Marilyn 8th March 2018

Dear Diane One vivid image of you is of you standing in Mum and Dad’s garden in Kingston Avenue, probably before it became your home. You were wearing a bright yellow pleated dress with a black cardigan and black beads and I thought you looked just stunning. I was probably 11 and you 18 at the time. At the same age you and Graham took me to the cinema to see (I think) Cliff Richard in ‘Summer Holiday’. We ate (I think) ‘Quality Street’ chocolates, and this would make you laugh – Mum gave me strict instructions not to sit between you and Graham as you were “courting”!!!! Whilst I may be wrong about the precise details, the thing I remember most was a sense of being included. That became your hallmark throughout your life. You never forgot a birthday and you frequently called in when in Worcestershire. Thanks to you, we all felt included and were able to remain a part of the Diane family. For some reason, it made sense (to me at least) to write these memories in the form of a letter. As such, It would be logical to sign off in the traditional letter way. It seems much more fitting, though, to end where we started with ‘Dear Diane’. Marilyn