Milly Nadine Cousins (14 Jun 1932 - 11 Apr 2015)

You were the best grandma I could have ever wished for; always smiling, always caring, always loving. You will be deeply missed and how you lived your life to the fullest will aspire me always to try harder in everything I do on a daily basis. Unfortunately life doesn't go on forever but I'm sure I will see you soon Granny and we'll have a game of Swingball.
Thank you for being you and thank you for everything you've ever done for me.

You are loved and missed by all xxx

Things Mum loved.
Adventure - a waterfall was best explored from behind a wall of water
Driving - if she was going anywhere it was quickly
Making clothes for her children - we were always at the cutting edge of fashion
Nature - birds, squirrels and all creatures great and small
The people in her life
Her carers, her friends and family
Her grandchildren - Claire, Tim, William, Angus, Oscar, Ned, Stephen and Rebecca
Her children - Judy, Paul and Nick
Her husband - Micheal
We all miss you - lots of love xxx

It was a privilege to be at the service for Milly last week and see how much she was loved and will be missed.

Lots of love to you all.

Chris and Annie xx

Milly; even through her illness was still happy and smiled when ever i saw her and she still kept her character, you were the best nan i could have ever hoped for and you will be missed by all. Lots of love xxx


Hello Darling.

Hello darling is what you said,
When you looked at me and turned your head.
Hello darling is what you said,
As you laid there upon your bed.


Hello darling, with all of us there,
You don’t understand and that’s not fair.
Hello darling, you said to me,
I’d just come up here to give you your tea.


Hello darling, now that one’s new,
You usually say “ I love you.”
Hello darling, just one short phrase,
But it’s what you saw in your mind’s maze


Hello darling your last words to me,
You looked and stared but what did you see?
Hello darling and then you slept,
Good night, sleep tight, we’ll never forget.

Get through the door,
A ginger biscuit,
A glass of Ribena,
Sitting on the sofa,
A tinkle on the piano,
Playing dominos,
Lining them up and knocking them down and repeating.

The green grasshopper,
Leapt from shoulder to shoulder,
You guided,
We looked in amazement,
It was real,
It was magic.

The flick of your hand with a white napkin,
A white mouse was up and down,
Running across your arm,
We looked in amazement,
It was real,
How she did it,
We couldn’t know

A day in the garden,
Chasing the squirrels,
Smelling the flowers,
Hitting the swing ball,
You beat us both,
Every time.

On my seventh birthday,
A dog was what I wanted,
You fulfilled my wish,
A fluffy dog,
Big spotty and white,
Big Dogger,
Inventive naming since age seven,

On several occasions,
You put me in a wheelbarrow,
Who knows why,
It was normal to me,
The way you wrapped me in a blanket,
Push me along,
And how much fun we had.

The train,
The little train,
Where it was heading I never knew,
You covered our eyes,
Wrapped your arms around us,
Protected us from the soot.

The lighthouse trip,
1 step,
2 steps,
253 steps,
I still remember,
All the way to the top we reached,
You ran,
All those steps,
So very many,
But oh the joy when we reached the top.

One Christmas time,
Bailey’s and whiskey,
All was happy,
Dancing along to Christmas songs,
We spun around,
Toppled back on the sofa,
Legs flailing,
Synchronized madness,
All part of the Christmas fun,
Never laughed so much,
Everyone laughed.

One time,
Travelling,
You let one rip,
Out of embarrassment you chose to blame,
Unfortunately for Grandad,
He got the blame,
Out of guilt,
You had to admit,
That you did it,
How amusing we found it

On Holiday in France,
On the balcony,
By the pool,
You dove,
You bombed,
The cold water,
The splash,
All in shock,
All in amazement.

One time,
Almost certainly more than once,
Luckily captured on camera,
A bucket,
You delicately placed on your head,
How funny it was,
It was mad,
It was normal to us.

The car journeys,
The endless bickering,
The front seat,
Were we going the right way?
That was the question,
Grandad always asked,
We never knew.

The zoo,
Howlett zoo,
How you loved the monkeys,
Gorillas especially,
How you would copy them
They were your favourite
People thought you were mad,
It was just normal,
It was just you.

Your crazy dancing,
The way you grabbed us,
Wisk us away,
Do a twirl,
All in a blur,
Of jumping and spinning.

How you sang,
Your voice so pretty and light,
It never stopped you singing,
Always singing,
Sometimes appropriately,
Sometimes not.

You were active,
You were crazy,
It was normal to us
You were kind,
You were creative,
You were beautiful,
You were loving,
You were the Dobster,
You were Granny.

By Stephen and Rebecca

You were the best nan I could have asked for and you will be deeply missed. You have left me with the best memories and carry on your adventure. Love you lots xxx

I will always love you and miss you Granny. For the long weekends looking after us while Mum & Dad went away, feeding us on your pasta with tarragon sauce and playing many swingball tournaments. They will always be fond memories & you will always be in my heart. Whenever I do something funny and crazy, I'll be thinking of you! Lots of love xxxxxx

I have fond memories of Edwin Road and always being made very welcome.

With many happy memories

An Ode to Mum, Pam Ayres and Alzheimer's


I said goodbye three years ago
when your face began to alter.
That vacant look you gave me
said you didn't know your daughter.

Your children became strangers,
though you loved us just the same.
Your memory was fading,
erasing places, faces, names.

So we became your keepers -
locked the doors and hid the knives.
Made scrapbooks out of photographs
with clues to all our lives.

But Mum, you never left me -
held my hand and stroked my hair.
Said my name once in a blue moon -
made it easier to bear.

And although those years weren't easy,
looking back I see the fun -
you dancing in the front room,
still so agile, still so young.

Your constant need to hide things -
spoons and tea towels were the norm.
We'd retrieve them from your trousers
along with keys, all nice and warm!

That crazy, furry monkey.
That noisy garden toad.
The way you grabbed the carers
and dragged them off up Edwin Road!

Your sitting in your garden,
drinking tea and eating cake.
Playing swingball on the front lawn
till my arm began to ache.

Happy days over at Leybourne
Feeding geese - you showed no fear.
Your love of all things male,
specially those who donned a beard!

An independent lady,
you were feisty to the last.
Refused to take your shoes off
or to have a "bloody bath"!

Your loss, they say, is a blessing
and, deep down, I know that's true,
but blessings don't smile or hold your hand
the way you used to do.

So I'll miss you, Mum, forever
but I'll try not to be sad.
And as for "him indoors", don't fret -
we'll all look after Dad.

So rest now, for a moment -
let the angels draw their breath,
before you grab your hat, your gloves
for your best adventure yet.

Look back for just a moment
and know that we adored ya -
then be gone, my rock, my love, my Mum,
my "Dora the Explorer"! xxx

Dear Millie such a lovely lady it was a pleasure to have known you even for a little while there will always be a special place in my heart you are loved by so many may you continue your journey lots of love hugs and kisses always Sally Mc xxxxxxxxx


sses always

Heartfelt condolences to all the family

Millie you were such a wonderful lady and I feel privilaged to have cared for you I have lovely memories of our rides out in the little yellow car and also of us eating mcflurrys until we meet again lots of hugs and kisses Elaine xxx

I am lucky to have had a crackers Granny who was kind and loved all. I will miss you so much, but you are in an MG somewhere sunny and loving life. Love you lots xxxxx