥
Elizabeth Mooney 