Happy times with Geraint.

Today is Ger's birthday and I'm sharing happy times of which there are very, very many.

about 18 months old, fearless and cheeky! note the black stripe in his platinum blonde hair.

At a young age it was obvious what a charmer Ger was. Although he was harder work than his big brother Dafydd. All four of my children were born with what is usually referred too as 'a mop'of very dark hair,  Daf and Ger lost most of it in the first few months of life. Daf  gradually growing light brown hair but Geraint went almost bald except for one thick black lock  which remained in the platinum blonde hair  that grew when he was about 9 months old (just like his Daddy's was once too)'Gers Black Streak' used to get noticed by everyone.People used to say 'has he drawn on himself?' No one including hairdressers had ever seen anything like it.
It was a sort of birthmark a raised area of skin on his head with different hair from the rest, it was still there when he died but had gone grey,I remember him talking about it once with a mixture of pride and annoyance.

In the Cub Scouts he loved camping and activities.

Geraint collected foreign coins ( we still have them) ,stuff for his inventing boxes and scars and scabs. He used to spend hours remodelling his train set or building something out of Lego or meccano or all three at once.Or he would go on very long bike rides with Sheila his spaniel running along beside.He also spent many hours off  up the mountain or down by the river inventing long complicated games which his brothers and sister disrupted by literally losing the plot.

1999-2001

I spent years trying to get a decent picture of me with my four children, this one taken while Geoff was at work with the automatic setting on the camera isn't bad. Ger was usually the most co-operative one if he thought it was a genuine attempt, Daf was the one who pulled the silly face,Huw wouldn't co-operate and Rhiannon wouldn't let me do her hair, but this one no one played up.

Ger and Becky (second left)
Geoff and his brother David (grabbing Huw for a laugh!) Rhiannon and Dafydd

This one was taken in St Davids on a visit to Nanna and shows Ger at his babe magnet best.He was so sweet and friendly ,great sense of humour and good looking! Like all my children :)

01-11-2005

Our Silver Wedding Anniversary was celebrated with a Renewal of Vows and Blessing at St Roberts Church, as our original wedding was a civil ceremony I for one had hoped for a religious service for a long time.Daf gave me away, Ger was Best man, Rhiannon was Chief Bridesmaid and Huw escorted Nanna, along with Dafs partner Karen and her daughter Tanya-Marie (who were Matron of Honour and flower girl)Geoff's sister Gloria and one of her daughters were also there and afterwards we had a lovely time at the Great House in Laleston, champagne cutting a cake and a delicious evening meal.
Ger really was a great best man ,at one point while all of us were getting ready and  waiting for the limo ( yes we hired a stretch limo) I heard him giving his Dad a calm down pep talk! His speech at the hotel earned a round of applause too. From an early age he acted like someone older than his years, able to be very sincere and earnest. When he was canvassing for Plaid Cymru on the telephone in 1999 no-one had any idea they weren't talking to an adult.
He also worked for Domino's and McDonald's proving to be a trustworthy and able employee.He was offered management training and a store of his own, but he wanted to study computer aided design and get qualification's so he could work as an inventor and designer.
Geraint only lived on earth for 21 years, but he loved and was loved and shared so many happy times He flew to the USA, visited France, exhibited his own invention at the Royal Academy in London,went to Glastonbury Music Festival,One year he bashed his nose too many times to have another X-ray and he earned money at school by showing his friends the wire protruding from his damaged finger after micro surgery.He was an Altar server was confirmed into the Church and loved his pets almost as much as he loved his family.He had so many many friends who came to his funeral and gave him a really good send of afterwards at a pub, which he would have loved.He was always so good at social events!
Only 21 years? there are men in their 90's who haven't lived as much.
God Bless you my son, Pray for me  as I pray for you.
Our Golden Boy .Until we meet again.