No jokes here.
Brought up my missus and two of missus' cousins after the death in auto accidents of missus' father, and few months later the cousin's parents.
A stalwart of the area - always a helping hand to folk, in a very deprived community. They only got electricity there in 2002.
Political activist against gangsters and opportunists, health worker, known in the community as 'Ouma Koekie' - Granny Cookie - because she baked stuff for kids.
Suffered a diabetic attack in August - was discovered on her kitchen floor the next day. Never properly recovered her senses.
Was in a care home - had another attack on 26 Dec. Passed away today 5pm local time.
I've just walked in from work, to hear the news.
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Whatever our differences on politics etc my sympathies to your wife on her loss.
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Sorry to hear that Ian.
Best to remember that there's a lot to be admired about a woman who leads her life in such a way as to be praised after she's gone. Especially one who lived in an environment where looking after number 1 is so tempting and looking after others is so difficult.
And i think we all would like to leave being admired.
Love to your wife.
Mark.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Fri 1 Jan 16 at 22:35
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There is no better epitaph for your Mother in Law than that she lived respected and died regretted.......my sympathy to you and your family.
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Thoughts are with you Ian. She was clearly a remarkable person!
I know it is a difficult time; when I lost a close friend last year it was hard but I often remember the good times and it helps.
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Look upon it that her work here is now done and she has gone to join the other angels.
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Luckily Ians mother in Law wont be going to the same place my mother in law went to.
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>> Luckily Ians mother in Law wont be going to the same place my mother in
>> law went to.
Look on the bright side, you won't be re-united with her for a little while.
;>)
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>> Luckily Ians mother in Law wont be going to the same place my mother in law went to.
>>u
I do not miss my MIL and I have to live with some of her bad influence on SWMBO.
Ian, I am glad you have such good memories of your MIL.
I will raise a glass here as I can no longer join you for a pint.
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My mother-in-law has a habit of prefacing many of her comments with "I'm not being racist but...", thinks Hitler wasn't entirely in the wrong and that Nigel Farage "talks a lot of sense".
All of the above could be put down to age and lack of intellect but much worse than that, she insists on changing the ventilation, heater and seat position settings in my car, opening sweets and leaving the wrappers in the door bin and manages to bring mud in on her feet even if she is only being given a two mile lift to the shops.
That, I'm sorry, I find intolerable.
;-)
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>> My mother-in-law has a habit of prefacing many of her comments with "I'm not being
>> racist but...", thinks Hitler wasn't entirely in the wrong and that Nigel Farage "talks a
>> lot of sense".
>>
....I think I've read some of her posts on here........
;-)
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>> That, I'm sorry, I find intolerable.
>>
>> ;-)
>>
Ahh, but did she do what mine did on xmas day - phoned mobile around midday on xmas day, left no message.
Then rang brother in law to complain that we hadn't answered phone and to get him to tell us that she was just leaving home and had decided to come to us. (The out-laws had been invited for xmas day a month or so earlier but had declined to confirm their intentions stating they would let us know nearer the time)
We delayed lunch to wait for their arrival only to be told they had eaten before leaving home....and by the way, we are staying overnight
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I've had two mothers-in-law. The first was quite nasty, the second an excellent woman, salt of the earth.
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Now the fun begins.
MIL is in Beaufort West - 300 miles from Cape Town.
It is holiday/silly season here, with people to-ing and fro-ing. Trying to get Mrs and daughter up there to organise funeral etc. Local railways 'helpline' not being answered, their website is broken.
Bus? Nope, fully booked.
Driving? well.. I don't fancy a one-day 600mile roundtrip on our crazy post-Xmas roads, especially not in the 900cc Daihatsu beast.
Trying to organise other wheels - Hertz, Avis etc all empty - there's some cricket thingy going on, which means fousands of tourists in town.
NOT a good start to the year.
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Condolences Ian. It will indeed feel chaotic for a while. Make a list of things to done, people to inform etc. Don't worry if things take a bit longer than you'd like. Work through the list and don't attempt the impossible. Be kind to yourselves where you can. It'll be hurting more than you realise.
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Truly sorry to hear of your loss Ian.
It's happened to me twice over the Xmas/NY period and I know the frustration of not being able to get things under control as I'd have liked them to be. Humph's advice holds good though - make a list of things that need doing and don't get upset by things that don't go to plan. If your situation is anything like mine have been, Mrs and Miss I will be too upset to think straight and will need you to keep a calm exterior.
Obviously the train would be the best option to get to Beaufort West but if it boils down to a long drive is it worth trying to get a hire car further up the N1, say Worcester, and leaving the Daihatsu there?
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Bonus! Managed to get them both - and the aforementioned moronic cousins - onto the train.
But not without rama - Cousin #1 pitches up this morning with a suitcase the size of a small fridge. I point out the the little white car has the luggage capacity capable of a sack of potatoes and a loaf of bread. So #1 calls #2, and #2's boyfriend makes a detour to come fetch her. And the fridge-sized case.
So I bunged her a pile of notes, and said 'buy us tickets when you get there'
Simples!
Not so... we left 20 minutes later, drove to station, parked up and went inside. No sign of cousins. Call them - no, they are still en route, they had to stop somewhere...
So Mrs I jumps into the queue, and shortly afterwards, they stop selling tickets - Train full!
So she has to get tickets for the next train - an hour later. Which fortunately isn't that full. Yet.
Eventually #1 and #2 arrive - the boyfriend did some detour, I think, and got lost somewhere on the way. If you can't find Cape Town station, you must be a bit of a dingbat.
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"Luckily Ians mother in Law wont be going to the same place my mother in law went to."
Mine won't fit.
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Mother in Law- RIP - Bromptonaut
