A sad day.

After a lovely few days in Amsterdam, we came home to sad news.

Dad's brother, Tom, died last night.  I suppose I should say my Uncle Tom died, but I didn't really know him very well.  Chatting to Dad today, he said that he really didn't know him very well either.  Tom left home when they were both very young men, and like many young men of that era that went to the UK, or further afield, he didn't come home or keep in touch very much.  I thought that was a bit sad.  But that was the way of their generation.

When I was growing up I knew my brothers and sisters very well!!  The less said about that the better!  And my generation were (are?) a bit better at keeping in touch.  We had the telephone, which, as my Mother will tell you, I spent hours on concocting up all sorts of schemes and plans.  And when we went away, to live or on holidays, we wrote letters or sent postcards.

And now there is Kevin's generation.  He doesn't have brothers and sisters, but he does have my brothers and sisters and all their siblings as his family.  He is so familiar with my brothers and sister that he doesn't even call them 'Aunt' or 'Uncle'.  But that's they way of his generation.  And as for keeping in touch?  Well, I don't have to tell you how they go about that!

I know I give out about Facebook etc., and Kevin and his generation being constantly connected to their mobile phones, but I suppose at least they are keeping in touch.

When I think about it, I suppose this is my way of keeping in touch now.  Instead of picking up the telephone, I sit here and write...  It saves me repeating myself and it saves on the phone bills!!  It also means that if you don't want to hear from me, you can ignore me, without me knowing!

But what I am really trying to say is, it's good to stay in touch.  Especially with your family.

RIP Tom.