Spent Saturday making a hot box for the grapevine, and rubbing out the new nubs then creating flower bed with some leftover lovely bulbs from Katie's work..
Always down the allotment with me, in the past and the future. I started off in the plot 45 next to him in 2005, whilst Maggie was pregnant with Sandy
As a newbie everyone wanted to ask Tom, but he wasn't there to chat, but to work. Best advice he gave me, and the only real advice or steer one needs - 'Aach sure Johnny, what can you do, just tap away' - a total digging machine from the Rebel County...
'Hiya Johnny, hows the care?' he'd ask everytime, knowing what was important. We chatted a lot over the years, more when he retired - about gardening, the weather, his war with the pigeons and the rats, trees, nature and Ireland... I remember Katie introducing me to his son in the ward, saying "they spent a lot of time putting the world to rights"... I'd said immediately, not wanting to make any claim "Well, not putting the world to rights, just passing the time". A beautiful big Irish Atlantic soul.
I shared this poem with Katie, and with Tom, in the ward. It's always meant a lot to me, and it means a lot more to me now.. And the message I take, from this and from Tom?
