Mum's Birthday and Graham's Retirement 3rd July 2015

The third of July 2015 was an important day. It was my mother's 89th birthday and my brother's retirement day.

First my mother:

Pat and Dallas meet in Menton, France

Patricia Mary McKenna, was born in 1926 in London. Her father, Ardel McKenna, was a Scot from Denny. His grandparents had come over from Ireland and many of his uncles lived in England. Ardel may have started working in the mines and volunteered as a teenager for the army in 1914 and survived some of the worst battles of the First World War. He became the batman for Major General John hay Beith (Major General John Hay Beith) also known as Ian Hay, a famous writer and dramatist, who then employed him as his head butler in his London house after the war.

Ardel McKenna (my grandfather)

My mother was born 8 years after the war to end all wars and when she was 13, the Second World War broke out. She had to move house twice after her houses were damaged in the Blitz and she was evacuated from London with her younger sisters. She missed her schooling due to the war, but taught herself French and worked in Paris after the war. Then she met a dashing war hero and Scottish international rugby player and that is how I and my brother and sisters appeared. After bringing up 4 lovely children, she trained as a primary school teacher and worked at the same school as my father (and all of us)  the High School of Dundee.

She is now completing her fascinating autobiography for her grandchildren, her great grandchilden and her close family.

Now to Graham, on 18th August 1975, is 21st birthday, he began his illustrious teaching career in the Gordon Schools, Huntly. He was quickly promoted, married, raised a lovely family and is now a young grandfather. He is a talented musician and has just joined a pipe band and is in demand as a solo piper, has given concerts in Poland and Dubai and at is in great demand for weddings.

Graham and my son Phil making music in Glenesk

Meanwhile, I was taking the scenic route to completing my first degree, having spent a year in France and another two years of University and Teacher Training College still lay ahead of me before another year of meandering (but working too) in Italy.