I was born in the South Island of New Zealand in the 1950s and had an idylic childhood. What could be better than being brought up in 1950s and 60s South Island New Zealand ?
We had a cottage in the Marlborough Sounds - I fully support the beliefs of the The Guardians of the Sounds - please do take some time to look at their website.
My parents (father died on 14-June-1994 at the age of 87 and my Mum died on 18-December-2010 aged 96½) were from Europe with mother from the north-west coast of Ireland and father from Somerset.
I have a sister, Sue, who still lives in New Zealand who kept an eye on my Mum so well.
My sister has three children; Virgina, Richard and Michael. Virginia has two children; Shirvananth and Jack and married Hugh Stark on 6-January-2007 (but sadly now living apart), Richard is married to Sarah from Timaru (and now both living in Christchurch and teaching at my sister's old primary school) and Michael is happily married to Kerry; they have two daughters and have just bought their first house.
My Mum lived in a retirement village (Oakwoods) in Richmond, Nelson, New Zealand which I believe suited her needs well. She was the longest serving inhabitant at the time of her death.
And me ? I used to live in rural Surrey alongside the Basingstoke Canal (often described as the most beautiful canal in the United Kingdom) in Brookwood. The day job was working for British Airways (just over 33 years - and now happily retired) on the business side of IT looking after BA's operational and HR data.
I now live in Stoke Bruerne in Northamptonshire alongside the Grand Union Canal. I have set up a blog which I hope will describe my time in Stoke Bruerne.
