About

This is about the journey of the rest of my life.

But first, a little bit about my former life.

I was born in 1956 to a fighter jet flying father, and a fashion model mother.

We traveled and lived all over the UK, spent three years in Germany and two in Singapore. We had summer holidays to the South of France, and also spent time on Pangkor Island and Pulau Tioman; the first on the West coast of Malaya, and the other on the East.

Having left school at eighteen, I spent the next four years at university in London. What a great time I had. After two years of study, I was elected onto the Students Union as the Sabbatical Social Secretary. This was a paid position for one year. I was in charge of booking bands, discos, the President’s Ball, film club and folk club. I was taken out by various record company executives, given complimentary tickets to see up and coming groups, sent albums and other merchandise; all so I would book this band, or that group. It was also during this time that I was to meet my future husband.

When I finished university I joined my father in the States. We spent a month in Florida having a terrific time. Driving to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break in his black Pontiac Firebird, with the big gold eagle on the hood. Spending days at Disney World, Busch Gardens and Seaworld. We then drove for three days, via New Orleans with the vibrant Bourbon Street, onto Wichita Falls, and then to the other side of the Rockies, staying in Durango for another month. We partied, skiied, flew and partied some more. Skiing mostly at Purgatory, but also Telluride. We journeyed to Silverton on the amazing locomotive, we drove to Mesa Verde. We flew over the Hoover Dam, and landed at the Grand Canyon. We flew to Palm Springs for another party. Our next destination was the West coast of California; Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Los Angeles, Monterrey, Nepenthe, Carmel, San Diego and San Francisco. What an awesome three months I had.

On returning to the UK, I went back to university to complete a Post Graduate teaching certificate. I thought if I wanted to keep traveling, I better find a job with decent holidays! I became a teacher of mathematics.

After a year of teaching I got married; my husband in Naval uniform, myself in a white lace gown I had made, exiting the church beneath an arch of swords held aloft. The crowds were huge, and we also managed to stop the traffic!

Following the birth of our two sons, we were lucky enough to be posted to Australia, where my husband would spend two years with their Navy. On the flight out we stopped off in Hong Kong for a week. The colours, smells, and sounds were all so intense; a cacophony of cultures, interacting together on a small, lively island that never appeared to sleep.

Our new home was located just South East of Melbourne. What a marvellous opportunity, and a wonderful adventure we were about to embark upon. We traveled during every school holiday; to Canberra, Sydney, Magnetic Island, the Great Barrier Reef. We panned for gold at Bendigo, fed kangaroos on the beach, walked through the rainforest, drove along the Great Ocean Road, watched surfers at Bells Beach, saw AUSCAR/NASCAR races at the Thunderdome, skiied the Australian Alps at Mount Baw Baw and gazed in awe at the Fairey Penguins on Phillip Island.

Coming home to England, we had a stopover in Singapore for a little over a week. And so another round of sightseeing began. The zoo, Botanical Gardens, Raffles, Sentosa Island, Tiger Balm Gardens, Jumbo floating restaurant, Bougis Street and the ladyboys, and a Singapore Harbour boat trip. We certainly do pack in as much as we can!

And so back home to Cornwall, where I returned to teaching, but still kept the travel bug alive! We started to spend our summer vacations with my father, onboard his yacht; for three, four or five weeks, we became boat gypsies.
Our first trip was to the beautiful island of Bermuda, where we sailed, swam, snorkelled and went sightseeing.
The following year we had the first of two visits to Tobago. The most beautiful bays and coves, with abundant sealife, including turtles, manta rays, dolphins, angel and parrot fish, were breathtaking beyond belief.
Another island trip was to the BVI’s; and here we had the most fantastic sailing. To secluded beach bars; perfect white, sandy bays; catching tuna; marvelling at the sunsets; rum punches and painkillers (rum, coconut cream, nutmeg, plus maraschino cherry, and yes, maybe a little umbrella!)

Having sailed in the islands, the rest of our trips to the US took us to South Carolina, a state full of Southern charm, beautiful beaches, fantastic shopping, and wonderful friends. From here we would drive all the way down to Florida and back, taking in the theme parks of Orlando, the beaches on the Space Coast, to the magical Keys.
We now travel there every summer, without fail.
Four Christmas vacations have been spent in Orlando, including one where we saw in the new millennium sitting on Cocoa Beach at five in the morning; a truly amazing experience. We were also lucky enough to have two more vacations at this time of the year, but staying on my father’s yacht in Marathon, in the Keys. Party time in Key West is such fun!

253 responses »

  5. Wow, you have had an interesting life! How wonderful to have seen so much of the world. I really enjoyed reading about you and you wander lust. We’ve seen a few places worldwide, including the Barrier Reef, but our experiences pale into nothingness compared to yours. I’m wondering how long you’ll stay in Cornwall. We’re heading down there in June, just for a week. I’m hoping to visit some Neolithic sites down there, amongst other things.
    I’m sorry I’ve taken so long to get back to you. I’m trying to get on Book 3 of my trilogy and haven’t been on my blog much lately. It’s lovely to meet you at last.

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    • Thank you for your great message. We have always been so lucky to be able to travel and take advantage of many opportunities given to us.
      Hope you enjoy Cornwall; I’m sure you will.
      Lovely to meet you, too.
      Melanie x

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  7. Hello, usually I would follow your blog but it is just too heartbreaking for me.
    After your followed mine I checked out this blog and did not understand at first. Reading for a long time story by story ended up that I went to my son at night to watch him and fall asleep next to his bed on the ground.
    All the best for you and your family, losing someone is never easy. I know it myself has it had happened to my family already way too often and way to early.
    I could not find any more updates regarding your story, how is the foot? My mother had malignant melanoma when I was ten year old on her face. She only found it out early enough as a co-worker asked her to get it checked out. Everything is fine now but of course she has her yearly cancer checkups. To make it even worse about finding out the cancer was that she got the diagnosis on the same day half our home burned down.

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    • Thank you for your comments, and sorry for all the troubles you and your family have gone through.
      My own melanoma story is still on going: I am in Year 3 of a clinical trial, and at present am NED ~ no evidence of disease.
      I have six-monthly checks with my oncologist, dermatologist and trials nurse.
      My foot has healed well, as has the skin graft on my thigh.
      The lymphadenectomy surgery to the top of my leg showed the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, which were removed, and has resulted in lymphoedema.
      I am regularly monitored, and am thankful for that.
      Take care.
      x

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  10. Quite an amazing set of life experiences from 1956 on. I’m glad that you came and experienced some of our Aussie culture — you probably saw more than many who have lived here their whole lives. Aren’t those penguins on Phillip Island the cutest! Best wishes from Brisbane, Australia.

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    • Hi. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
      We had the most amazing two years in Australia ~ we loved every minute, and tried to explore as much as we could.
      The penguins on Phillip Island were terrific, all waddling out of the ocean at dusk: like being present at a natural history documentary ~ and it happens every single day of the year.
      One year we’ll come back, revisit old haunts and make new memories.
      Take care.
      Melanie x

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  13. You have indeed lived a full life!! Wonderfully adventurous, I believe life is supposed to be lived and lived out loud. I’m so happy you stopped by my blog because that gave me the opportunity to find yours.

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  17. Pingback: I Feel Stupid…and Contagious–On the Occasion that Your Mom is Called an “Entertainer” – dearlilyjune

  18. So…there’s this thing called The Entertainer Blogger Award that I nominated you for here:

    I Feel Stupid…and Contagious–On the Occasion that Your Mom is Called an “Entertainer”

    Even if you decide not to “follow the rules” for the award (you rebel!) I just want you to know that I respect you and what you write on your blog.

    Just so you don’t think I’m trying to con you into reading my blog against your wishes, I’m copying what I wrote about you there below:

    MeRaw–She’s lived everywhere; she’s done everything. Her blog is a series of tributes to her son, taken too soon, but alive in the minds of her readers.

    Thanks for what you do.

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  21. Hi, you always like the work that I post, and I realise that I have been remiss in thanking you for your support. It means a great deal to me that people appreciate what I do, writing is oftentimes a lonely business and you taking the time to read and appreciate the work means a great deal to me. Thank you.

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  26. You’re truly blessed to have travelled the world and lived in so many countries. BTW, I’m from Malaysia and I’m happy to know that you had spent time in Pangkor Island and Pulau Tioman. And for the rest of your journey, I wish you love, peace, laughter and loving-kindness. (>‿◠)✌

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    • Thank you for stopping by, and for your great comments.
      I do remember fondly, our family holidays in Malaysia, and the wonderful adventures we had: such a beautiful part of the world.
      Take care.
      x

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  27. Thank you for your wonderful, colourful, beautiful, heartfelt blog. I too am going through a lengthy bereavement process (for both my parents) and it is such a comfort to blog, and to be inspired by the blogs of others. Sending love and warm wishes xx

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    • Thank you for visiting my blog, and for your good wishes.
      And so sorry for your losses.
      I too find it a comfort, and quite therapeutic to write my thoughts.
      Take good care.
      x

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  34. Thank you for following my blog. We share some things in common. If you are ever near Busch Gardens again, perhaps we can have a cup of coffee together. My husband is retired military; my mom worked as a model; and I went to school for a semester in London. Oh, I also become a teacher later in life and my husband has stage 4 cancer of the small intestine.

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  37. Thank you for reading me almost daily. I put all my blogs that I thought had merit in a small book which I published. Take a look. It is on Amazon.com Then type in books. Then type in short stories and other stuff. My book should pop up with a cat on the cover. Sincerely, Barry

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  39. Thank you for stopping by my blog and I have stopped by and visited yours as well. We were born in the same year, but, I am envious of your travels around the world. I, too, have travelled, but not since the early 1980s. But I have been reading about the dark cloud that has hung over you, with your beloved son’s suffering and death, and, also the problems with your foot. I am so sorry for your loss and I have been reading some of your posts rejoicing in his life…. you are smart to keep him alive in your mind and heart. The photos of the roses are beautiful. Many blessings to you.

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  41. Hi, for patients of malignant melanoma I recommend this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WyEsN9DzSo
    It is a long video with lots of information.
    Even if you have done chemo and things look good, it is highly recommended to watch this video since chemo kills cancer cells and at the same time destroys your immune system, so after chemo one needs to restore the immune system.
    Best regards,
    Marcus

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  43. Hello MeRaw!
    Thanks for following my blog, although I’m not near the prolific blogger you are, I’m afraid. What an interesting and enriching life you have led … I am looking forward to reading more of your blog. I have grandchildren visiting tonight so I’ve just got to look at the computer for a few minutes; they commandeer my devices when they are here. I think we have some things in common and we are the same ‘vintage’. 🙂

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  44. Hi there!
    What an amazing story!! What an amazing journey!! Thank you for popping in on my blog. Don’t be alarm when you see likes and comments from posts you wrote in 2014… I’m late like that:-)

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  48. I wanted to thank you (belatedly) for visiting and following my blog, and really I hadn’t read enough about you until today, contenting myself, if that’s the right word, with your heartfelt poetry. I thought of “she loves the rose who sees the flowers, not the thorns” when I looked at your pictures and I felt your sadness; I’m sorry for that intrusion. We are both West Country souls, it seems – I was born in Dartmouth, raised in Exeter and around Taunton, in Somerset. So I know your bear your burden in as perfect a place as the world can offer. You have seen much, but there is still much to see.

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    • Thank you very much indeed for your kind words and caring thoughts.
      I went to university in Exeter to complete my postgraduate teacher training; such a great city. Then we spent a year in Lympstone whilst my husband was at the Commando Training Centre.
      Melanie x

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  49. HI, thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post – Happy birthday, Wonder Woman. I am enjoying my visit to yours. There is indeed no pain like that of losing a child.

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