Cousin Jackie

Today Cousin Jackie left us. She will be greatly missed.

I thought I would share a few images of Jackie, but I was surprised at how few pictures I have. If anyone has any pics of her I would love to have some for the Gibbon Gazette.

Jackie and Ann, Porthcawl. Jackie age 15 Ann  not quite 15.

The first one was taken on that memorable holiday when we stayed in two caravans in Nottage. "Just five  minutes from the sea". That's five minutes by car or if you run like h*ll along the shortcut. When there are several small children, a pushchair and a few sulky teenage girls the walk could take a lifetime. Especially when Yvonne spots a boy with a mohican haircut and shouts "OI! where's Hawkeye then?" Who knew we could run that fast?

Jackie and Yvonne. Obviously in their Whitsun dresses

 Jackie could always manage to be clean. She could wear white shoes all day and they would still be white. Yvonne and I did not have that talent. We only had to put white things on and they would immediately look scuffed and grubby. We managed to improve with age but Jackie was a natural

With Brother Paul and Cousin Russell at the Reunion and Zeros birthday party

I am so glad I had my 60th birthday party with Jackie. All my life she taunted me with the fact that she is four months older than me but on that day we shared our cake - we shared it with Cousin Pat too, who was ten years older than us. She still is ten years older than us but you know what I mean.
Because we were so close in age she was the closest thing to a sister that I ever had. I loved her and hated her in equal amounts because she was MY Jackie. We didn't talk for a long time. Not because we fell out or anything but simply because we both had so much going on around us and when Aunty Muriel died the glue that held the family together disappeared. I knew what was happening but I was in my world and she was in hers.
One thing I do know is that if I had gone to her for help she would have given me the clothes off her back if I needed them. She would have told me what a daft mare I was for getting to that state but as she spoke she would be bundling up her clothes for me to take.
You always knew exactly where you were with Jackie. You were loved.