Happy Birthday Bett

Its Bett s birthday today . 71 and counting , she said when we met her coming round to say thanks for the little present I pushed through her door at seven forty as I took Alice out ( we ordered some greetings card made out of a photo of her beloved cat William ( he 's a Birman too, and Pearl 's third son so he's quite dear to our hearts too ) .

Bett is a truly amazing person . She has lived on the same road as us for several years and nursed her husband Les at home until he died the winter before last .

Bett is a great gardener and " does " many of the gardens round here , including a long stretch of the council owned grass in front of all of our properties . In Summer she is out from early morning till the light is done , and as she gardens she makes everything look easy . Despite her years she manages always to make living look like a joy , always a smile and a word for all passers by . She rarely gardens alone , either . Before her four grandchildren were in school she childminded all four of them on a regular basis , so she would do her planting , watering and tending with her little girls in tow. Now that she looks after the girls pre and after school only , she usually has a dog or two with her . Bett is a true animal lover and would rather her neighbours' dogs were out with her , under her watchful eye , than alone indoors . She has already taken Alice to the park for us one day when D wasn't at home all day . Often one of her cats will sit on the wall watching her progress and looking disgruntled as the dogs race around having fun . Bett doesn't just garden , she muti tasks out there , throwing balls for the dogs as she goes .

Before we had the Birmans we had two elderly cats , both of whom as their days drew in chose to move in with Bett and no amount of persuasion would bring them home . We joked that with Bett feeding three times a day and being " always there " it was no wonder they left us , although both of them spent a final night with us , saying goodbye before they died .
Being "always there" is the thing I connect with Bett . When my ex left , completely unexpectedly and left N and I shell shocked and traumatised , she was always there , and seeing her out in the gardens , bent over the earth , she would give me the strength to go on .
Happy Birthday Bett .