Good looking for 98 minus a month!

Apologies for another black and white back to back but in a care home there is no colour co-ordination. You get up in the morning and put on whatever the first person who comes around finds to dress you in! I love this woman too much to show you the clashes in colour.

Having said that, I know Irene so well.. self confessed clarty, with the ability to cover every surface with grime, but pretentious in cleanliness. "If you look after the corners, the rest will look after itself"

Maybe I'm more like her than I care to admit! The difference is I have 53years of experience, she's got 97 and 11 months.

What a woman!

I was asked if I could give her a hand, some 10+ can't remember how many years ago. From the original hour or so a week, as years went by, the hours augmented to providing full time care. We've laughed and cried and had more stand up arguments than you can throw a stick at! I've slammed the door and sworn I'd never go back many times and the incidents have unfortunately been witnessed by neighbours. Ehhem!
But, today I'm happy to travel an hour and a half there, and the same back, just to be with her for a while, without a qualm.

Born in January 1914, Irene obtained a university degree in Engineering when most women had no education at all. When I met her I was told that despite her negatives, she would teach me a lot, and she did.

A woman before her time, Irene was an only child, spoilt, demanding and so she continued life. One of only two women on her graduate course, Irene made the most of it. She met and married a brilliant scientist who gained outstanding awards both in Britain and abroad, but was, in her words, unassuming... so she pushed him to his full potential.

Irene revelled in the social highlights as they travelled together, meanwhile forming political views that remain to this day. Vehemently Conservative, she took her world by the horns and promoted the Conservative party, Margaret Thatcher and her beliefs. My personal beliefs may or may not differ but the woman's guts can't be denied. Roll on women of her kind!

Back to today. An elderly woman of almost 98 years is in a care home. I wish it were different but it isn't. If I could turn the clock back, what would I do. Nothing. Sadly, the time was right.