Fathers.
I had FOUR! Two Fathers-in-Law. Both darlings. Fathers, quite a
mixed bag. Yes, and grandfathers, with all those stepfathers, there
were many grandfathers, too. My own two were both wonderful. I forgot
to thank my parents for helping me to know them. They both made sure
that we KNEW our grandparents, which left me with a deep, quiet sense of
who I am and where I come from.
A valuable gift when the world gets scary. On Sunday I will have a glass of wine with my darling Russell Winje
and we will toast these men who formed (some of them) our DNA, our life
view, and yes, even our physical features! I have my father's
birthmark, on the inside of my right knee, exactly where his was. I
have his eyebrows and silly top lip. I also have his temper -
fortunately just a small one. From my maternal grandfather,
photographs, cameras, clothes, beautiful cars. He returned from "Up
North" changed from a reasonably quiet, almost shy man, to a fashion
plate! Beautifully tailored pin striped suits, gorgeous cars, a
beautiful woman on each arm - one of them my mother, the other, we won't
discuss here...... He loved going to the races, horses and greyhounds
and died in a motor accident, coming home from a poker game.
Bestest, most loved father, was my stepfather, Dirk Petrus Joubert. An
anquished alcoholic. Ferocious blue eyes. Adored my mother, loved me
and my brother, Phil, unconditionally. He stopped drinking quite soon
after marrying my mother and I appreciated his monumental effort so
much. WONDERFUL sense of humour, respected and loved by all who knew
him. He was my heart's father. I miss him. Cheers Dad!(s)
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