Vacation

Back near (chilly) Newcastle, and another chance to photograph the splendid Angel of the North:

 

There’s a field right by Dad & Valerie’s home in Surrey England that has two ponies – we tempted them over with carrots!

 

I attended my Nan’s funeral today, a sad time in some ways but also time to see my family and to remember my Nan’s amazing life.

After the funeral and reception, we all returned to Nan & Grandad’s home; a place full of memories. My grandarents lived there from when I was just a couple of years old, and they and their home has been central to my life when growing up. We visited every Sunday, or even more frequently. Family Christmas was always there, and it was a stable environment so very important for a child growing up in a less stable situation.

Now though, the home is under offer and will soon be emptied of all it’s belongings and memories, and sold – and it’s already quite empty, with Nan no longer anywhere but only spaces where she should be …

After Grandad was made redundant many years ago, he set up his own trade mark registration business with a colleague, and my Nan did their accounting – a successful business, though again it’s gone now. Their two office desks remain to remind us of their life:

 

With these “empty memories” there are also many photographs to fill the void; I’ve kept some, and I’ll post this one from 20 years ago, that includes both Nan and Grandad, and a few of their brothers and sisters – and a lot of smiles!