My good 365 friend Pat
@happypat mentioned my dad giving me away in my collage of our wedding posted yesterday.
It's one of the strangest coincidences of my life that my dad died, aged 79, on our 28th wedding anniversary, 22nd August 1998. He did not usually remember anniversary cards, but that year he had sent us one, which we received and opened after he had passed away. He had written inside that he hoped he had the right day as his memory was 'dodgy'.
So I thought today to make a little celebration of his life.
from top left, clockwise:
my dad, as I knew him and remember him
the schoolboy, not reluctant like Shakespeare's - he loved learning
wedding day, 4 months before he was sent to war
the next, you know except I always want to say 'giving away' such a strange expression
my mum worked in the Women's Land Army in WW2 and as a child I always thought what fancy outfits they wore and only learned years later that this was the occasion of a little concert they put on
last, but not least, my dad in his new uniform, as a conscript in 1939
As many of my 365 friends know, I have been so lucky to meet Ian Douglas who worked with me to publish my dad's WW2 memoirs, a very human read:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Till-We-Meet-Again-Gunner/dp/154404870X
Very special indeed.
It certainly is strange Peter - of all the other days in the year - wonder what are the odds.