Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Howchow Reunion

 Not all these photo's where taken by me, most times by Peter, but it was my camera and therefore my photo's.  This was a photo I liked mainly because of the people in it.
 I wanted a photo with dear Auntie Sonja who seemed somewhat puzzled by all the going ons.  I know Auntie Val is our matriarch but unfortunately she couldn't be there.  There where so many missing who should have been there, mum, auntie Joan, Uncle George, Dennis and Bud it would have meant so much to all of them.  But their photo's where all there, I am sure they where with us in  spirit.  It is a pity this wasn't done 30 or even 40 years ago.  (Mum would have been 97 last week)  She would have been so proud to see all her family there.
 Sadly only one of Mums granddaughters was able to make it, but I was so pleased Donna was there and felt she belonged mixing and meeting her extended family.
 And Great Grandpa all your great grandchildren all gathered together in one large group, all from your son Eng Quorth and daughters Gone Kew, Jeanette, Annie and Alice.
 It was a surreal feeling standing here in front of the house our great Grandfather and our Grandfather lived in over a 100 years ago.  Was so great to stand here with my three sisters, so many of others didn't have all their family there.
 We have never stood all together around Nana and Grandpa's gravesite, wonderful to have this photo.
And the most important for Raymond our brother to have all his sisters gathered around him, I am sure he felt we where there, it was very emotional and I am so grateful to your Sharon, first for taking the time and effort to track down his burial site (I am sad to say in all the years that I lived in Gisborne I had never made that effort) in my teen years when I felt the responsibility of being the eldest I wished that Raymond had lived to be my big brother, it is lonely being the eldest, always the first to do things, how different things would have been if he had lived.  I am also so grateful Sharon that you gave him a headstone we should all have shared the cost.  I found it a very emotional day and in fact a very emotional whole weekend, so much love, hugs and kisses.  I really miss that enveloping family feeling.

3 comments:

  1. Yes we were lucky all four of us girls were there. Also nice that all the Howchow girls were there and all the Ritchies there. So it must be twenty years since mum has passed.

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  2. i felt the emotion around us and was nearly in tears when we find raymonds grave was a very emotional time i never thought we would all be there not in a million years i will treasure that moment and all the others it is like coming home having family around to me it is deeply spiritual thank you all my sisters for being all you are

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  3. wasn't this a special moment, thank you Sharon for putting it up, and thank you all my sisters for sharing this reunion with me.

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