My First Photograph

This is the first photograph that I took. It was of my father and younger brother (the late CJ).  I was 8 years old.  My father was a keen photographer and a member of the (Royal?) Liverpool Photographic Society which 75 years ago used to meet in the Bluecoat Chambers in Liverpool City Centre.  The Society  doesn't appear to exist now although there are other photographic societies in the area.

What really struck me is the fact that my father was wearing a suit and tie despite the fact that we were on holiday and staying at the holiday cottage my parents had. Unfortunately I'm not sure which one it was. My parents had a cottage in or near Mostyn on the Welsh coast of the estuary of the River Dee at one time but also had one on the Wirral coast somewhere around Heswall for a while. I think that the latter one was green (and called The Green Hut) so this is probably the former. 

Last of The Summer Wine Club

Whilst we are on the subject of friends many people, particularly those in the same organisation or workplace who are part of a group of colleagues who have worked together for many years often make friendships which carry over when they retire. Of course some people move away when they retire or do not live anywhere near former colleagues. In my case I live on an island (and, yes I appreciate that Britain is an Island but I think you understand what I mean) as do a significant number of my former colleagues. So getting together is relatively easy.

In my case many of my former colleagues live in and around Stornoway. I retired from the local council 30 years ago. On the first Wednesday of every month we have a lunch club for retirees. We call it The Last of the Summer Wine Club. My readers in the UK will understand that reference. For those who do not there is a television programme which was on television for 31 years from January 1973.  In short three elderly men from Yorkshire prefer to stay young by engaging in "youthful" activities whilst reminiscing about their childhood days.  I enjoy watching it now as much as I did half a century ago - it hasn't dated one little bit.

Friends

I woke up this morning. This is something I've been doing for over eight decades and something I hope that I will be doing for some years to come providing that my mental faculties remain reasonably able to steer me through the day without too much trouble. 

Someone asked me recently if I had any male friends. I thought it was a very strange question and said so and asked why such an assumption should be made. Apparently it was very simple. I have coffee in The Woodlands several times a week at least. All the people with whom I have coffee are friends I have known for many many years (at least two I have known for over half a century). However all my 'coffee mates' are female. Why? Because their husbands are no longer with us.  I do have one male friend and former colleague I've known for 51 years with whom I have lunch in The Woodlands every Friday. His wife died a couple of years ago after many years of illness. 

On a Saturday morning I used to meet my son, Gaz, for coffee in An Lanntair (the local arts centre) whilst my grandson went to his drama class.  About half way through a friend (whom I've met for coffee on a Saturday morning for many years) would come and join us and then Gaz would take Brodie swimming.  Some say that routine is boring. I find it quite comforting.

However that routine came to a sudden end a few weeks ago when Gaz very suddenly decided to go back to sea. He received a phone call on a Thursday offering him a Chief Engineer's job on a superyacht. A job he has done for many years before he 'retired' several years ago. So one Saturday we were coffeeing and a few days later he was afloat at the other end of the Mediterranean. Now he is 'languishing' in Monaco.  It can be a hard life!

Almost Midnight, Almost Midsummer.

One of the advantages of living in the Outer Hebrides is the very light nights at midsummer. It's 2315 and this is my garden looking out over The Minch to the mainland of Scotland.

I'm taking the opportunity to do this tonight because, knowing Scottish weather it could be pouring with rain in 24 hours time.