Well hello there.
I apologise again for my lack of activity of late. The absolute legend that is my Mother-in-Law sadly passed away so normal service has not yet resumed.
I didn't know whether to write about her or not but I reasoned the more ways we remember her the better, so dedicating a post to her seemed only fitting. As Merchant-Locke family members go, I probably knew her for the shortest time as I only came on the scene around 6 years ago, but from the day I met her, she made quite an impression.
She was an incredibly strong woman, cheeky, feisty and full of life. Even in her eighties, she didn't let life slow her down and spent most evenings at the local pub with her friends and often her little dog. She had the lucky ability to stay awake drinking till the early hours (at various lock-in's that she used to boast about), to then awake early the next day with no hangover what-so-ever. She loved her family but her social life also figured big in her daily plans and she was renowned for coming up with reasons to be excused early from family gatherings so that she could sneak off back to her local and be with her "other" loved ones. It became somewhat of a running joke in the family. The phrase "I can't be too long, I need to get back for the dog" was code we knew only too well for "I'd like a lift home soon, oh and you might as well drop me at the pub, it's nearer". And we all loved her for it.
She was many things to many people. To the grandchildren, she was a cool granny, never one to moan about anything, to her twin sister, she was her female soul-mate. To her children she was a funny, eccentric, colour-clashing icon that was both ditsy and tough but always happy and independent to the point of frustration.
I always looked forward to seeing her. She made it so easy for people to love her. You couldn't help but smile at her quirky little ways. The mint imperial she always gave the dog before she went out (as if to off-set the guilt at leaving her to go off gallivanting - again), the way she would make her daughter drive half way across the city to save 10p on a bag of sugar and the way she hoarded everything, with no logic whatsoever but as if stockpiling was a way of life and we were the odd ones for not understanding. Then there were the clocks, dozens of them all over the house but not one of them stating the correct time oh, and her culinary tastes (or lack of). I am sure if you look up the word Fussy in a thesaurus, Bett Merchant-Locke would be among the list of synonyms.
She was a true matriarch, an inspirational head of the family, a family that centered around her like planets circle the sun and she will be greatly missed. Gratefully, her passing was quick and she didn't suffer long. A month ago, she was sat in the Whitehall Tavern with her pals joking and drinking and no doubt causing all sorts of grief for the landlord, then last weekend she was gone. Lung cancer being the evil taker, leaving a gaping, undeniable hole where she once oozed life.
I would say sleep well Bett, but you weren't one for taking it easy so I will simply say, keep smiling dear lady.
Elizabeth Merchant-Locke, seen her at our wedding with my wonderful Brother-in-law Michael, who also sadly passed away a while ago. I can picture you both, in the Wetherspoons in the sky, Michael, you with your steak and chips and Bett with your southern fried chicken wrap.
And glass of Bailey's. What else?
Ps...anyone thinking the title of this post is a little insensitive, it was done tongue in cheek. Bett was a huge, huge Elvis fan. We were in fact pondering over it as the exit song for her funeral but we have gone with another Elvis classic.
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