Monday, April 16, 2007

"We All Went To The Zoo Together"

Three Generations

Yesterday in the blazing sunshine, three generations of the Barnes family dashed around London Zoo to make sure we spent time watching the monkeys, the giraffes and the feeding of the penguins. But why were these our priorities?

Easy really. It was our Grandson Joseph's second birthday and those are his favourites.

Our son Stephen and our daughter-in-law Rebecca took turns to manoeuvre his push-chair and then lifted him up to see the animals. But he kept stopping them to check that his Grandparents and his Aunty Joanne hadn't got lost.

What Clever Timing

Joseph is our first grandchild. His birth came at an extra-ordinary time for my wife Ann and myself.

When I ceased to be an MP on 11 April 2005, Ann and I had no time to fret or celebrate. Only one thing mattered. At any time our Grandchild would be born. Somewhat overdue, he arrived four days later.

To us he will always show that family life is far more important than parliamentary posturings.

An Infant Prodigy Blogger?

This happens to be the 100th item posted on this blog. I am pleased that it fitted in with our Grandson's birthday celebrations.

My own reflections on being 100 not out will just have to wait until I post my next item.

At the rate Joseph is growing up, he will probably be starting up his own blog about 65 years earlier than I did.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

As my Mother used to say "You are never too old to learn" and you have done that in spades.

A Magpie and Black Cat supporter from the days when we could not afford to go to away games, so it was Roker End one Saturday, next Saturday, Gallowgate End. 6d to get in and passed down to the front because we were kids.

Oh and a lifelong labour supported who first started helping out in the days of Connie Zilliacous. (spelling).

Harry Barnes said...

Mrs K,

Konni Zilliacus was the MP for Gateshead from 1945 to 1950. In the late 1950's I quoted from one of his books when addressing a Labour Party meeting at Haswell in the Easington Constituency and upset the more moderate Jack Dormund who later went on to become the local Labour MP.

In the 1951-52 season I saw over 40 League and FA Cup matches at Sunderland (Shackleton), Newcastle (Milburn) and the Bro (Mannion)- Half of them at the Roker End. I think that it was 9d to get in by then.

All the best.

John said...

Happy 100th! (you did that much more quickly - and much more readably than I have).