What more could you ask for in a person than kindness, a completely selfless nature, a determination often against the odds to support and sustain family and friends, a strong work ethic and an upbeat attitude to life, love, painting and decorating.
These attributes go only a little way to describe my Sister in Law, Gillian.
Words fall well short of truly reflecting her character and qualities which are well known and valued by all those who are in the privileged position to know her. I consider myself to be amongst this select group and I will be the first to declare that I have laughed out loud, got a bit emotional and have been in complete awe of her spirit, endeavour, creativity and enterprise.
Just yesterday a small package arrived in the early post. No determining marks, no senders details. A bulky contents but even with careful feeling and probing of the unopened packet there were no real clues as to what had been sent by person or persons unknown.
I was a little bit suspicious at first and had half a thought to Google Search a contact number for the Bomb Squad but my wife recognised the handwriting as Gillians.
This fact opened up all and every possibility of what I would find because Gillian thinks well beyond the normal parameters of the likes of you and me. You can always count on her to rekindle what you feared were long lost but nevertheless fond memories of people, things, times and events through her clever sourcing of iconic things which can only be possible through many hours of careful searching on the internet and in the darker recesses of shops and car boot stalls.
The delivery addresed to me contained a large box of bubble gum.
Not just any brand but the original Bazooka Joe. In my younger days I contributed many old pennies and new pence to the parent company Topps Inc from Pennsylvania through my favoured purchase of the potent and, on reflection, highly flavoured and preserved gum. The actual sweet element was tolerated mainly for the prospect of collecting the greasproof paper overprinted tokens which together with a hefty cash consideration could go towards acquiring all matter of flimsy, faulty, flawed and useless goods and toys.
The box of gum which Gillian had tracked down in a retro-confectioners in Scarborough immediately transported me back to my youth and that time of innocence when all summer holidays were of perfect weather, Ice pops were huge and plentiful and no-one made comments about walking about in just your pants.
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