So...trying again - for some reason what I wrote on Friday disappeared. Perhaps too many things going on.....
We had a busy morning in the garden, sharing with neighbours at a safe distance!! and clearing leaves and wandering plants on our boundary fences that have been ignored for quite some time. Also lots of being in touch with family and friends.
After dinner we were quite happy to sit watching BBC TV as so many interesting people sharing surprises in the nicest possible way. I did love seeing Edna - the vibrant 94 year old from Dumfries - who was given her medal for serving with the WRENS but there was a lovely sense of celebration throughout the evening.
I took some photos of the TV screen at different points and I think these three sum it up rather nicely.
Three good things
1. Tidying together......many hands /tools make light work and we are certainly getting to know neighbours in a totally different way.
2. Memories - so many stories told.
3. At 10pm we connected with my relations in Vancouver for the Celebration of the Life of my Uncle Donald, my mum's older brother. It was a small family service at the cemetery but simply beautiful and so lovely that his family in Scotland were able to 'virtually' be there too. Donald was 94, the big brother in my mum's family and a remarkable character in so many ways. Having left school at 14 to work and learn at the local garage he went on to the Royal Navy, flying planes, sailing to America in Queen Mary and after some time at home, left for Vancouver where he met my beautiful and lovely aunt Chris. Her family were also Scottish. They came back to Scotland as often as they could with their three children, Archie, Allan and Donna.
I haven't been to Vancouver yet, but Allan was there singing with Aberdeen Gaelic Choir in 2007 and Donald and Chris came to hear the music. Somewhere in the house there are photos taken that evening......perhaps that is my mission for the next few days!
Lovely collage, Sarah. I thought Charles and Camilla's laying of tributes at Balmoral was a rather poignant event. I hope they last a while, I want to cycle past next week and see Camilla's hand written note, which mentions her dad. I asked my dad what he remembered about VE Day. He was 12. He lived on a farm in Midmar at the time and he said that the school had an outing to Aberdeen. They went to the cinema and got to participate a little in the street celebrations. He didn't remember the film they saw though! Hugh, our friend of 93 had a small write-up in the P&J supplement - he was 18 at the time. He celebrated in London and said it was like the Coronation and the Diamond Jubilee in one, and that he and friends ended up on an empty double decker bus - where they spent the night on the top deck!
@jamibann Fascinated to read your story there. I asked my Dad the same question. He doesn't remember VE Day much but he went up to the Buckingham Palace area on VJ Day, wearing his army cadet uniform with a pal. He remembers crowds and lots of them! I hope you get to see the wreath and note.
A wonderful 75th collage! I had a fascinating chat with my mum about her memories of VE day. At the time she was working in a steelworks near Rotherham.
A lovely collage of this special day...I particularly thought the two minute silence from Balmoral was so apt...quiet & simple just perfect. It was a wonderful day all round. I have recorded last nights programme to watch tomorrow when it’s colder.
Ian