the passing of an old friend
We got some bad news yesterday. It seems to have been a year for such news. Geraint Evans, an old family friend, was finally beaten by cancer and died during the afternoon. I have known Geraint and Rose all my life and was treated like a son. Their back door was always open and you never had to knock or arrange to come in advance.
Before Sue moved to Cardiff I used to stay with them when visiting for rugby matches. I recall one time I as a student I was down with pal Dave the Rave from Dolgellau. The Evanses had a double and a single bed in their attic room. I had the double and Dave the single. We staggered in at around 2am with a friend Eleri in tow. Eleri had been locked out of the Halls where she had been camping so she came back with us. Dave and I shared the double bed. Apparently he didn’t sleep a wink. I was totally out of it. Spreadeagled across the bed.
My biggest concern was that Eleri would decide to sneak off early back to where she was supposed to be and that Rose or Geraint would find Dave and I in bed together. Fortunately that didn’t happen. That story was brought up by Geraint for decades after the event:)
Geraint is a big loss to us all and I feel a melancholy as I write this. Goodbye old friend.
Otherwise today was a good day albeit a bit of an early start taking John to the Firth Road sorting office to pick up a parcel that the Post Office had tried to deliver yesterday. Afterwards we had breakfast in Waitrose before I dropped him off for the last day of term. School finished at 1pm today but Anne was still en route back from Bromborough at that time and I was out walking with Adie.
Today we walked along the canal to Washingborough and beyond and then came back by the road to the Ferry Boat Inn for a spot of lunch. Saw a big heron en route plus the usual ducks and swans. December is a quiet time on the river. It was cold when you walked into the wind.
Joe came out to pick us up and partake of a free lunch which was fair enough. Borrowed a car off Coops for the hols. Anne was home by the time we got back. Always nice to get a kiss. Had a soak in the bath and at 4pm joined a conference call with Dave Cargill and Manuel to talk about Netaxis providing ITSPA with testing facilities for the ITSPA Awards this year.
Now we are chillin getting ready to go to Jezzers for dinner. I might have a shave first.
Last night Joe and I had a couple of pints in the Star early doors and then us lads (+John) watched Everton v Liverpool. Crunch derby with the reds edging it with a goal in the 98th minute. Although I’m not really a football fan Anne comes from a long line of Liverpool supporters and the kids have inherited the trait so I tag along.
Tags: diary