Lorraine, darling, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
On this birthday I’d like to look back at our happy times and share them with you again.
This photo of all of us is my favorite photo. We’re at a shopping mall near our home in England. All of us were happy. The weather was always cool and rainy, hence the coats. You got there in September 1984.
Here we are in front of our first house in England. We’re pretending to be tired from travelling. See the suitcases. This house was skimpy. Your mother got us moved into a much nicer house a year later. Matt recently visited that house again while travelling for his work.
Here you are in Belgium in front of a fountain. You were often gleeful, and we enjoyed your cheer.
The English have many museums. Here I am showing you the interior of a British jet fighter.
This photo is inside the train heading for Scotland. The photo is a little shaky because of the sway of the cars. We had a sleeping cabin on the train and enjoyed the ride. We rode from London to Aviemore, Scotland. The English countryside was beautiful.
Here we are boarding the train. I sometimes use this photo as one of my screen savers.
Scots roll their r’s when they speak and hearing this Scottish girl roll the rrrr’s in your name was a delight. Ask Mike to try rolling his r’s when saying Lorraine.
Christmas in London. I got us up on this statue and was lucky not to break myleg getting down. While walking in London that night as a family, traffic was slow. I stepped up on the back of a double-decker bus. Just as Carolyn handed you to me, the bus started moving. A young Englishman saw the danger and grabbed you from our arms. Wow! We were very grateful.
The Holiday Inn in Holland had a play center and offered babysitting services. Carolyn and I left you and Matt with the sitter and went out to dinner. The sitter sent you two kids down the play center and she sat back in room, watched TV, and ate everything in the mini-frig. We were fortunate that you and Matt weren’t kidnapped. You could be speaking French or Spanish if you had.
Back in N. Attleboro, here are you and Matt on bicycles accompanying me on my Sunday morning walk to the Cumberland Farms store to get a newspaper.
Here we are at the house in Buffalo. This photograph shows me helping you with a skateboard. You always had good balance, so you were safe.
Here we are at Walter Protas’ camp. All of us enjoyed the outing, including Patches the dog. I don’t recall if we slept there or not. Do you remember? Walter was best man at our wedding and life-long friend.
I hope that you and Mike find plasant memories to keep.
Again I wish you a Happy Birthday.
With Love,
Dad