Hectic Weekend - then a ramble in the Surrey Hills

 It was a rather hectic weekend , Saturday we were up early to drive to Wonersh for one of my study days. We got back at about 6:30; changed and were out by 7:15 to go the Catenian New Year Party. This was a formal do so we had to change quickly. It was a great evening; one of those times that for no specific reason flowed and was much better than previous years.

Some of the happy throng

Sunday after Mass we drove to Mugswell to meet up with the Old Askean Rambling Club to join them for a 4 mile ramble across the Surrey Hills. It was a perfect afternoon, the company was great and the views were grand.  It will give you some idea of the age of the group when I say that Julia and I were two of the youngest in party. Most remarkable was Victor; he left school aged 18 in 1942 to join the RAF. He will be 88 this year and I just hope that I am still doing walks like this in 24 years time!

Proposed ITSO Reunion in San Jose; May/June 2014

We just heard some brilliant news. There is a proposal to have an ITSO (where I worked in San Jose) reunion in May/June 2014. This will be the excuse we needed to go back and see all our American friends. We may even get to see our old house.

A relatively quiet Christmas this year

As usual Christmas started with Midnight Mass which was proceeded by a Carol Service; this year the service seemed better than the usual high standard.
There were meant to be ten of us for Christmas lunch this year, unfortunately the tummy bug that has been doing the rounds meant that there were just seven of us. We still managed to eat and drink more than we should have done.

Helena was with us at Christmas, after Christmas Lawrie and Emma joined us. We walked off some of the pud with a gentle stroll around Knole Park; and promptly undid any good that it may have done us by indulging in some tapas in a Sevenoaks restaurant. Still if you are going to sin, sin joyfully!

 

All in all it was a most enjoyable Christmas

A salutary lesson for me

I was returning an item to a department store in Bromley. The assistant asked me to go with him to the section where the goods were sold to check on the barcode number. As we were walking across the store a lady came up to the assistant and said that she was the man she needed and proceeded to open her shopping bag to retrieve something. I was just about to remonstrate with her saying he was doing something for me when she handed him a package and apologised for not giving it to him before Christmas. It was a Christmas present and she then told me how helpful he had been throughout the year and she wanted to give him a little something.
I am so glad that she found the present before I had a chance to say anything. Somewhere in this is a lesson for us all, well me at least, and perhaps the beginning of a New Year resolution.

A Happy, Peaceful and Holy Christmas to you all

At the Funeral

Photo showing the family present at Gordon's funeral

Gordon Mellish RIP

Yesterday was the funeral of my Uncle Gordon aged 99. He was the last of the Mellish "Boys"

 Dick(my dad) Leslie , Richard Mellish(Grandad), John, Gordon, George

Ada (my mum) Emily (Grandma) Grace (wife of Gordon) Taken 1939/40

This obit was in the Westcombe Park Ruby Club programme on Saturday:

Gordon John Mellish was born on the 25 January 1912, the middle of the five "Mellish Boys". There was a sister but sadly she died in infancy. The Mellish family always had close links with Combe. Cousin Tom Mellish captained the club in 29-30, and eldest brother Dick captained the Club in 36-37 and the year after the war ended in 46-47; Dick was club President in 66-68. Brother John was also a club regular first team player who then turned gamekeeper and took up the referees whistle. When John went to live in America he did much to help get Rugby off the ground over the pond and was rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award for services to American Rugby.

Gordon although never a  player served the club faithfully for many years. His wife Grace, they married on 7th September 1939 and were married for over 72 years, was one of the stalwart band of ladies who made the club sandwiches in the fifties and sixties. Gordon with his elder brother George was a regular on the touchline come rain or shine. Gordon helped on the committee and was one of those unsung heroes who did so much to keep the club afloat during the amateur era. In his latter years Gordon was not able to attend the ground very often but kept in regular phone contact with several former players and always took a keen interest in the clubs fortunes. Gordon's last visit to the club was at the Old Crocks Reunion Lunch  a few years ago when he was 95. The lunch was memorable for several reasons. There were four generations of his family present; his beloved wife Grace, his two children Gordon and Lesley, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Before the lunch Gordon was seen in the bar, a bottle of wine in each hand, looking for his pint of beer. After the lunch he went outside and stood and watched the game.

Perhaps his greatest claim to fame was the Erica Rowe "incident" at Twickenham. Gordon was a ground steward and there was a wonderful picture in the News of the World the following day showing Gordon, arms outstretched, chasing the topless lady across the field. Sadly for him he did not catch her!
With his passing the club has lost one of its treasured links with the past. He was a great friend and servant of the club; like his brothers he held strong opinions and was not afraid to express them, you argued with him at your peril as he was usually right! We offer our condolences to his wife Grace and to his two children, Gordon and Lesley and their respective families. He may be gone but he will not be forgotten

Gordon and Grace at their 70th wedding anniversary celebration (aged 97 and 95)