Having a barbie are we?

This is one for my Granddad. He passed away suddenly 18 years ago today and I still miss him. I was just one week away from my long shift break when I was going to see him and the day before he'd been telling me they was looking forward to me coming and the bottle of whiskey I always brought him. I always remember this day as I was sitting my last year 2 uni exam and saw a magpie when I opened the curtains! I knew it was going to be my toughest exam and thought that didn't bode well for the day. My parents didn't tell me until afterwards, I was supposed to go to their house but went back to my flat instead and called them.

He was a lovely Granddad, the only one I had, both him and my Nan were Cornish bread, and moved to South Africa when my Mum was three. They fled back from the uprising when Mum was 16 and lived locally to use for all bar the last few years when they moved to Devon.

Whenever the sun was shining or not on a Saturday we'd get a call - "having a barbie are we?". This was our first one we've cooked on the motorhome BBQ so it was fitting it was today. The Foxes Glacier Mint became a trademark and every time we left he said "better take some emergencies", which came about when my younger sister confused him by asking for foxes, you know sweet foxes Grampy. Emergencies.

RIP Punky.