My first memory was a visit to John Street I had been invited to Sunday dinner, Easter Sunday to be exact by the mother of the  girl I had recently met.

I walked through the door not knowing what to expect, i was met with a bustling hive of activity, with this scary lady cooking, shouting Italian, giving out instructions while the family laid numerous place settings at the small round table.

I was sat down, squeezed between my date and a family member bearing in mind this was probably only our 3rd or 4th date and handed this plate of clear liquid. I didn't know whether to run laugh or cry. Salute someone shouted, there was a lot clinking of glasses then all tucked in.

The soup of course was very nice and was soon replaced with what was described as home made tagliatelle, coming from a typical English background I had never tasted food so good and it was only the second course or secondo in Italian.

So after that first fateful meeting , meal, grilling or date this scary lady became part of my life as I became part of hers becoming the best mother in law i could hope for.

In my first year of marriage she took me and Daniela to her home town in Italy, Civitanova, which was the first of a number of holidays together, she would look after my family when I worked away, she would always make Delicious meals for us, she would always greet me with a smile and say “ you look smashing, you never change" she probably said that to most people but it always cheered me up.

She was the centre of La Famiglia, the focal point, the glue, she will be missed deeply by all.

To a very special lady, mamma and nanna.
Grahame x