Additional to Chapter 14

I received a very heart-warming comment to chapter 14 regarding my late mother "Tete" Bentata. This was from one of the carers that looked after her during her 10 years in the Jewish Old People's Home, Angelita Muñoz Torres.

During the early part of those years the staff at the Jewish Home were more or less permanent. This allowed for the creation of a very personal relationship between staff and residents. This was true also of the cleaners as well as the cooks. This system was later changed by the Elderly Care Agency to a rotating basis, much disliked by all residents.
The home then was situated at the end of Line Wall Road, between Hambros Bank, the old Toc-H and the College.... yes, at the end of Lovers Lane!
Visiting residents was easy since the location was very accessible. Today it has been transferred (ostensibly temporarily) to what was the Private Ward in old St Bernard's Hospital. Though the new facilities are undoubtedly far better, far far better, the new location makes visiting the residents very difficult. This is especially so because Jewish relatives and friends of the residents do not use cars on the Sabbath or Jewish Festivals and these are the most popular visiting days.

But, back to the old Jewish Home.

The majority of the staff, but by no means all of them was Spanish. Not just Spanish, Andalusian, and that makes a big difference. In general, character of Andalusians is very open and friendly. So all the staff created an atmosphere that was welcoming and happy to the residents; this made them forget that they were all in fact, in the last Departure Lounge of Life.

Those who have read the chapters where my mother features in them will realise she was a very wide awake and aware human being. Thank God, she kept her marbles to the very last day.
It was in one of those very last days, in fact in her last week of life, that knowing she was about to leave this life, she gave me instructions she wanted me to act upon.
I had given Mum the first Gratitude Coin I designed, so using this and my limited design abilities, I fulfilled the instructions she gave me. I created the attached Plaque. It included her Gratitude Coin Pendant and a sterling silver scroll engraved with her own words. Unfortunately, since the Jewish Home in Lovers Lane was moved, the plaque awaits presentation when the Home returns to its original location.

I include the dedication engraved on the silver scroll which was in English, and its Spanish translation in the hope that Angelita will read it and pass it on to the team that took such good care of my mother

I am eternally grateful to them all.