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  T oday my oldest brother Paul would have been 76 years old. He was born on August 5th 1947. There he is with our baby brother Simon in 1957. Simon was buried on August 5th 2022 - exactly one year ago. Here's Paul in 2009, the year before he died. He had become a gifted fiddler and played in many Irish venues. He played with his heart as well as his fingers. If you had met him along an Irish lane in County Clare, you might have thought that he was Irish but he was as Yorkshire as me. And below, that's Simon - dead at 66. He's in the village churchyard now waiting for his gravestone to be erected and probably berating me for the time it is taking. I find this selfie a little disturbing for I knew who he was and who he might have been. He was interred close to two plaques upon the church wall that he placed there in memory of our late parents whose mortal remains were cremated in 1979 and 2007 respectively. At least Simon did that And finally, this was our father Ph...

 I was asked a question yesterday. The question was what was my favorite part of my birthday. I didn’t immediately have a response. I celebrated my birthday for a whole week.  Here are my favorites Some time spent dockside with my brother and sister-in-law. To sit in the breezes and smells while chatting was a simple pleasure I will never forget. Feeling loved without uttering a word was priceless. Feeling protected and secure within their presence is a gift.  Having a red velvet cake specifically made for me. The beautiful writing of Happy Birthday Regine made my heart swell. I looked at it too many times as I commit it to memory. My sisters and I used to share a birthday cake.  I also wanted to have my own cake as a child, and at forty I wanted to share a cake.  The ability to celebrate starting seaside, and then changing to mountain peaks was amazing. Going from a rainy sunset cruise to the heights is a blessing. As I looked out at the sunset, I allowed m...