I just want to put a couple of personal ones in here.
First off, my Grandad, Leo Mathurin, died earlier this year, back in his home town of Denry in St Lucia. Luckily, he held on til my a few hours after my Dad made it over there from London, which I was so thankful for. I never got to know him as well as I'd have liked, as he moved back home when I was still quite young, but I do remember him as one of those strong, silent types, with a very kind smile. I learned that he, like many grandparents, showed affection more easily to us grandkids than he had his own children, but there was no question that the love was there. I also learned that grandad was a playa! I have soooooo many half aunts and uncles over in St Lucia, like you wouldn't believe. I'm told he was still a charmer in church every Sunday right up until the end, and always had a crowd of women around him. I believe that my Dad and I have inherited his charm, although not his wandering eye, which is probably the best combination.
My Dad's brother Randolph lost his wife, Julie a few weeks ago, which has been hard on him, and also on his son Darren, who is getting married this weekend. That whole part of the family's been through a lot lately, and I hope this is the last of their bad news for a very long time.
Also, this weekend a friend of my Dad's passed away, Blue. He's had cancer for a long time, but was never bitter about it, and was just a lovely guy. He was a Trinidadian, I think, and didn't have a lot of family to support him, and he had so many reasons to be angry, but if he was, I never saw it. He was just an honest, open, kind guy who will leave good memories with all of us that knew him.
Thanks for that, this is just a place I feel I can share stuff like this.
