12:26 PM Enough dog talk. A little Dad talk instead, on this fine, grey, September afternoon.
Two reasons: one, I bumped into an old chap with his dog this morning. He reminded me of my father - the man, not the dog. Similar eyes. And two, I was chatting to my sister (that's her on Dad's lap) through the wonders of FaceBook yesterday. He came up in the conversation and we both said how much we missed him.
He died in 1999.
April, I think.
Just looked at my old diary for 1999. There are only three entries!
11/04/99 - Dad died.
03/05/99 11:06 - Just heard the first cuckoo.
06/05/99 - Paid £8,000 off the mortgage.
Not big on diaries, me.
We called him Daddy Jack. His name was John - John Edward Ravenscroft - but we called him Daddy Jack. As human beings go, he was one of the better ones. Not perfect, but a decent man with a good heart and a working brain.
That pic must have been taken in 1954 or 1955. I know, because my mother is sitting next to him and I'm on her lap.
How old am I here? Nine months? If so, that would make this January 1955.
God, old photographs.
Ain't life strange?
Dad used to say: 'The lesson to learn in life is this: Be Content...'
He was right - but I don't think he ever quite managed it himself.
Me? I'm working on it.
01:53 PM
Just seen this (thanks, Hazera). Art from the cardboard inner tubes of toilet rolls! Love it!
Posts
Lovely photos and a lovely post, John. I really must get blogging again. I think your dad is right, "Be content," is a good philosophy. I'm trying and have pretty much cracked it.... most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI intended to write more than this, Jo - but life got in the way. It does tend to now and then, doesn't it?
ReplyDeletethis is a lovely post, John. I hope that you do write more about it later. A friend of mine was part of a huge discussion as to whether there was the concept of 'happiness' in Tudor time (for a guidebook he was writing). The resolution was that the right word was not happiness, but contentment. Perhaps we're coming back to that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Sarah.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there are many truly contented people around. I don't think there ever were. And as long as people remain focused on the acquisition of material things as a path to Planet Contentment, there's very little chance of the place becoming over populated.