Sad but smiling

Rubbish title, sorry.. 

An uncle of mine died on Wednesday evening.  It was expected but sad all the same.  He would have been 88 this year.  I say uncle, Great Uncle is actually the correct description, in more ways than one. He was my grandmothers brother, one of 4 brothers.  But the sadness that he has gone doesnt last at all because every time I think of him, I'm smiling - because it seemed like he was always smiling.  His resting expression was with an upturned mouth, ready, waiting to break into that smile or to throw his head back in that laugh.  Thinking of that makes me smile even more, because its the same laugh that they all share(d), my Grandmother, her brothers, my mum, her younger brother and my cousins.  And of course me.  Thinking about him for the last few days has made me recognise some traits which are definitely from that side of the family and its lovely to think that they are the good ones.  We have the same smile, the same sense of humour and the same laugh, and yes I suppose thats to be expected, but its nice to have inherited those good things.

He was a shepherd and farm worker for most of his life, had that ruddy complexion that goes with spending your life outdoors, he would greet us girls with a bear hug that would take your breath away - something all three of my grandmother's younger brothers are known to do - or the men with a strong handshake and a slap on the back. His name was Peter and its always been a source of amusement to me that my family, like many, have not been very original with names.  Both sides of my mum's side of the family are filled with Peters, Andrews, Williams, Georges and Johns.  So of course my cousin and I followed suit and I married a Peter and she married an Andrew. LOL

Our family is very large and my grandmother's youngest brother is only 5 years older than my mother.  Not uncommon in those days.  So these Great Uncles and Aunts have been considered as purely uncles and aunts, and my mum's cousins have been like mine, on both my grandmothers and grandfathers side of the family. My mum's two brothers have been like big brothers to me (and as just as irritating on times as if they were real brothers but I love them really).

So on Friday I will be flying to Scotland at some ridiculous time to spend the day back with those smiling people and yes, we will be sad and yes we will be drinking 'tea' afterwards in my mum's cousin's pub (tea?? - really?) but mostly we will be remembering.  Remembering a lovely, happy and generous man who I'm really grateful to have known and even more proud to be related to.