Aunt Ann
Dad
Nan
Uncle Mick
Grandad
In the photo above are my grandparents, Herbert and Anne, with my dad and his sister and brother, Ann and Mick.
In the photo below, L to R are my Uncle Jim, Aunt Ann, Dad, Mum, Aunt Joan and Uncle Mick.
Aunt Ann
Dad
Aunt Joan
Uncle Jim
Mum
Uncle Mick
Below is a photo of my dad with my two sisters. They are posing by the steps that were on the banks of the river Thames at Runnymede. My Gt Grandfather, also named John, along with several other family members, used to take my dad and his brother and sister there when they were children. Sometimes he`d take one of them in the sidecar of his motorbike.
From the age of about six, even though I couldn`t yet swim, I would dive off of these steps into the river where my dad was waiting in the water. He would safely return me to the riverbank and I would go up another step, dive in, and do it all again. I never did manage to dive from the top step though. I`ve added the Father`s Day poem I dedicated to my dad and is included in my book.
ps the river is behind my dad in this photo.
Happy Father`s Day
To Dad,
I let you down, so many times, so many years ago.
But you stood by me, through thick and thin, you and Mum always let me know.
That I was your son, and you loved me lots, more than words could ever say.
And the mistakes I make, make only once, and soon, I would find my way.
Now the years have passed so quickly,
and I miss you more each day.
I have almost all I dreamed for,
but I'd give it all away,
if we could be together, on a warm and sunny day, like the times we went to Runnymede, where we'd swim, and eat, and play.
But what I have are memories,
of the bestest sort around.
The bestest sort of memories,
that ever could be found,
of the bestest Mum and the bestest Dad
and the bestest childhood years.
And I've the bestest ever girlfriend
and to you we both say cheers......
© John E Bath
