My brother is due to visit Australia for the first time this summer, but my sister and I have both been there before. My mother is Australian and in 1980 she took us over to visit her family, leaving my father back in England. I was four, my sister was one and my mother was extremely brave to face taking us on the journey single handed. Including the car journeys at each end and the changing of planes it took 32 hours each way.
I don’t have many memories of that trip. But the one thing that will always stick in my mind is a letter we received while we were there from my Dad. In it was a photograph of a hobby horse that he had made for me for when I got back.
In total we were in Australia for two months. Only now as a parent can I imagine how hard it must have been for him to come home to an empty house day after day. But even as a child I knew that the act of making that horse wasn’t just a simple exercise in carpentry. It was an expression of love.
This has been another wordy Wordless Wednesday.
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 12:21 am
What an amazing keepsake, and story to go with! Thank you for sharing it, and Happy WW!
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 12:23 am
that is one beautiful horse filled with wonderful memories :) Happy WW.
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 2:03 am
I’m near tears… that is wonderful!
Great pic! Happy Fourth to you!
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 2:35 am
What a great memory you have of your father! I know you cherish the horse and the love he put into it! Okay…got me misty here! happy ww!
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 2:52 am
I wonder what my children would think if I crafted one of these for them! I believe they would be mad that I didn’t make a Play Station or something like that.
This is a beautiful photo, a wonderful expression of love and a lovely post.
Thanks Dan.
Me
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 6:25 am
What a sweet keepsake and story . I am moved to tears. Happy WW.
Angel ( Angel Mama )
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Oh how very sweet your father in spending his time without you all.
Beuatiful…
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 11:24 am
That’s gorgeous. Mum and I went back to England for six months when I was 2 (my grandma was dying) and my dad had to stay in Auckland. He wrote me postcards from Winston (my fav bear) - signed by Winston and everything.
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 11:49 am
That’s just beautiful. Thank you for sharing. (Happy July 4th)
on Jul 4th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
That is really sweet. Hobby horses are great playthings. My mom made me one with a stuffed head and “real” (made from a leather belt) reins. :D