I Remember Olwen

I didn't have the privilege of meeting three of my grandparents. They had all died before I was born. I did know my Nan but my time with her was short as she passed away when I was three or four.

I knew my Aunt Olwen, though.

She was like a grandparent to me. She was here every year for Christmas making sure she stayed over the night before so she could witness my sister and I opening our presents.

And then there were the Saturdays.

My Mother would work and my Father would be playing rugby so she would look after us at her flat.

I could sit here writing all day about some of my fond memories of those Saturdays. Instead I will do quick points of some of my classic memories.

I remember her walking to the shopping area in her neighbourhood and on the walk there I was telling her a tall-tale about how I was friends with Barry McGuigan and that I had boxed with him when I was in Ireland visiting family. In hindsight, she knew I was full of it but she played along with me and let me live my lie.

I remember the black and white television she had. We would watch the Saturday morning shows on there. The most notable one being the wrestling. It was on one of these weekends that ITV aired an exclusive match from Madison Square Garden featuring an American wrestler who came to the ring with a helmet with a fist coming out of it. A few years later the wrestler would become one of my heroes - Hulk Hogan.

I remember her buying me these sticky spider toys that glowed in the dark. I then wrote a short story featuring them. She them asked me to write a story about princesses and princes rather than spiders. So I did. But the spiders made an appearance in it anyway!

She passed away eight years ago today.

Sure, I didn't have any grandparents around me when I was growing up but Aunt Olwen made up for it.