The lovely Josie and me
Last weekend I was up in Bridlington to celebrate my cousin Josie’s 50th birthday. And much to my pleasure, two Josie’s and Pam’s siblings, Steven and Trevor, were there as well. I have not seen Steven or Trevor for over 20 years. All of these individuals are the children of my father’s brother, Terry. They are the only cousins on my father’s side that I am in touch with. And I am glad I have continued maintaining connection.
Most of us - Clockwise from me, George (behind my head), Pam, Rosalee, Josie, Alison, (Andy missing in action), Trevor and Steve
You see the Brocklehurst’s are a unique bunch. We all have inherited the family’s big personality. It does not matter if you are introverted or extroverted, we have big personalities.
Elle and Callum negotiate the rules of Pool
That is both endearing and potentially repelling. But to us Brocklehursts, it just is who we are. You see, over my lifetime, and I am one of those extroverted Brocklehursts, I have had people tell me not to be so big. But we can’t help it. Infact, when I am amongst my Brocklehurst relatives, I am not big at all – personality wise or otherwise – I just am. And it is lovely in many ways. It is lovely to realize that when with those to whom I am genetically related, I am ok.
Steve, me and Trevor
I might have a big personality compared to more quiet conservative types, but amongst my family, I am absolutely normal.
See - totally normal
To be honest, I love the bigness of our personalities, our “no-holds barred” way of expressing. Our enthusiasm and vigour for life. We are hardly perfect, but we certainly are not boring.
First cousins once removed - what the hell does once removed really mean???
So in honour of my lovely cousin Josie, celebrating her 5oth birthday, with all the challenges life has thrown her, she is grand and lovely. In fact all of us are. And as I celebrated this event with Josie, her friend Alison, my cousins Pam, Trevor, and Steven, their mother Rosalee and her friend George and Pam’s two children, Elle and Callum (hey Paolo), and Pam’s funny hubby Steve – it was a wonderful fun evening full of connecting with one’s blood line and realizing, you know, I’m ok.
Even Otis gets an honourable mention **)