Keeping family history going

 Family:  What to write about, a reminder of family history for the children maybe.  The photo below must have been taken about twelve years ago, a family day out trip to Gruyere.  I'm not there of course, although I will be going to Switzerland in September - a last visit.  It is a family rite to pose in this square on a visit.

This is a photo just under 50 years ago, me, my daughter and Con the great grandfather of my grandchildren

Growing up

I always loved the bright red geraniums that adorned the window boxes.  Switzerland is a pretty place, with its dark wooden houses and cows with bells around their necks.  Looking at the neck bands that two of the children are wearing and I realise they have been to Marc's factory, my daughter's cousin, purveyor of Sushi, the factory of which is somewhere around Gruyere.  There is a photo  of all the children in white coats (Lillie's was cut down) and net hair hats stuck to a kitchen cupboard.

The weird thing is of course Switzerland is land locked and the only fish I have seen is the poor trout in fish tanks outside restaurants waiting to be eaten.  Their great grandfather wrote a poem which ends with the memory of fish and chips or fillet de perche

A rainy evening in Vevey,
Fills me with intense dismay,
The faded splendours of Montreux
Leave me feeling rather blue;
And if we must stick to verity,
I don't go overboard on Territet.
And, I must say,
Whoever got hooked on La Tour de Peilz?
For Corsier, Blonay, Chebres and Corseaux,
I'm unequally unmoved or even more so;
If there's a place I'd rather not be on
Its the top of the tower of the Chateau de Chillon.
In Southend they would'nt have the cheek to serve,
That cupper tea we got at Villeneuve
We got fish and chips just beside the church
But you have to ask for fillet de perche.
So..... you just ask your mother why we're here,
When we might have been on Wigan Pier.

Coming back to write this for the GC and I am listening to the news on the radio, Iran, which was always Persia in our family, is coming to an 'agreement' with Trump.  Persia was often spoke of with great affection by the Opper family, they were there in the time of the Shah.  Annabel, my sister-in-law bought back a Persian rug as a wedding gift for Nick and me.

North Stoke: A handful of photos 

O dear.  Just been informed that Lillie has caught the 6 o clock train from London and will be back soon and that Tanaker is coming for the weekend.  I haven't introduced Tanaker yet but he is one of the three 'adopted' children Andrew and his ex-wife fostered.  Tanaker of course is also coming from London probably for football at Leeds, I don't know.

Life is full of pleasant surprises, Andrew has just bought a book in on Atkinson Grimshaw.  An artist who failed the art critics but is definitely in need of a revival.