Stories

Alice’s Tesco jacket hung up in the craft room. The badge is to show that she joined Tesco in 2015. Behind the coat is an unused circular clamp frame she ordered from Amazon.
Alice had already bought a litter picking stick and with my help pushing her in a wheelchair she went around the sea front picking up litter from the prom. She wanted to do something useful. It was difficult putting the litter in the bin bag we had brought as it kept closing up so when we returned home she ordered the bin bag clamp to make it easier. We never did get to use it.

Going into Alice’s shower room you are met with some of Alice’s character. The houses of parliament duck was something she brought back from a school trip to London. She thought it was the silliest thing but had to buy it. The “scream” print she ordered online, again the love of the quirky. Her love of succulent plants is also evident.

Yesterday I was about to format an SD memory card and thought to look if there was anything on it first.

On it I found some short clips I had taken on 29/05/2022 with Alice having her breakfast and a few shots later in the day when we had gone up to Sheringham Park to see the rhododendrons in flower.

We were all aware that Alice’s tumour was regrowing but there was still some hope that it could be controlled with chemotherapy. We did not realise that within 6 weeks she would no longer be alive.

Alice did enjoy watching Youtube videos whilst she had breakfast. There is no sound here as she wore earbuds or her blu tooth hearing aids to better hear the sound from the iPad. Alice had grown used to me filming her and just ignored me. Later we went ot Sheringham park, Alice on her scooter and me on my bike. She loved the scooter, it always attracted attention and in the last shot you can see a lady smile at Alice as she passes.

Alice has always expressed an interest in small electric vehicles. Up till 2021 she had not needed any mobility support, up to 2019 she was able to walk for miles. She had lost confidence on her bike but walking was fine.

I miss my outings with Alice, I do remember this one was not quite as good as the previous ones, she was subdued, perhaps thoughtful of her uncertain future. I would like to think though for a few moments she enjoyed the flowers and being there.

Many thanks to Carol, Laura and Gary for buying a hand made butterfly in memory of Alice to support the Norfolk Hospice.
This butterfly was one of 2,500 that formed a display at Sandringham, the royal retreat in Norfolk. You can read more about the project here: https://www.forged-ironmongery.co.uk/product/butterfly/

Hospices make it easier for families deal with a loved one’s death. We feel fortunate that Alice was looked after at home in her last few days but that is not something that can happen every time and a hospice can be a home from home in those circumstances.

Alice loved butterlies, thank you Carol for giving this to remember her.

Thanks to everyone who wrote and talked to us about Alice and what she meant to them, we will not forget your support.

Out for a walk with Alice we come across Drippy Cat. This is our name for him, one we made up because when you stroke and scratch him his nose drips. He is a common site on the Boulevard in Sheringham but he is not always there. When we do come across him he is pleased to see us and it always brightened our day to see him.

Notice the cross stitch on Alice’s sleve, this interesting free form sewing forms a natural pattern that Alice spent some time doing.
Alice’s creativity is understated, her art is worn on her sleve but never pointed out.

Going for a walk with Alice was something we tried to do daily. Precious time with my daughter, I only realise how precious now.

In her own crafing work, particularly her cross stitching Alice liked small detail. She appreciated tiny objects that were intricate or interesting. A little bit of Alice lives on her display here. The small lego figure of an arctic photographer was sent by Sue Flood for Alice and the star on top (a late addition) comes from Roz Woodward. I only attached the case to the wall after Alice died, it had been just lent on the wall sitting on a radiator, I wish I had done the small act of putting it on the wall for Alice sooner, it would have been a little sign of love that Alice would have appreciated. Sorry Alice.

Click on the image once then zoom in to see the detail.

I collected Alice’s ashes this morning from Blyths of Sheringham. They were very kind and had put the cardboard tube into a plain bag. I had to hold the bag at the bottom as the tube was quite heavy. I decided to go home via the front so I could take Alice to see the sea and progress at the building site at the Burlington hotel on the front. When Alice as alive it was something we did quite often, I wish we could have seen it finished together, we both enjoyed watching the progress.
Alice would have liked the tube, we will take it to scatter sometime in the coming months. We would like to find a small woods on nearby heathland for her return to earth. I will let eveyone know the location when it is done.

On the 22nd July 2022 Tash came to our house and had her hair cut to raise money for some of Alice’s charities: Acorn House and Addenbrookes. Over £2,000 was raised and the hair sent to make wigs. Thank you so much Tash.

Eleven days earlier one of Alice’s last actions was to make the first cut from Tash’s hair. Alice had Tash’s hair in her hand when she was taken away from us to the funeral director with instructions that it was to be kept there.

Since Alice passed people have been sharing memories, raising money for the various cancer charities and many other things that help keep the memory of Alice alive. My Sister Sue and her Husband Paul have dedicated yearly competition cups to the winners of the Moat House Angling Academy Junior and Youth prizes. A big thank you to Paul and Susan Lucas for creating the Alice Johnson Cup!