Hooray for Spongebob!

Daniel and I are going to start up our own business.  Also Daniel got a B in his maths exam.  He learned the entire course in a week!  Up yours, people who thought he wouldn't do it!

Alone Again

Well, Daniel is off to Belgium, so I have to suffer the family alone.  Luckily, Nana is off to Fort William this weekend, plus I'm working, so there is very little chance of me getting roped into some ridiculous task that I should not feel obligated to do!  I do miss Daniel though...

Lauren
xx

Sapphire Hands

The first story I'd like to tell you about is one about a family heirloom.

My papa died on the 20th of September 2012, two days after his 81st birthday.  About a month later, my parents, brother, Auntie Anne, Uncle Peter and I were in my nana's house after she and my aunt and uncle had been clearing out some of Papa's things.  Daniel had asked for the pocket watch and a t-shirt saying "Made in Scotland 1931" that we had bought him as presents to be kept, as we knew Papa loved them.  This pocket watch was not particularly expensive; it was from Watt Brothers and there were plenty of them on the planet.  It was at this time that Nana had decided to dish out what was left of Papa's things to people in the family.  She gave my uncle, dad and Daniel ties, cuff links and watches, as they could only really be worn by males.  Then it came to the pocket watch.  This was not the one Daniel had bought Papa, this was one that had belonged to Papa's mother; my great-grandmother.  Mum told us all that when I was a baby, Papa brought it down to show her and I, almost as if to say that I was to inherit it.  To be born a female Caven is quite rare, as Papa had three brothers and two sons, but no sisters or daughters.  The pocket watch was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  I had seen plenty of pocket watches on antiques shows, but this was beautiful.  It was gold, with a lovely face, but what struck me most was the hands.  They had some sort of iridescent shine on them that made them look as if they were set with sapphires.  Everyone in the room assumed I was going to be given it.  Then I came crashing down from Cloud 9.  Nana insisted Uncle Peter was to get it, just because he was the eldest son, even though he has no children.  He told her he didn't want it, he'd rather it went to me because it was a female pocket watch, but she would not change her mind for some reason.  He promised when she went out the room that I'd get it when she died, but I'm not so sure.  I get the feeling he'll forget, and Auntie Anne will get it, and then she'll pass it on to her other niece, Daisy, who I can guarantee won't appreciate it and so will sell it on and it will be out of the family completely.  I also don't know why Nana wouldn't let me have it, but I have a rough idea.  As I said before, to be born a female Caven is rare, and so when I was born, I believe I took her place as my Papa's girl.  I'm pretty sure he had longed for a daughter who was like him: a working class person who never gave up and did not think themselves better than other people.  That's why he liked my mum so much, but when I was born it was like he finally had his girl.  Now his girl is sad, because she knows the one thing he wanted her to have will be out of the family before we know it.  I can feel my eyes welling up just thinking about it.  It's not that I want it because it's expensive, because it probably isn't.  The Cavens didn't come from money.  I just wish I could have it because it would always remind me of who I am and who my family are (and who my family are not).  I was given one thing that day: a pen that he had used maybe once that you can buy in any supermarket or shop that sells pens.  Don't get me wrong, it is nice that it belonged to him, but I really do feel I am the only blood Caven that has nothing left of my Papa.  If only he was still here, then he could tell them who he wanted to get it.  Even if it wasn't me, I'd be happy, because at least I'd know who it was really for.

Yours sadly,
Lauren

Introduction to our family

Well, what can I say about my family?  Firstly, I don't give a damn about anyone not in my direct bloodline, and the only reason I am in any contact with them is through my grandparents.  Secondly, even my close family piss me off sometimes, so don't be surprised if I moan about them.  This is an overview of my family tree.  I'll start with my mum's side.  At the top, there is my gran, Marion.  She's divorced from her husband, an awful man who beat his wife and kids horribly.  Her eldest child is my Uncle Johnnie, who is also divorced and has two kids, Rachel and Lewis, who I am no longer in contact with.  Then is her eldest daughter, Mary, who is married to Dimitri (he's Greek) and also has two kids, Cara and James.  Then is her youngest child, my mum, Louise.  On to my dad's side.  At the top of his side is my nana, Elizabeth.  She's a widow, to my papa, Peter.  I miss him a great deal.  They have two sons, the eldest being my Uncle Peter, who is married to Anne, and has no kids.  The youngest is my dad, Graham.  Now that you have an insight into the structure of my family, you can hear me rant about them.

Happy (or maybe not) reading!
Lauren