My grandmother passed away this morning at age 98(ish). Here’s a few initial thoughts I posted on Facebook because my uncle forced my hand, but it’s hard to describe the mix of grief, relief, and sadness I’m currently feeling as all I’ve ever known is being her carer/translator/home help.
![I half think spite was keeping her alive for so long, and I know how lucky I am to have had her for as long as I did. Well, grandma, you did it. All your enemies are dead now so it's time for you to go in peace. I promise I'll look after mum and everything will be okay for us.
[Imagine I'm saying all this in Thai as of course, she never spoke English and my Thai writing skills suck]
My uncle Pan, her favourite son, died earlier this year which we weren't able to tell her given her frailty, but a couple of days ago she was saying she was dreaming of him, so I like to think he was welcoming her home.
I don't have many photos of her in recent years as she hated getting her picture taken but here's a selfie we took together last year.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dato4odhy5ldcqmzjlqmntzf/bafkreibgyycwi2e2pghw3eq6de2lg22sqv2egyxsbjzb35j25v4rt55byy)
![Text of a news story:
THRASHED BY A LADY CYCLIST.
WHO IS NOTED FOR HER ATHLETIC POWERS.
[SUBJECT OF ILLUSTRATION.]
AN extraordinary scene was witnessed on Saturday morning in Peel Lane, a thoroughfare connecting Little Hulton with Tyldesley, in which the principal participants were a young lady cyclist and a youth of nineteen or twenty. The lady was riding at a good pace, and when in a quiet part of the road the young man, who had apparently been imbibing, stepped into the roadway, and, addressing some insulting remarks to the cyclist, made as if he intended pulling her off the machine. She immediately alighted, caught hold of the astonished youth, and gave him a sound thrashing, using her fists in scientific fashion, to the delight of several colliers who were passing. The young man made off, and the cyclist, who is believed to be a Bolton lady noted for her athletic powers, rode off towards Tyldesley.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qasupedi6vhfl7wzamgjyit7/bafkreidbxsjbfzfqmgjcsqi2njrb4ycisv47zk7tjje6dqogkxwhaeivkm)
