.... When I say family, I mean the one you grew up with , the one you were with every day and the one in which you played with all those amazing toys as a kid.
Mum, Dad, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, Uncles, Aunts, all that. It seemed vast and constant when I was a kid in the Sixties. It was around me every day until I was 16.
Over the decades it has shrunk dramatically to hardly anything and scattered allover the place. Its unrecognisable to what it was.
Its strange and sad how it happens, shrinking family life. Sometimes all we are left with are the records, books and toys we had.
What do you think readers? Is this your experience?
Not really, I am an only child. Sadly, both my parents are now gone (Dad made 90, he'd been saying he wasn't long for this world from the age of 35!). I am still in touch with some of my school friends, including a chap I met on the day I was born (apparently!).
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of your Dad Kev!
DeleteI'm not from a really close family, and recently lost the only relative I really liked (a cousin). I miss the world I grew up in, in general, but not really my family. I suppose living with my partner for over 30 years, that is my "family"!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've found a nice balance Andy between the past and the present.
DeleteVery much so. There was a time when I was surrounded by my close family. Every few days or so my childhood home would be visited by a family member.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I were by far the youngest, now we are the only ones left. Neither of us were lucky enough to be blessed with children and sadly when our time comes to pass on, our family will become extinct.
But I can say that we have some of the most wonderful of memories and although we both miss our loved and lost family. As long as we live, they live within us.
I'm very similar Bill, the youngest of five. Like you and your brother, the memories of our family live in us and what we say about them. Distance is the obstruction now. How far apart we all live.
DeleteI often think of my first dog, Woodsy. A pup I called Bruno. I got him when I was an 11 year old lad starting secondary school. He passed away when I was a married 22 year old, with a little lad of my own. I've never forget his friendship and still miss him. Very lucky to have shared that time with him :)
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DeleteYeah, dogs are family too. I miss my youth and all the things associated with it, but, depending on circumstances, others won't necessarily feel the same.
DeleteI agree Tone and Kid, dogs are special and sounds like they were important to you. Bruno must have been your best friend Tone. Dogs love humans and vice versa. The dog of my youth was called Shandy, bless her.
DeleteKid and Tony K, your replies reminded me of the beautiful big Tom Cat who I actually delivered with my Brother.
ReplyDeleteHe was born on july 3rd 1993 at 10AM.
Rizla was one of the most loving creatures I have ever met. (For a cat that is no mean feat) He lived until he was nearly 15 and like with my closest family I miss him.
He used to chatter away as if he had his own language. One day I recorded him and put the recordings into the radio playout system! Rizla actually presented a show on Celtica Radio!
It was really surreal, and hilarious when Jane Cullen did a double header with him!
Rizla sounds wonderful Bill and you have lovely vivid memories of him. Its a great name and its fab that he's graced Celtica with a Tomcast! Superb!
DeleteRizla makes me think of Nick Drake's LP Five Leaves Left!
DeleteAs an only child I created my own worlds through imagination. Post WW2 Britain was rather gray and having comics like Eagle, and illustrated books like Toby Twirl, Nicholas Thomas and Thomas the Tank Engine awakened a love of colour and illustration.
ReplyDeleteWhile I have vivid memories of childhood events, school or vacation, riding double deck trams, steam trains, over all they are not highlights of a life, just events.
I miss the passing of my parents and the many trips back to the UK to visit them, but events through over 43 years of marriage and living in the USA, becoming a parent and soon to be grandparent mean that the past is the past.
Back around 1956 when my parents bought me a Hornby Dublo electric train set my mother told me to look after it as it was expensive and not to treat it as my other toys. Testament to the quality of that toy, I still play with it, and when I built a permanent layout (occasionally seen on this blog) it brought back memories of projects done with my Dad.
My cat who shared my hobbies, toy trains and toy soldiers lived for 13 years. He was fond of sleeping on the baseboard in the middle of an oval of track with my train going around and around him. When his nap was over the indication was his ears moving, following the noise of the train.
I still read comics, play with toy trains, ride real trains and trams when possible, so influences from childhood for good or worse are still there.
And I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up?
Also poignant vivid memories Terran and a pleasure to read about. You've lived a fascinating transatlantic life. The latest chapter, Grandparenting, to come too! What was your cat called?
DeleteMy cat was named Timothy Thomas, a combination of names from the Nicholas Thomas books. He was ginger and white, part Persian, and from a litter of kittens he chose me.
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