Cakes for Joyce

Today's blip comes from the Coffee Room at a church I used to attend. We gathered after the service to remember Joyce and celebrate her life and dedication to the church. She died on October 6th.

After she retired from a senior post at Boots, the church became the hub of her day to day life. Joyce undertook many 'behind the scenes' jobs in the church and most days she could be found there.

She terrified some people with her efficiency, right ways of doing things and having things done, but she was a warm, generous and funny person, particularly if you could give as good as you got from her.

She was about 40 years older than me but we struck up a great friendship. Much of it seemed to revolve around food and drink! Joyce baked about 220 cakes a year which she gave to the Coffee Room where she often served. My favourite was her Lemon Drizzle cake. Sometimes she put in extra mix and made a little cake for me.

Joyce wasn't one for social events. She would say of them 'I don't think I'll be able to go to that because by the time it happens, I shall have a prior engagement, subsequently arranged.'

We did however establish a short tradition known as 'The Not the Mothering Sunday Lunch'. The first year there was just me and Joyce but in subsequent years we found more poeple who struggled with Mothers' Day and the assumptions made about women who are single, childless or who'd had bad experiences of being mothered. They were entertaining occasions with lots of laughter.

Joyce was with us in our memories and coversations today but absent due to a prior engagement.

A 'Big Issue' seller outside the church exclaimed 'Praise Joyce!' and so we did, with coffee and of course, cake.

May she rest in peace, and rise like her cakes, gloriously.