We called him Jan

his 'Sunday' name was William-John. Typically Cornish through and through.
Years before we knew him, he'd had a serious, life-threatening accident. The accident had made deaf in one ear, he'd lost his sense of smell and his memory. Even short term memory was unreliable. But his very dry sense of humour remained.

She was a formidable lady in the best sense of the word. Over the years she worked with him evey day to improve his memory and teach him how to get on with daily life.

She was the main wage earner, he kept house and had a job with Remploy.
Many's the time we had Sunday lunch cooked by Jan.

Years later, she became ill and he nursed her, she carried on teaching him and setting up everything she could to ensure he could carry on after her death.

For 5 years his life went on, tending house and garden. We kept in touch and visited when down in Cornwall. When you got to know him, you realised what a brilliant job she'd done in encouraging and helping him.

I'd phone to say 'put the kettle on, we'll have a coffee' his reply 'oh no! can't do that'... We'd arrive and he'd have timed it perfectly, coffee was being brewed as we walked in.

Happy memories!

Now they are reunited in death.