Good morning, some of you may have seen on yesterdays match thread that my dear old mum passed away yesterday morning after a 5 year battle with Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia, she was 83. So what has the title of the post got to do with that? Allow me just a few lines to explain, my mum was a supporter of The addicks, she went to The Valley with my dad when they were courting, (my dad knew how to treat a girl!! LOL). She was born in Well Hall, and all her life lived in Eltham and New Eltham, she gave birth to 6 kids, of which I'm the eldest, and gave everything for us as long as she could. At 4' 11" she was also a fighter and a tenacious lady, but she had a caring heart - every Saturday home match for as long as I can remember she used to cook Sausages, Mash and Baked beans at 12:30, dished up on a huge platter with the Sausages sticking out of the mashed potato (a bit like the O2 structure looks now) with the baked beans around the outside like a 'moat'. She cooked this for all of us going to the match, so that was Dad, Grandad, my Uncle, myself and then eventually my brother. After we had eaten we all piled in to my dads Ford Corsair (he also throughout those years had a Ford Anglia and I think a Zodiac) and headed off to The Valley. After the game when we came home we used to tell her about the game, in as much detail as we could and gave her the program, she never complained that she didn't get to go anymore, she was happy making sure we had eaten and were wrapped up warm on a cold winters Saturday (we always stood on the vast expanse of the East Stand, and it could be bloody cold!!)
Its strange what you remember when you lose someone very close, but this dinner ritual went on for years and has always stuck with me. She is now reunited with my dad (he died 20 years ago), and I wonder now if, starting with next Saturdays home match with MK Dons, she will be watching once again with my dad, grandad and uncle, but without the need to cook a whole pile of Sausages, Mash and beans.
Thank you CL for allowing this short indulgence.
RIP Mum 14/3/33 - 26/11/16.
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Once again sorry for your loss.
I'm just off to see mine, she's in a home for people with dementia and after visiting my Dad for two years in the same home I know a bit about the horrible disease.
We had a very similar upbringing Rm but our pre-match delight was corned beef, mash with vegetable soup poured over it.
Beans bangers and mash is also simply an excellent meal. She clearly had great taste for the food that goes well on a match day.
Great Memory. sounds like a real nice lady. sorry for your loss.
Thoughts are with you RM.
RIP
Best wishes.
It's all about memories now so cherish them
So sorry to hear about your mum @Redmidland. She sounds like a real character and a very special mum. Condolences to you and all your family, but may those great memories of your mum warm you in cold times just as much as those sausages, mash and beans did over the years.
What a great story about your Mum.
What a fantastic way to serve up bangers and mash too.