361/365 Susie

This is my wonderful sister-in-law, Susie. She is married to my eldest brother Steve. They have 3 girls, Holly, Katie & Thea, but lost their only son Harvey, between Holly & Katie. Harvey left a footprint on her heart, as Kim left one on mine. (See 96/365) We drove down to see them today and swap Christmas gifts. A long drive for a short visit, but worth it to see them.

Here's Katie!

241/365 We are Family...

We had a family picnic today with my brother Roland (far right, obviously) his daughter Nathalie (centre) and step-daughter Lauren, left, along with my SIL Suzanne, Nathalie's 3 brothers (Louis, Benny & Sebby), Lauren's sister Kelsey, Lauren's boyfriend Alex, Mark, Oliver, Jodie, me, Uncle Tom Cobley & all! We went to Sutton Park, the boys played some football, we ate loads of food and I took a few pictures. The cousins are over from France for le weekend.

217/365 Old family photographs

This afternoon was spent looking through old photographs of my family. I took the boxes of prints and negatives to Roland & Suzanne's - Suzanne had asked if I could look out any photos of Roland growing up. Our Dad was a keen photographer for many years and had a darkroom of his own.

Across the bottom you can see our elder brother Steve, our Mum, Steve again. Across the centre - Rol & Steve with Mum; cousins Cathryn & David, our Mum holding baby Steve on the top of the wall, and Aunty Honey (Ethel) and Uncle Alf (obscured); Aunty Honey holding a turkey (they were farmers). Top image is cousin Cathryn; top right Roland as a toddler and Steve (obscured) with 2 girls whom we think may be Uncle George's daughters, so cousins.

The oldest images were of our parents as babies/toddlers in the early 1930s. As is so often the case, only a few pictures had any info on the reverse, and some that had been in albums had been removed or fallen out and so were separated from their captions.

Our own children will have digital archives with not just dates but the times that images were captured - but still not necessarily names and places!

190/365 Welcome Little One

I was thrilled to be able to meet baby Olivia this morning. Olivia is one week old today and mother and baby are doing just fine. Many thanks to H & G for welcoming me into their home to share their little ray of sunshine. Wow...

31/365 Happy Birthday Rita - make a wish!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Mum/Grandma/Rita, Happy Birthday to you! What do you wish for at the age of 80? To have health and happiness and family around you I think, I didn't ask her! Rita, my wonderful Mother-in-law, is in pretty good health for her age and celebrated with her three sons and their families, and her sister, her niece and her niece's family. Her grand-daughter Cheryl is holding the cake which is '80' in chocolate sponge with butter-cream filling and frosting, and 8 candles. Cheryl baked it - it was delicious! Cheryl's dad Keith is standing behind her, having just said a few words (he's the eldest son), then in the background from right to left is Ian (middle son, whose home it is), my son Oliver, Rita's great nephew Ben & his Mum Diana (Rita's niece) and her husband Steve. You may have worked out by now that I am married to the youngest son, Mark! Happy Birthday Rita, and many happy returns.