No raindancers required

One of the most depressing things that confronts residents of the Lower Mainland in BC is the rain.  It is not the ocassional shower; the odd drizzle or the torrential downpour, those are easy to deal with.  It is the persistent precipitation that lasts for days at a time.  From November through to March and because of the closeness of the mountains, it pisses down more often than not.  Respite comes in the form of snow and just once in a blue moon the sun does put his hat on.  Vitamin D is part of the daily intake just to stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Our house is about 500' above the City of Mission and the Fraser River so it is not unusual for rain down there to fall as snow up here.  The snow particularly when enough of it falls and settles, draws out the inner child. Unfortunately the agility and muscle condition of an 'inner middle aged person' is less flexible than that of an 'inner child' so there is a price to pay for sledding recklessly down the slope in the back yard.  Champ, our gargoyle-worthy boxer, seems to enjoy our 'inner childishness' and plays his part.

As pleasurable as snow can be in the short term, it takes very little time for it to become a serious aggravation.  Getting the cars out of the drive is a two hour physical challenge and after twice getting caught out we have now taken to keeping an eye on the forcast and parking roadside when snow threatens.

So enough of the weather already!  2011 is well underway and the year of the pig 2010 is mercifully fading into the past.  What I actually mean is a pig of a year.  2010 was actually the year of the tiger.  So forward with positivity is my resolution.  Ride out the recession; focus on the good things that life presents and ignore the bad.  The world is not a bad place if you look at it through the right glasses.

Mark One Year On...I Close my Eyes...

I close my eyes and I’m in the Lugger Inn, Fowey Cornwall.  It’s 1984 and having just disembarked the ferry my brother Mark and I are supping pints of Hicks Special Draft and eating locally made Cornish Pasties.  I can taste both now and there’s no-one I would rather have been with back then.  We had three weeks of raising eyebrows.  Happy times.... 

I close my eyes and I’m on a beach near Slea Head November 2005 hunting the ‘Dinguin’ with my brother Mark; and our wives Kim and Ann and nephew James.  The wind is wicked; I blame the lunch.  Tears of laughter as well as those forced by the heavy breeze lift our wonderful day.  Those that have seen the picture and certainly those of us there that day, remember Mark holding his own dingle peninsula to great all round amusement.  Even Gallarus orated that day.....

I close my eyes and I’m sitting at a table in a flat above Coughlan’s in Coulsdon, Surrey.   143a, Brighton Road and it might be 1981.   As Wing Commander ‘Molestrangler’, I am joined by my brother Mark and my sisters as we self entertain with a cassette recorder and a microphone for what must have been hours.  Fuelled by supplies from Unwins’ and benefitting from the family discount; our behaviour at times bordered on psychotic.  The spontaneous high quality humour made us a single entity and not just six separate siblings.  That piece of audio history still exists somewhere in the sibling circle.  That makes me happy.

I close my eyes and I’m marching in full No1 Uniform bayonet fixed on the parade square at Royal Air Force Swinderby, Lincolnshire...It’s 1976 and my RAF career of 15 years is launched and my brother Mark is watching me with family....I’m glad....

I close my eyes and I’m jumping to head the ball out of defence for Fields Aircraft Services.  I connect and watch the ball move back up the pitch and land neatly at the feet of my brother Mark.  Not given to wearing the same outfit often, this was one notable exception.  We played and enjoyed football many times together.  An even more memorable occasion was when we played together in 90 degree heat in Nerja in 1982.  English Holidaying Guys against Spanish Locals in the local stadium on the day of the world cup final in Madrid Spain.  The game was followed by both teams literally arm in arm repairing to the locals bar and watching the TV match together, rooting for the eventual winners Italy.  Sometime after that it was the next day........Happy Days.....

I close my eyes and I see you pouring over the Sunday Express general knowledge crossword, I see you preparing a roast dinner and watching Pirates of the Caribbean with James.  I see the compassionate caring family man at home in his castle...I will always remember those spectacular meals you took such pride in preparing.  I can still taste your mushroom with wilted spinach and white stilton.  I take your drive and seek to aspire to your standards in my kitchen.  Jack Sparra’ indeed aaaar!

I close my eyes and I see coloured lights flashing and hear music playing.....I see a 21^st birthday party and realise I’m somewhere close to the Purley Way.  I quickly mix another CD, probably new romantic in origin, having spotted that I’m the DJ and the guest of honour my future sister in law Ann.  I see my brother strutting his stuff with the love of his life...It must be 1989, and I’m happy....

I close my eyes and I see St Aidan’s Church Hall and a ‘Gorilla-gram’ is peeling clothes off to embarrass my sister Cherie on her 18^th Birthday......Its 1983 and brother Mark (and he’s not a monk) has incurred the wrath of some youths in the cloakroom.   Slightly stronger in the upper body in those days I am pleased to lift one of the offending individuals onto one of the hooks in the cloakroom and watch the remainder back off.  That after all is what big brothers are for........

I close my eyes and I can smell the Wimpy Bar in Coulsdon.  I am sitting with closest family and we’re all dressed in black for Mum’s funeral.  There’s Samantha, Reece and Marcus; Ann, Mark and James, Kim and I, and we’re eating Wimpy and Chips.....It was awesome.  It may be not be everyone’s idea, of what might be appropriate, but since when did that stop our family that 2008 day....It was a lightening prelude to a tough day, filled stomachs, so that made us all happier...

I close my eyes and I see Ann and James....I see them dealing with their loss with such strength, courage and character.  I see them emerging from 2010 with Great Spirit; I enjoy being in contact with them through Facebook.  I pat the backs of Bligh’s the length and breadth of that Emerald Isle and my siblings in England; providing kinship and support through tough times.  I’m so glad to have a sister in law and nephew to make me so proud.  You would be too brother...Rest peacefully, sure in the knowledge that they will be fine. 

I close my eyes and I see you through the glass; I’m walking behind you down the middle of the road and with family, at the most amazing farewell of a funeral, I will likely ever see.  For my life I will proudly carry you with me and not a day goes by when you are not in my mind.  Still winded I can’t believe it’s almost a year. 

Sleep tight... Michael x