Why Ann Bailey Sets My Heart On Fire by Hugh, from Xavier College, Kostka Hall
Ann Bailey, my grandmother, was a very close family member to all my cousins, my mum, my dad, all my uncles and aunties and me. She lit up the room whenever she walked in and everyone was always the better for her being there. As a grandson I didn't know how much she was actually doing for us, until she fell sick and sadly passed away peacefully in front of her sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and of course her loving husband Brian, last year.
As a young girl Annie lived in India for a little while, until she was nine. Then tragically World War Two broke out and there was nothing left for her family to do except pack their bags and leave India. All Annie remembers they could pack were some clothes, but not many, her bike, a china doll called Rose and some books. Annie and her family stayed for a few years in England where she attended boarding school. Then after the war, Annie and her family set out for a long boat trip to Tassie. Many of us would have found this boring but to her and all the other kids it wasn't one bit dull. They played heaps of deck games like ‘teena-a-quoit’, which is like badminton and they also had swimming lessons in the pool on the boat.
Annie sets my heart on fire because she had a passion about everything she did. She especially loved the piano, which she enjoyed very much as I do. Not only that but if I needed to be taken somewhere because Mum and Dad were at work. Annie would make time to be there, to take me there, whether it be swimming, football or any other commitment. She was always there for me.
Whenever we would go somewhere Annie would some how have a connection or had met them before. She always dragged us in to meet them and then that shop would be our shop for the summer. We would go there nearly every week. We all miss this now. Even down at our holiday house at Point Lonsdale she would have met the shopkeeper the season before. Even when we were walking on the beach she would walk up to them and say “Hey, haven’t I met you before?” and then proudly introduce us.
She set my heart on fire because she was so loving to us grand children and every time we went over to her house for a visit she would have something special to eat after school or some times even a little present. My favourite time of the day was when I turned the key in the front door lock and walked into the kitchen, it was such a great surprise because she would be there sitting at the kitchen table with a English Breakfast tea and she would have helped herself to the biscuits in the drawer. There would be a present on the table either on a plate or wrapped up in gift paper and she would just wish I would hurry up to open it. We would then discuss our days and wait for my brothers, sister and mum to get home.
This is why Ann Bailey sets my heart on fire.
Ann Bailey, my grandmother, was a very close family member to all my cousins, my mum, my dad, all my uncles and aunties and me. She lit up the room whenever she walked in and everyone was always the better for her being there. As a grandson I didn't know how much she was actually doing for us, until she fell sick and sadly passed away peacefully in front of her sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and of course her loving husband Brian, last year.
As a young girl Annie lived in India for a little while, until she was nine. Then tragically World War Two broke out and there was nothing left for her family to do except pack their bags and leave India. All Annie remembers they could pack were some clothes, but not many, her bike, a china doll called Rose and some books. Annie and her family stayed for a few years in England where she attended boarding school. Then after the war, Annie and her family set out for a long boat trip to Tassie. Many of us would have found this boring but to her and all the other kids it wasn't one bit dull. They played heaps of deck games like ‘teena-a-quoit’, which is like badminton and they also had swimming lessons in the pool on the boat.
Annie sets my heart on fire because she had a passion about everything she did. She especially loved the piano, which she enjoyed very much as I do. Not only that but if I needed to be taken somewhere because Mum and Dad were at work. Annie would make time to be there, to take me there, whether it be swimming, football or any other commitment. She was always there for me.
Whenever we would go somewhere Annie would some how have a connection or had met them before. She always dragged us in to meet them and then that shop would be our shop for the summer. We would go there nearly every week. We all miss this now. Even down at our holiday house at Point Lonsdale she would have met the shopkeeper the season before. Even when we were walking on the beach she would walk up to them and say “Hey, haven’t I met you before?” and then proudly introduce us.
She set my heart on fire because she was so loving to us grand children and every time we went over to her house for a visit she would have something special to eat after school or some times even a little present. My favourite time of the day was when I turned the key in the front door lock and walked into the kitchen, it was such a great surprise because she would be there sitting at the kitchen table with a English Breakfast tea and she would have helped herself to the biscuits in the drawer. There would be a present on the table either on a plate or wrapped up in gift paper and she would just wish I would hurry up to open it. We would then discuss our days and wait for my brothers, sister and mum to get home.
This is why Ann Bailey sets my heart on fire.