Laura

I’ve spoken to a lot of people about Ellie over the past couple of weeks.  One story that sticks in my mind is from our cousin Natalie, but others may be able to relate.  At a fancy place in town, Ellie had ordered eggs Benedict.  When the dish was brought out, she found it was overcooked.  She told the waiter, who took it away and brought a replacement.  She cut into the new eggs, but found these were no better.  She called the waiter back and explained.  He apologised and took them away.  A new dish was delivered.  Sadly, these turned out to have the same problem.  She demonstrated the rubberyness of the yolk, and reminded the waiter again that these eggs should ooze.  As Natalie described this to me, she recalled being both impressed by Ellie’s insistence on receiving the quality food she was paying for, but also being excruciatingly embarrassed and wanting to hide under the table.  Ellie sent the dish back a good 5 or 6 times.  Whenever a new dish was placed in front of her, people seated at tables nearby watched with bated breath to see whether her knife would press into the correct consistency of yolk.  The manager of the restaurant assured her he had stood over the chef as he prepared what must surely be the perfect Egg Benedict.  Sadly there isn’t a happy end to this story.  Every time the egg was disappointing.  Every time the manager’s shoulders slumped further and the collective breath held in the room was let out in a sigh.  Natalie had finished her food 20 minutes before.  

Despite, or perhaps because of her exacting standards, Ellie will be greatly missed.  Her niece, Isla Clove, will miss her favourite auntie Ellie (sorry Abigail.  Sorry Emma), and will remember her particularly fondly because of the Kindle Fire Ellie bought her for her last birthday.  

Almost all of my childhood memories have Ellie in them, or have her calling me through a door because I’d shut her out of my room.  I loved her, of course. And I’m glad we were closer as adults and that she knew I did.  We talked a lot on the phone. We played the virtual pub quiz during lockdown.  She forwarded the best lockdown memes.  I miss her.  

Ellie was a Harry Potter fan and I will finish with some wise words from Sirius Black and Albus Dumbledore.  

"The ones that love us never really leave us."  

"To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever."  

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."