Category Archives: Brother

Apr8

A day at the beach

Posted on April 8, 2016 by MeRaw

Friday 8th April

After breakfast this morning, dad and I walked a mile and a half to the Corte Inglés (an up-market department store), for a Starbucks. A lovely stroll in the sunshine.

At twelve thirty, almost on the dot, your brother and his girlfriend arrived, picked us up from the hotel, and drove south out of Lisbon to a quiet beach area called Praia da Fonte da Telha. We had lunch and a few beers at a superb restaurant, then sat on the sand watching the kite and wind surfers. A fabulous way to spend a few hours.

I’m not sure you would have enjoyed this evening, though: probably far too late for you ~ we didn’t go out until eight thirty, sat down to order dinner at ten, and returned to the hotel just before midnight. Portuguese and Spanish people do eat late.
You would always have your dinner at six, on the dot. Such a hard and fastened routine for you. But it was what you had become used to.

Thinking of you every step of the way.
Love you so very much.
Missing you always.

xxxxxxx

The beach bar sandy seating area

A terrific setting for lunch

Dad, your brother and I

Smiling in the sunshine

Frankie Angel Bear on the sand dunes

A quiet spot

Mar30

My boys

Posted on March 30, 2016 by MeRaw

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Wednesday 30th March

My boys.
My two lovely boys.

Do you have any children?
Yes, I have two.
One on earth
And one in heaven.

One forever thirty
And one who’ll soon be twenty nine.

My boys.
My two lovely boys.

I love you both so very much.
To the moon and back and all the world.

xxxxxxx

Smarty pants and bow ties. A family wedding 1992

Mar28

No buddy

Posted on March 28, 2016 by MeRaw

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Monday 28th March

You didn’t always see eye to eye
You and your younger brother,
But in your own ways, loved each other.
There is no buddy like a brother.

Friends, companions and playmates,
You and your younger brother,
Always looking out for one another.
There is no buddy like a brother.

Australia, 1990

Tobago, 1995

Brothers forever.

Missing you so much.
Love you to the moon and back.
Darling Angel son.

xxxxxxx

Your bunny buddy

After the storm

Dark grey skies

Brooding clouds

Mar1

Our roots remain as one

Posted on March 1, 2016 by MeRaw

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Tuesday 1st March

“Like branches on a tree . . . . .
We may grow in different directions,
But our roots remain as one.”

We are a close knit family,
Travelling together so happily.

Summer vacations and holidays,
Thought we’d be together always.

But three are here, one in heaven,
Love for each other, never lessen.

Thankful for those family ties,
Growing stronger, intensifies.

Like those branches on the tree,
Roots are joined forever, tightly.

Love you my Angel son.
xxxxxxx

Our family, Chicago, August 2004

Blue sky, through the trees, in the cemetery, this morning

Feb27

Fairy tale of a time

Posted on February 27, 2016 by MeRaw

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Saturday 27th February

During an autumn school holiday when we were living in Australia, we spent some time in Mount Gambier, SA.
It was here that we came across Fairy Tale Park, a delightful and unique family attraction set in large gardens.

You and your brother both loved exploring all the fairy tale tableaux, with castles, bogeymen, princes and princesses, and many nursery rhyme characters.

A sweet and gentle time
With no worries, no fears.
A childhood fairy tale,
For those young of years.

Missing you.
Love you forever.
My fairy tale Angel son.

xxxxxxx

Fairy Tale Park, near Mt Gambier, SA. April 1991

Feb23

Dulces sueños

Posted on February 23, 2016 by MeRaw

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Tuesday 23rd February

Dulces sueños.
Sweet dreams.

Your brother’s girlfriend’s mum passed away this afternoon.
She had been struggling with cancer for the last few months, and finally succumbed, surrounded by her family in Spain.

Another twinkling star in the heavens this evening.

Such an elegant, beautiful woman.
Such an awful, heartless disease.

If you meet each other tonight
Hug and hold each other tight.
May your stars twinkle bright
In the darkness, bringing light.

Sleep my Angel, sleep well tonight.

Dulces sueños xxxxxxx

The harbour and slipway this afternoon

Feb17

How well you bounce

Posted on February 17, 2016 by MeRaw

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Wednesday 17th February

“Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce.” Tigger

In January 1992 we had a fabulous holiday to Forster, on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Staying in a holiday park, we spent days on the beach, swimming in the ocean, walking along the lake shores, visiting the fun fair, and having a go at fishing.

You, your brother and Dad had bought little fishing rods, and spent a morning baiting, casting and trying to catch ‘Jaws’. I can’t remember any fish being caught, but your brother did hook an octopus, and brought it to shore. Dad didn’t know what to do with it; the octopus was quite a large specimen. A number of onlookers became rather excited, and a bidding war began, between a couple of men, one of whom owned a restaurant.
I think your brother enjoyed his fishing that morning, being able to walk away a few dollars to the good, probably spending some in the afternoon at the fun fair.

At our holiday accommodation, you both made friends with other children on vacation, and had fun on the tennis courts, and the trampoline. You very much enjoyed getting rid of excess energy, bouncing away with your brother.

Such a happy, carefree time.
Are you up there, bouncing on the fluffy, white clouds? I bet they are great for jumping on, across, and through. I can just imagine your big grin, with arms and legs flying wildly in all directions.

Love you so much my darling.
Missing you always.
My bouncing little Tigger.

xxxxxxx

Forster, NSW, January 1992

Jan28

Sweet Prince

Posted on January 28, 2016 by MeRaw

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Thursday 28th January

“Now cracks a noble heart.
Good night sweet prince:
And flights of angels
Sing thee to thy rest!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My dear sweet prince
I’ll no longer see
Your small footprints
As you run carefree

Along the sandy beach
Among the palms
As they sway and reach
The warm breeze calms

Sailing around islands
With a carefree spirit
Sun on the horizon
The sky’s the limit.

Love you forevermore.
Missing you every day.
xxxxx

On board Rum Raisin, Tobago, 1995

On the beach at the Blue Water's Inn, (Frank's glass bottom boat in the background)

On the top of the hill, overlooking Batteaux Bay. You, your brother and Dad.

Jan25

How much you have traveled

Posted on January 25, 2016 by MeRaw

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Monday 25th January

“Don’t tell me how
educated you are,
tell me how much you
have traveled.”

As a family we have been so very fortunate to be able to travel to many destinations around the world.
Your first flight in an aeroplane was to Hong Kong (in 1990), where we stayed for just over a week, en route to Australia, where we were to live for two years. You were five, and your brother was three years old.

During our time in Australia, we flew to Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville on different holidays.
We were lucky enough to be able to make use of military transport aircraft: Melbourne to Sydney in a Hercules C130, sitting in very basic webbing seats, was certainly an experience.

On our way back home to England, we had a week’s stop off in fabulous Singapore. (1992).

The next holiday was to the island of Paxos, just south of Corfu. (1993)

Then began our many years of summer holidays with my father, on his yacht.
Sailing around Bermuda, Tobago, British Virgin Islands, then up and down the east coast of America, from South Carolina to Key West in Florida.

We certainly do love to travel, and have been blessed with very many opportunities.

The amazing experiences that you encountered really added to your global education.
From swimming on the Barrier Reef, to walking through rainforests, from eating authentic Chinese food in street markets, to watching a snake charmer, from watching NASCAR races to drag boats, from swimming with dolphins to taking a cable car to the top of the Schilthorn to eat in the revolving restaurant.

We have had so many adventures, been so privileged to be able to take our boys to so many different places.
Adapting to new languages, cultures, food, scenery, animals, schooling, friends, climate, currency, almost became second nature, and you took it easily in your stride.

I’m glad we were able to take you with us to so many diverse destinations.

My Angel traveller.
Darling son.
Flying high.

xxxx

A day trip to Land's End, Cornwall, signposting to our previous home in Victoria, Australia

Jan20

Special moments

Posted on January 20, 2016 by MeRaw

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Wednesday 20th January

        “Memories
are special moments
        that tell our
              Story”

And don’t we have wonderful stories to tell and to share?

You and your brother were lucky enough to spend two years in Australia when you were young. It was like living in a travel and nature documentary. The flora and fauna were absolutely spectacular.
Birds, animals, fish, reptiles and even insects that we’d only ever seen in picture books or on the television, now became almost an everyday sighting.

Then there was the scenery: the marvellous beaches, wonderful rainforests, snowy mountains, arid bush, and magnificent barrier reef.

In April 1991 we decided to take a holiday and explore the Great Ocean Road, along the south east coast of Victoria. The scenic highway meanders along clifftops with splendid views of the limestone sea-stacks, gorges, blow-holes, surfing beaches and grottos. Such a breathtakingly beautiful route.

We stopped at Bells Beach, near Torquay where Point Break had been filmed; we stayed overnight at Port Campbell, just after the famous Twelve Apostles; we walked around Loch Ard Gorge and saw the London Bridge Arch; had a little car trouble at Warrnambool, where the transmission fluid had to be changed; and continued into South Australia to explore Mount Gambier.

Along the Great Ocean Road

The Twelve Apostles

Look at you, mischievously trying to dip your foot in the water....

Loch Ard Gorge

In front of the Twelve Apostles

You both loved to travel, take in new experiences, meet people, try new foods, and develop a curiosity for the world around you.
We were very lucky to explore so much of Australia, and give you an education that was just so special and unique.

And these special moments are now my memories, that tell your story.

Love you my darling.
Missing you every day.
Beloved Angel son.
xxx xxx