My sole surviving maternal aunt organised a big family reunion at her North London house this afternoon. Like the Westlakes, the Harrisons (my mother’s side of the family) have a globe-trotting tendency, with branches of the family now established in Australia, South Africa and the West Coast of America as well as Belgium and the Czech Republic and all points of the compass in the UK, and everybody seems to be travelling frequently anyway. Such gatherings are thus rare. Not everybody could make it, of course, but the Harrisons were nevertheless there in considerable numbers and there was much swapping of news over my aunt’s delicious Christmas fare. The star of the show was undoubtedly the chap in the picture. Not a single tear or moan all afternoon and plenty of big smiles. If only his father could support a serious football team! But already the next generation was on its way. My aunt has always lived in the same house and it was sobering to remember that I used to babysit and entertain young cousins there who now have growing families themselves…
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