Friday, November 22, 2013

He Didn't Live to be 100

Last night, as we went to bed, Sue and I compared bodily aches, pains, stiffness of joints and whiplash injuries. I said what seems to be becoming a common phrase in my repertoire:"Don't worry, a hundred years from now it will all be over."

This phrase was often spoken by my Uncle Charlie, who was my only uncle as I come from a small family — small at least in recent generations.

Uncle Charlie and me one Christmas getting close to fifty years ago.
He didn't live to be 100, and in fact, didn't last much past 50. He was dwarfish in a way. I don't think he quite reached 5' tall, and he didn't have the most robust of tickers. But he was a great and funny guy. I always appreciated his sense of humour.

It's strange to me to think that I am a fair bit older now than he was when he passed on, but it's odd how I still picture him as older than I.

He was a good guy, and his funeral was almost the first that I attended, so I was quite broken up about his passing. I don't know if it's good or bad that we get more accustomed to funerals as time goes on.

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Since I was already in the [digital] family album to retrieve this photo, I thought I might as well post a picture of his dad: my maternal grandfather. I was likely 4 or 5 at the time of this snap. He lived for about another 5 years.


Finally, I think this is the oldest photo from that line of the family: his mother with one of grandpa's brothers (I think), back in England.


I am pretty sure that I have posted these photos before, or at least the first two, but I am likely saying something different. Besides, old folk are known to repeat themselves. It's almost the norm. lol

8 comments:

Mara said...

We have a saying in our family: it will pass before I am a boy/girl (depending on which gender you yourself are, you use the other one to prove the point). Although some pains seem to stay. And some seem to become more and more as you go on. Hm... perhaps time for a new saying!

TexWisGirl said...

glad you have lived longer than your uncle. my family is a mix of long and short livers so not sure how many years i'll have here. :)

Jackie said...

Being a new follower, I have not seen these photos, and I am so glad that you posted them.
I love going back and looking at family photos, and like you, I always think of people that were in their 50's or 60's as "older" when I was young. Now....not so old to me!
:))
Thank you for sharing these. I love visiting your blog....sharing in your memories....looking at your sweet Grands.
Have a lovely weekend, my friend.
Jackie

Donna said...

OMG!! That's JJ sitting by your maternal granfather!!!!
Just Wow!
Love the old photos...
wonderful memories!
hughugs

KGMom said...

As generations go by, they are getting smaller, and people are living longer. No doubt--a connection there.
I love the middle photo--of oh so young you, It is easy to see your grandson in your face from years gone by.

Hilary said...

I have seen a couple of these before but it's always fun to hear about stories from the past. Do old people really repeat themselves? Do old people really repeat themselves?

Ginnie said...

At least your Uncle Charlie and his dad have pleasant expressions. You go back much further, as in your last photo, and that's rarely seen.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Yes, you have posted one or two of these before, but then who remembers