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The Family
"Blood is thicker than water" or in our case "blood is thicker than my dad trying to wire up his DVD player to the TV"
My Family are great and we have had loads of fun along the way, some tears too! Both sets of Grandparents are sadly no longer with us and the world is a poorer place as a result.
My Gran Conner (Nee Murray) was left without a father at the age of 3 (my great grandfather died as a result of wounds sustained in the first world war, He was in the Royal Field Artillery) this made my gran and her 1 brother and 2 sisters very resourceful.
When gran left school her natural flair for latin was recognised and she became the first woman to be admitted to the inner sanctum of Pinkerton and Smith the manufacturing chemist to assist with all the mixing and latin translation. She had a wide range of hobbies including embroidery and dressmaking. She met my grandad just as the war was starting at Seaton Sands on a cycling holiday, and in true fairy story fashion it was love at first site.
Gran would teach us lots of things, as she knew that a good eduction would make the difference. When I was four I could tell the time with roman numerals and play clock patentice. I made a plastercast bear for Gran and Grandad Conner, it was painted bright red with a black nose. It is the only thing I have of theirs, and it is in pride of place in my bedroom.
Mum and I would visit Gran and Grandad Conner on a Thursday night and I would toast bread on their gas fire, it was such a simple thing but it was a bonding experience.
One of the biggest regretts in my life is that they died before I was an adult and I never really got a chance to know them as a "Grown Up".
Gran was an avid science fiction fan, and I was too young to understand what that meant, although I hope that if she is looking down on me and she can see my bookcase, I hope she would approve.
Grandad Conner was a military man who was decorated for bravery during the second world war. He used to put me in a sack attached to the lawn mower and give me rides round the garden.
Grandad in the army
Grandad Conner had a shed at the bottom of the garden and was forever fixing things for people, he had a neon ice blue ford escort (mark 1) that he drove about in. I have been told that he was a ice cream man after the war, but I don't have any info on that.
Grandad was a huge fan of Monty (he had served under Montgommery in the 8th Army) and he would have followed him anywhere.
He also built me my first rifle target and was very supportive of me joining the Squadron. I was enrolled into the squadron the day before he died. As my own career progressed I have always kept in mind the lessons taught to me by Grandad and always listened to the Sargents (they know best).
Special Mention must be made to Nana Conner (my Grandad's Mother) my great grandmother. Honestly this woman was built of titanium and kevlar, utterly bullet proof. She lived in the tall flats in Wester Hails for a long time then moved to the sheltered housing at St Stephens Court when she was 90 odd. I had passed my driving test the year before she died and spent some quality time visiting her.
Mum and Nana at Ewan's 21st
She will be most remembered for Christmas dinners. I watched in fascination as she had whisky after whisky and then fell asleep before dessert was served. One Christmas day I was asked to pick her up, Ewan came with me. On the way back we suffered the worst "white-out" I have ever had the road disappeared in the snow you couldn't see 5 feet in front of the car. Ewan and I were freaking out and Nana didn't even bat an eyelid, just kept looking out the window and smiling. They made them tough in those days!
Gran John, was a woman unlike any other. I visited my Gran and grandad once a week and far from being a chore I loved the feeling of warmth and welcome you always got when you walked in the door to any of their homes. Gran was a very active OAP and looked after Ewan and I during the school holidays. Gran liked to laugh a lot and that's a good job because she was the matriarch of the biggest bunch of nutters ever!
Gran John in Balerno
Grandad John (DI) I had so much time for my grandad because it was like looking into a time warp, I know what I will look like if I reach that age. He was a man of great technical ability and an unstoppable tinkerer. It says a lot for his character that a year before he died the two of us were re-taring his roof. Again he was a military man who thought me to trust my judgment and always listen to the sergeants (who know best) Seriously he did teach me many of the lessons that I hold true as my core of knowledge. Always had a garage full of the most wondrous tools and machines, but got me to make repairs to almost everything with a set of broken screw drivers out of a christmas cracker.
Grandad John in "HIS Chair"
These photos were "Just Because" I had no idea that these would be the last of them together. These were not staged just exactly as they were, they sat at opposite ends of the room for 60 years of marriage, but I have never seen two people so close and in love.
Mum
Mum is the sweetest lady on earth, and has the reputation of force feeding visitors with bacon butties, cake (homemade) and tea. The guys are careful to not complain within earshot of my mum incase the supply stops. The guys from the squadron and the rest of my mates are always very respectful of my mother and wouldn't dream of going into mums living room without wiping their feet and stowing the bad language. Mum is a very accomplished artist and displays and sells a lot of her work locally.
I feel sorry that mum never had a daughter, because she was super keen on clothes shopping and she was saddled with Ewan and I (who weren't). Mum has always been a very creative person and her talents are not limited to painting, mum has lots of talents including
- Making the best soup in the world
- Ditto for chocolate cake
- Hanging wallpaper (thanks again mum)
- Running the office at the Bacon Company for the last 15 years
Mum has had enough of working for the monkeys instead of the organ grinders at the Bacon Company so she has handed in her notice and is tempting in a new town near you soon! Best Of Luck Mum!
Mum
Dad
God bless this man, he is a superb human being and a hero of mine. His one failing in life is that he is so helpful and giving to every good cause this side of the Abandoned Lobsters Action, that he has no time for himself. Honestly this man owns a quantifiable percentage of the 00 model railway goods sold in the UK and in 10 YEARS I haven't seen him have it out once? He never stops he is every bit a Golem. Currie RFC, the SNP, Community Council, Birds (feathered type), Motorbikes and steam trains. How are mum and dad still together? it must be because they never see each other so therefore can't argue?
Dad has passed on the gene that means I am a born follower of the underdogs (Currie and Hearts FC to name but a few). When I was young I asked him why we didn't support Rangers (who won everything at the time) he said "never be a sheep and follow the winners, go your own way and only a true fan can support a team that gets hammered every week" (see Currie Rugby Club). Dad and I have been in some interesting situations over the years including a time where we nearly froze to death in the back of his van (no, seriously it was close). He is a great man, who is well liked by all my friends (although his jokes are really bad). He has run his own business since I was 3 and he has given the best years of his life providing for his family, Dad I am proud to be your son
UPDATE July 2007 Dad was elected as the councilor for East Calder and now is a full time politician. He has always tried his best to serve the people of the community, and now finally after all these years of leafleting and canvassing he finally did it.
Well Proud!
Dad during the 100th "Let It Blaw" Burns Supper
Ewan
Ewan is my elder brother and what more do you need to know but that. Forever falling in and out, and getting each other in trouble. Ewan is a sensitive and caring person who is a gifted Comedian and Guitar player. Ewan also qualifies as a friend and you can read his insane ramblings if you want to by clicking well here actually.
I could write bucket loads about Ewan, everyone I know thinks he is great. I hope to one day add some pigpen MP3's we will have to wait and see.
Ewan is 180 degrees polar opposite from myself in loads of ways. He is a vegetarian and considering our dad sells more bacon and steak than you can shake a stick at, you have to respect his conviction to "the cause". Ewan and I have always had different opinions on the forces and it cause a fair few nights of grief in the family home before he moved down to Cornwall for a few years. I think its fair to say that Ewan was closer to our cousin Steven (Closer in age) than me during that time. Since he moved back up Ewan and I have been much closer, He even came to my birthday Clay pigeon shoot (despite being steaming drunk, he had been an a 14 hour bender and came straight from it, he did quite well). He manages the art store in Glasgow and spends his life sorting out staff, customers and stock. Welcome to the wonderful world of retail, bro.
Ewan dedicated his first single to me on its launch night, and I will never forget that. The Band Pigpen split a year later but for that 2 year period I saw more live music in more venues then most people my age have seen full stop. Perhaps he might get back to it one day?
No Joke- he had been on an all nighter and smelled like Robert Downey Jnr.