Family

Before I begin I need to remind readers that these are only parts of my life, I could write about much more and may release some more in the future.

Chapter 1 Family

My Brother,
One of the most important people in my life for the obvious reason that he is my brother and despite little petty arguments can get along really well. When I look at my brother I see very similar characteristics to me as you can imagine and what I love most about him him is that he is the typical older brother, always looks out for me and manages to make me laugh when I feel down. If I think about it I bet I could count as many times he's made me smile then the times he's made me cry, what older brothers do I suppose when you're growing up. I need to spend more time with him because as we grow up we'll grow apart.

My Mum,
How on earth would I cope without her?!?! Cooks, cleans, washes my clothes. As a loving mother does. I often feel that my mum isn't appreciated enough for looking after 3 grown men haha (note to self, HELP OUT!!!). She has told me that of course obviously she loves us lads (the boys), she did hope she would have a daughter, 'its alright for you Rich at least you can do things with the lads', she was of course referring to lads stuff like when the 3 of us go and play snooker etc. I think my mum is happy, but very stressed with all of us, for not helping out and being lazy. I think if my mum had had at least one daughter she would be over the moon because it means she would have been able to do girl things like playing with hair and make up and going shopping with her etc. Not that she isn't happy with what she's got. I will be calm when been given instruction and do us I'm told straight away. I hope this will help her calm down.

My Dad,
He is a workman, a labourer, a last generation representation of knowing what a hard days work really is. Working at the same place since he was 16. Dirty work Mon-Fri 8-5. I wonder how he has managed to do it for all these years. There aren't many like that now. I'm not sure if he enjoys his work but he definitely has grit it out if he doesn't and why? To provide his family with a good standard of living. He is one of the few people I turn to when I have a problem. I have started to talk to him about what's going on in my life recently and I believe it has brought us even closer together. Our conversations will be about anything recent or have i heard of this and that. I hated him taking me walking every Sunday as a kid but now I'm grown up I'm so glad he did because I have seen some wonderful places/views that without early encouragement I may not have seen as many growing up in the city. I feel he is quite happy and content with his life, the last 20 years of his life though I think have had a similar pattern, not just because of work but because he comes home from work, showers, eats, watches TV and goes to bed. This happens 5 days a week for the past so many years. I think that now me and my brother are older and can look after ourselves he needs to get in touch with friends and colleagues and do something outside work. But if he's happy enough in front of the telly chatting to my mother every night, who cares =). Relationship advice, financial advice, things to be aware of and advice to live by. A few of things we talk about.

Grandad (dad's dad),
My dad's enjoyment of walking and camping came from somewhere, it must be in the blood haha. My Grandad must be one of the most active OAP's ever. He is constantly going on walking and diving holidays. I don't even know he's away sometimes he goes away that much and usually for at least a month. I find out about his travels usually when he makes a pleasant unexpected visit for a cup of tea and talks about where he's been. I know little about his past, however I do know that he did go to war, it's something that I've always wanted to ask him about and listen to his stories...but I dare not to ask because my mother says he doesn't like to talk about it and it makes me wonder what he must have witnessed during battle. I also know that he and my nan ran a cafe together as my dad always points it out whenever we pass the area or talk about a local celebrity (forgot who he said) always came in and was quite a regular when in town. Whether there's truth in this I don't know but I choose to believe it. My parents have told me that when my nan died he became really depressed and when still grieving he went to Jamaica for a few months and then came back married after only knowing her for 3 months or so. She moved to the UK along with who I consider step uncles and aunt. My grandad and his new bride went on to have a child of their own, this is how I have a 15 year old half aunt. He also ran his own garage when he closed down the cafe until he retired. He knows his cars and from what I can remember had a very nice sports car at the time until my nan made him sell it. He is now separated and moved out of the home I've always known him from because she is living there and will not give him a straight divorce or something. Family members of mine were always suspicious about her intentions but even if they were to get a passport at least I gained a half Aunt.

Grandad (mum's dad),
I have few memories of him as a young child and never saw him in his final years. 'We will all love and cherish the memories you have given us' ... one of my aunts speaking at his funeral. I was 15 when he died. I could hardly hold back the tears knowing that I have like only one memory of him. Me, my mum, aunts and him were playing cards and dominoes as I had just learnt to play, I was young. My tears really started flowing when my aunt went on to talk about how proud he looked when he walked down the aisle to give my mum away. It is always the picture I often try to imagine when he's mentioned in conversation. My mum was in bits as you can imagine and I often had to comfort her, I remember when she was going through old photos and showing me them and telling a story with each one. My mum, aunts and uncles often go see his grave, maybe I should go with them sometime.

Nan Eileen (mum's mum),
I really don't know much about her other than she does often use bad language (well from what I can remember). She is still with us, I definitely need to visit her sometime because I haven't seen her since my grandads funeral.....4 years ago or maybe more. I know she brought 7 people into this world. 7 kids!!!
How on earth did my grandparents manage? I really don't know. 2 boys and 5 girls, sounds like mayhem!!! Well they've all done well for themselves and they are both proud of each of them as now they've all grown up they can appreciate even more how they managed to cope. I remember when my mum told me that she would have to have the lower part of her leg amputated. I can't remember what infection/disease she had. Heard they all (aunts uncles mum and her) laughed to this. What do you call a woman with one leg? Eileen.

Great Grandad (dad's grandad)
My dad told me how when he went to war he had to change his name for some reason on birth certificate so we never actually knew his age precisely because he had 2 birth certificates, all very confusing what I was told anyway.
Not sure how many childhood Sunday's I went to my great Grandads. I can picture him sat in his little cottage perfectly. I remember the blanket used on his couch, colourful handmade blankets and such on his rocking chair, the little foot rest I used to sit on, his black and white TV. I could go on about the detail I remember, even the bananas in a fruit bowl in the bathroom haha. When he had an accident at home and became blind for a while, mind you his sight and hearing was never good when I started visiting. The kettle whistling, one room upstairs and every time I helped out cleaning. The park that was close, the hill me and my brother and cousins used to play tag on. The autumn season playing conkers, throwing sticks at the tree to try and get new ones, the winter season, making a giant snowman with my brother and dad, the tree that had animals carved into it, when my brother broke his arm when he fell from a tarzan swing, the way he used to make me laugh by wobbling his cheeks and making funny noises but most of all..... Fizzynaily =)

Nan (Dad's nan i think)
Was to young to remember much cause she died when I was young. I've seen old photo's of her holding me as a baby. I can remember her waving us off in the car, at least I think I can, not sure whether or not it was a dream or not. But I remember what she looked like without the need of photos. Not sure how often I visited but I always remember the orange toy digger that my brother got and always got a treat, usually smarties I think haha

Aunts, Uncles and Cousins
Well I don't know much about some of my Aunts and Uncles. The Aunts I often saw were my mums twin sisters, Stella and Wendy. This was mainly because their kids were around the same age as me and my brother. Stella and Phil have Craig, Kay and Rebbecca whilst Wendy and Jeff had Christopher, Nicholas and Thomas. I often used to see my cousins growing up. Every Friday and Saturday me, my brother, Chris and Nick would go to boys brigade at the church my parents got married at. Thinking back about it all I can remember is having to prayer and then doing activities like drawing/colouring in, sewing and cooking I think =S. The best bit though was afterwards when they opened up the sweet shop and then going back to my cousins for a bit playing video games and watching wrestling.

Shortly after leaving the boys brigade my mum/aunts started visiting my nan every Friday evening and still currently do. For many years however my cousins Craig, Kay and Rebbecca would come round and we'd play video games, board games, wrestle and make up silly little games. There are plenty of fun memories though before that. Every other Saturday I'd go to their house and do exactly the same except you could play hide and seek in their house because it was much bigger. I can also remember the summers when we they used to have a big water slide and BBQ in their garden. The castle playground that was made was memorable. I can remember the day when we destroyed it a few years ago. I remember the birthday parties as well that took place at their house, playing party games and jelly and ice cream haha. The time did start coming (during the teen years) where this just got boring and would instead go to the snooker with my school mates instead.

Chris and Nick visited every other Sunday to play video games and we used to watch wrestling and see who could do what move. Nothing crazy thank god haha.

My cousins were a big part of my growing up and I don't see them much anymore.

My Aunt Shelia and Uncle Rob are really nice and have always got on with them. My Aunt Shelia used to work in the nursery I was going to whilst I was there. I saw them the other week. It'd been a while and they had brought my little cousins from Spain, Danny and Mario. I would very much like the picture that was taken the other day. How cools that though? I have an Aunt younger than me and a cousin called Mario haha.