Great grandmother, she is such a strong tree in the ground of life. With her old bones and wrinkly skin she still stands tall as a sequoia with her 4 feet and 9 inches.

She is the roots from which we all sprang and without her I wouldn't be writing this story. She gave me my spunk, my dirty sense of humor, my love for my family.

She is now suffering from Alzheimer's and it's it breaks my heart every second to see such a sharp mind fade. To see the fear in her eyes when she barely recognized who I am anymore as I approach her, afraid I'll do something harmful or terrible.

Where has my great grandmother gone that my face means nothing anymore, the blond hair she used to run her fingers through is now foreign to her, she seeks other things to look at than the crystal blue eyes that pled silently for her to remember me. She will one day be the namesake of my daughter and I will teach her all about the strong, intelligent, beautiful, determined woman I once called my great grandmother. I'll tell her of the white hair, in beautiful small curls like Marilyn Monroe, the gorgeous blue sea eyes of which I inherited, constantly looking back at me from in the mirror. A reminder that even though the memory of me has faded from her mind, I will have always been imprinted there, just as she will forever be imprinted on my soul.

The magnificent GG.

My grandmother is and always was my most maternal and best loved relative.

Back in the day I recall my mom and I always used to walk the two miles to her home and of all my childhood, those days were the happiest.

She lived alongside my uncle Fred and Aunt Emily and I do happily recall many days filled with joy and laughter at their home.

She was a simple soul, always wearing those aprons she loved.

Do you know her front door was always open for neighbours and their kids and they used to pop in and say hello and grandma always had a smile and a hug for the kids.

She used to like nothing better than leaving the house on fine days to stand at the front gate and watch the kids as they played in the street. To this day I never once heard anyone say a bad word about her.

But she had this thing that I hated.

She used to want me to reach down and scratch her back and for some reason I used to cry whenever she asked me to do it.

Of course back then in old Liverpool times were difficult and money was scarce, she always had spare coppers for me though and I loved her simple heart so much.

Even writing this now makes me go all misty for her soothing words.

As I grew up and became a soldier she said she was so proud of me.

I cried so much when I heard she'd died one day. Of all my family she was the most loving, the most giving and the most caring. I miss you grandma.