As time goes by...

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It’s hard to believe but tomorrow is my birthday, it feels like just yesterday that I sat down to write last years blog entitled the “Amazing Tales of Grandfather Conolly” which by the way has been my most popular blog of all with over 600 people reading it from all corners of the earth.

Wow, pretty big shoes to fill considering the epic story of Grandfather Conolly, so to bolster my creative genius (okay, that might have been a bit of a stretch) I thought I’d treat myself to a glass of scotch to get me going!   The good kind from the back of the cupboard, the sipping kind not the kind that you’d dare mix anything with or heaven forbid…quaff.  I settled on a Talisker, single malt…what a exquisite treat!    So with aperitif in hand here goes! 

Writing my blog at my kitchen counter - Friday nights!   Tonights
blog was accompanied by a scotch...

 Actually I thought I’d check back into my old photo collection and see if there was any of me on my birthday from my childhood.   Sadly there were no birthday photos per see but surprisingly I found a clutch of cards and telegrams in a bag that I had rescued from dad’s after he had died that were from my first birthday.   Wow, what a find!

To be honest I can’t remember seeing these cards after dad died, clearly I was in a fog and so have no recollection of finding them let alone packing them up with me and bringing them back to Canada.   It was a rather nostalgic find, and one that brought back many memories, especially seeing mum’s beautiful handwriting.   

Unfortunately my birthday is coupled with a tragic memory in that it is today (April 19th) is that day that mum passed away, this year marks the 26th anniversary so it was a rather poignant find to say the least when I started opening the cards and saw her handwriting.  

There was even a card from my sister Glenda who would have been 11 at the time, strangely her handwriting is the same as it is today….go figure?  ☺  There was even a telegram from my oldest brother Gary who was by then living and working in Melbourne at the ripe old age of 16.   

Note the time and date stamp - yes, completely
dating myself now...

Clearly it was a different era, as you can tell by the images of the cards, but also the telegram.  When was the last time you even thought of using the word “telegram” in a sentence?   The concept and term has been lost over a couple (okay so maybe more than a couple) of generations – I find that so strange, but then again turning 54 is strange unto itself for thousands of reasons.

If I get too gross just flip to the next paragraph – but since when do your eyebrows and nose hair grow faster than your actual hair (yes, fortunately I still have lots thank you very much!)?   And what about the myriad of aches and pains for no particular reason? I used to be able to run everyday, not so much any more as my muscles get too stiff and sore to the point of seizing up - which is rather unpleasant to say the least!!   So rather than feel like an 80 year old (I figure they’ll be plenty of time to feel like that when I’m actually 80) I’ve had to cut back on my level of physical activity, instead of running or working out everyday I’ve had to diversify – as you know I’ve taken up yoga (no really I have), and surprisingly I feel like a million bucks after an hour and a half of stretching.  

As well, Zach and I have fitted out a workout area in our new place, complete with large 16’x16’ padded floor, bench and free weights. I’m helping him with his rugby-training regime and he’s helping me work out regularly which is a fair exchange don’t you think?   In addition I try to squeeze in a run 2 to 3 times a week just to keep in the game, I suppose I'm fortunate to be able to workout as much as I do, but it feels like I’ve had to cut back quite a lot – a painful compromise to say the least.

Birthday card from mum and dad - April 1960

Anyway, back to my “find”!   As I read the cards and telegrams I only recognized Mum & Dads, Gary’s, Glenda and Suthi’s (family friend) but none of the others….who on earth were Alex or Judy and family?   I guess I’ll never know, but at least they sent me a birthday card in 1960, perhaps I should consult Glenda or Gary on that?

I was completely surprised when I noticed the card from Suthi, I don’t remember them personally, although I do remember mum telling me (on many occasions) about my near death experience during a visit to Suthi’s when I was about four or five years old.  

The way mum used to tell it was that we were visiting Suthi in Melbourne, and they had a scooter that I was playing with and trying to learn to ride.  I was "racing (mum’s words not mine) up and down the bloody path" at the side of their house on the scooter; apparently they could hear me (that clip, clop sound) as I sped back and forth over the breaks in the concrete.  

All of the adults were all inside the house drinking and having a good time – it could get pretty loud as I recall, when the scooter must have skidded from under me and I landed heavily on my head right on the concrete path knocking me out completely.  When dad came outside to investigate why they couldn’t hear me he found me laying on the path - I had stopped breathing and was turning a rather whitish shade of blue – widespread panic ensured as they quickly called an ambulance and fortunately they were able to get me breathing again although it frightened the hell out of everyone there at the time.   Apparently I had put a rather large dampener on the party!   

One of the high points of this birthday weekend is that I have a dinner planned with Zach and Sami on Sunday night, which will be great!  Sami was so cute last night when I picked her up after soccer training, as we were riding home she asked me what I wanted for my birthday – my response “just to be with you and Zach!”   She smiled broadly and said “I like that too dad!”

Here’s to many more…. ☺